SUGGESTIONS?

[trekpaqjumper]

I compulsively pop tires. It's a curse. I would like to know if anyone has any advice on stronger tubes, what I'm doing wrong, or should i switch to thicker DH tubes even though all i ride is XC? Most of my flats are pinch flats. Thanks for any help.

[Dino Sore]

I compulsively pop tires. It's a curse. I would like to know if anyone has any advice on stronger tubes, what I'm doing wrong, or should i switch to thicker DH tubes even though all i ride is XC? Most of my flats are pinch flats. Thanks for any help.


Help us out here - what kind of tires/tubes are you currently using and what pressures do you run?

Also, have you eliminated the possibility of problems related to rim tape and/or spokes? Are the punctures on the inside (spoke side) of the tube?

[trekpaqjumper]

After i read your response i told the bike shop guy what you said, he said that problem was that i don't check the pressure enough. He said to check it before and after every ride. I used to only check it every week or so, he said that tubes are easily popped when not fully inflated as well as too inflated. Thanks for your help Dino Sore.

[hogboy]

keep tires at 40 they won't pop, they will be stiff

[Big Game]

Use a tire with a large casing...such a Tioga DH (the 2.1 is more like a 2.4 and the 2.3 is like a 2.7). Plus your bike will love the added traction

[knucklebuste]

Maybee I'm an idiot, or ok yes I admit I'm an idiot, but here it goes. I've only been riding for about 3 months. I ride or try to just about every weekend. I ride pretty hard, rocks, stumps whatever. I've never had a flat, but what I'm wondering about is what is a pinch flat? Kevin

[joe]

A pinch flat is when you hit something with your tire and it compresses enough for your tube to get pinched between your rim and whatever you hit. This leaves a characteristic "snake bite" puncture with two small holes, one for each side of the rim.

Generally speaking, the lower your tire pressure, the easier it is to get a pinch flat.

[splat]

a Pinch flat is when the tire bottoms out and the tube is pinced between the rim and ( tire ) and whatever your hitting, and punuctures the tube . it is also known (more in the roadie world ) as a snake bite , because it usually leaves 2 holes in the tube.

[knucklebuste]

Well I guess I've been lucky with the pinch flats. Do they occur more when you run low pressure? Also what is considered low pressure? Thanks, Knuckle

[johnnyt]

Low pressure is whatever is BELOW the recommended pressure on the side of your armour alled tires. I rarely get pinches and run my tires around 35 psi.

[steve_b]

I didn't see that you sated what type of terrain you ride on, but your typical new england rocky singletrack trail is the main culprit of pinch flats. A pinch flat occurs when you dont have a lot of air pressure (30-35 lbs) and you go over rocks, roots, etc. and the tube compresses. As the name implies you will have 2 small holes that look like a rattler planted his teeth in. (Most of mine seem to only have 1 puncture). Anyhow, when riding tech. terrain, (especially rocks) I recommend having both tires around 55 psi.

I switched to pre-slimed presta tubes about 2 months ago and they seem to help. There's a sale on them at http://www.jensonusa.com/ if your interested. Panaracer also makes a tire called the fire xc that they call anti-snakebite. I have never used them, but I believe they have an extra layer above the tube that makes it harder to reach the tube.

[johnnyt]

I ride the fire xc and have never had a pinchy with it.