How do y'all handle flats on your rides?

[fooferdoggie]

I carry what I need to fix most flats. Tools, patch kits, spare tube, air. I haven't had a lot of flats lately. There aren't a lot of natural or man-made flat-causing things in the roads around here, and/or I've been lucky. I suppose if I were having flats a few times every month my attitude would be different, but I don't. When I have a flat, I fix it. If it's the rear tire, I'll see if I can fix it without taking the wheel off. I have a hub motor. If I have to take the wheel off, I do. It just does not seem like that big a deal to me. I have AAA but I can fix a flat and be on my way long before a AAA truck would even show up.

I have tubed tires that I overdose with Slime. I can't tell it's there as far as weight, etc., is concerned. I'm sure with the right scientific instruments you could prove it increases rolling resistance and maybe it takes a few meters off of my range, but I don't notice it. Anyway, tubeless tires are full of sealant too, so that argument for tubeless doesn't amount to anything. (No, they aren't FULL of sealant. I hope you know what i mean.)

TT

if you have fat tires I doubt you would feel it as much since there is already so much drag from them. but I have about 2 oz of fluid in them. bit I can feel the ride difference with the same tire with tubeless or a tube in it. not so much in speed but in suppleness. the tube is a harder ride.

 

[Tom@WashDC]

Does not do squat for a knife through the sidewall. Don't you ever lock your bike up at the destination? Is your bike not worth stealing? I saw a twenty something male riding a 20" kiddie bike down the street 4 days ago with no tire or tube on the back. That is pretty low.

Knife attack on my bike? I've never heard of such a thing. I never leave my bike out of my sight. If I go to a restaurant, my bike is always within sight and has a cable lock, brake lock, and motion alarm. Yes, it's definitely worth stealing.

 

[John from Connecticut]

I never really have an issue changing a flat on a ride on my normal bikes, or even my mid drive Creo. My issue is that the Stromer with the hub motor is a different beast.

I've seen some folks try to patch the tube while still on the bike, but do you folks generally remove the rear wheel and swap tube out on the road? Patch while on the bike? something else?

I'm awaiting my ST3, but prior to 2020 I would commute quite a bit on ST1X. I just recall the rear removal process to be quite an ordeal, and that's the one thing that has me concerned about using this for commutes, given I generally will get a flat every couple of weeks due to the staples, nails and other debris on the side of the road i can pick up.

Flats : ) I ride these tires on my ebikes. No flats in 12,000 miles

Flat-less | Schwalbe Tires North America – schwalbetires.com

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[6zfshdb]

Knife attack on my bike? I've never heard of such a thing. I never leave my bike out of my sight. If I go to a resutaurant, my bike is always within sight and has a cable lock, brake lock, and motion alarm. Yes, it's definitely worth stealing.

Rare though it is, I did have it happen back in 2012.

My brother and I were in a McDonalds in Bridgeport CT. We were sitting by the front window with a good view of our bikes not 10' away. They were locked to a rear rack with the vehicle backed up to the building. We watched in disbelief as two teenage juvenile delinquents walked by. In plain sight, one of them pulled out a pocket knife and proceeded to puncture all four bike tires! We rushed out, but they were long gone!

The slashes were too big to patch but luckily, we had spare tubes, so the planned ride wasn't ruined.

Short of keeping the bikes inside a locked vehicle, I'm not sure how you would protect them from something like this.

 

[Tom@WashDC]

Rare though it is, I did have it happen back in 2012.

My brother and I were in a McDonalds in Bridgeport CT. We were sitting by the front window with a good view of our bikes not 10' away. They were locked to a rear rack with the vehicle backed up to the building. We watched in disbelief as two teenage juvenile delinquents walked by. In plain sight, one of them pulled out a pocket knife and proceeded to puncture all four bike tires! We rushed out, but they were long gone!

The slashes were too big to patch but luckily, we had spare tubes, so the planned ride wasn't ruined.

Short of keeping the bikes inside a locked vehicle, I'm not sure how you would protect them from something like this.

Yeah, that is Crazy Town. Must've been a shocker. I run tubeless, but I always carry an inner tube with me in case I get a major laceration of the sidewall.

 

[TrevorB]

Its not really cheap but its not too hard as long as your rims are tubeless ready. you may need new tires depending on what you have. but I doubt most bikes come with tubeless ready tires. then you need rim tape in the right width. I went with DT-swiss one of the best rated and easy to apply about 25.00 a roll then valves about 25.00 or less if you use off brands. then sealant I have started using peatys seems to work well so far. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B4WS1CNJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1
getting the bead can seat depends on so many factors. a few tires I had to end up putting a tube in then taking it out so one side of the tire is seated. others I just needed a air compressor the last two I did my makita air pump did it. so around 75.00 or so not including the tires to do it yourself.

Supplying high volume of air in short period is biggest issue when popping bead in place. Workshop compressor with large reservoir is ideal. In my case 3000psi applied directly from dive tank worked a treat, not as dangerous as it seems as valve was removed and seal was very leaky. How powerful compressor you need will depend on tires and rims, some only need little air make them air tight.

With right hose could use car tire as air source, has volume and no risk of over inflating given car tire is at similar operating pressures.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Supplying high volume of air in short period is biggest issue when popping bead in place. Workshop compressor with large reservoir is ideal. In my case 3000psi applied directly from dive tank worked a treat, not as dangerous as it seems as valve was removed and seal was very leaky. How powerful compressor you need will depend on tires and rims, some only need little air make them air tight.

With right hose could use car tire as air source, has volume and no risk of over inflating given car tire is at similar operating pressures.

ˆ only had one set of tires my little compressor could not seat. but a tube in the tire seated it pulled out the tube and all was good. it depends so much on the tire. I think the tires that want to push against the rim are the easiest. I have had a few that actually suck right into the middle when the air was let out but they were easy to seat again.

 

[PCeBiker]

I've got 26"X4" fat tires with street tread. I was worried about flats, so I installed Tannus inserts, Mr. Tuffy tire liners, and 16 ounces of Flat Out Sportsman Formula in each tire.
I've got over 4000 km on my e-bike now and have had no flats.
I ride over nails and broken glass near my home to see how puncture proof my tires are.

My wheels do weigh a ton though.

I'm pretty sure that I have everything I would need in my tool bag to fix a flat in the feild. I would hate to leave my bike behind in the middle of nowhere to go and try to get help.

 

[Sparky731]

did you have a bike shop do the tubeless or do it yourself? if a bike shop, do you recall the out the door cost? i'm about due for new tires and would consider it if it's reasonable.

I run tubless — and all tires purchased at my LBS. Cost for one recently replaced PanaRacer GravelKing tire mounted with sealant = $175. Worth it to me.

FYI, zero flats on the trail in >5K tubless miles following 4 very unfortunate flats in 3K on tube tires with Slime.

 

[AvalancheRun]

Tubeless + phone a friend if it's a really long walk!

 

[Bert]

I use tubes from the brand Gaadi. ...works fine. You cut out the punctured inner tube and replace it with this sausage-shaped one. They come in a size close enough to the right one.
You could continue using it as a fixed solution then. However, the small opening will remain noticeable.