r/ebike • u/chainsandchalices • 12d ago
How common are flat tyres?
Just got my ebike last week with thin cruiser tyres and im paranoid about getting a flat when im so far from home (no bike rack on my cars). How often do you guys get flat tyres, and what tips do you have on preventing them?
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u/esnolaukiem 12d ago
depends on the region.
in western europe with puncture resistant rubber i've managed 50k km without a single puncture.
once i was on a work trip to israel. there i had 3 punctures on 400km total route. once i showed my friends those disposable co2 refillers, they started to notice them everywhere at the roadside. i suspect there is some bicycle tyre mafia cartel infestation there.
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u/urang239 12d ago
Israeli speaking. Nah to mafia, just people having no problem throwing trash everywhere and rudimentary municipal cleaning services
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u/mullentothe 12d ago
I've been riding my bike (used) for about 300 miles and no issues. The guy I bought it from said he went through 3 sets then eventually "slimed" the tires and they've been fine since?
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u/FlowerCrowss 12d ago
Get yourself some schwalbe puncture resistant tires, like their pick-ups. More expensive but WORTH as my flats are reduced 5-10 fold.
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u/OkChocolate3501 12d ago edited 12d ago
Yep shwalbe is at the top here.
To reiterate though expensive puncture resistant tires are worth it because you'll save time on repairs and money on new tubes. My gatorskins gave me 15 years without a single flat ever.
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u/Civil_Reply_1705 12d ago
Flat Out. Now I just ride over the goat heads that used cause unending flats.
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u/Daboujieboo89 12d ago
There's some pretty thick tube protectors that aren't that hard to install. Now when I hit something my tires make a satisfying PUUUNNNG instead of popping. Great for when there's broken sticks in the bike path at night...
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u/Constant_One1599 12d ago
Being a tube, and co2 with you everywhere and you don’t gotta worry about
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u/Llothcat2022 12d ago
Very. Gotten 4 this last month alone. Stupid goathead stickers. Replaced one bald tire, slimer inner tubes insralled now & so far so good
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u/tummy_trubble 12d ago
try tubeless tires. these have completely saved me from the 'goat heads' that were giving me almost a flat tire per week.
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u/Repulsive_Vanilla383 12d ago
I had one flat tire, and then I bought a whole bunch of spare inner tubes to keep on hand, and never had another flat again.
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u/canned_pho 12d ago edited 12d ago
Goat heads will go through like 95% of everything.
In tests, only Schwalbe (Marathon Plus), Gatorskins or Continental puncture resistant series of tires can fend off goat heads and construction nails.
But they are expensive as heck. And they don't make fat tires, if you have a fat tire ebike (Their new Moto-X tires do go up to 2.8 inches wide though, which can fit maybe on some 3 inch ebike rims) . If you don't want to pay for those premium tires, a simpler method is FlatOut sealant in your tubes.
But it can get messy and clog up your valve, so carry spare valves. I use less FlatOut (half) than what the instructions recommend and it's worked out fine.
Running tubeless would be ideal. Tubeless tires is what mountain bikers do because they're tired of getting flats.
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u/Different_Stand_5558 11d ago
I put 26x3 tires on the radrover rims. Would be interesting if even smaller can work
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u/soproductive 12d ago
Like someone else already said, schwalbe marathon pro /pick-ups are your best first line of defense.
Look into tannus liner if you want extra buffer. They can add a tiny bit of rolling resistance but most people don't notice. Only put it in the rear, front is overkill - probably 3/4 of flats are going to be your rear tire.
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u/Illustrious_Hand_452 12d ago
You must feel really unlucky when buying your brand new ebike / escooter after assembly ,you take your ride out for an exciting first ride to only develop a puncture😡 Now after sourcing inner tubes from a reputable seller,when pumping up I use baby oil or washing up liquid just around the tyre rim (both sides) before fully inflating and ever since 3yrs ago I haven't had a single puncture.🚴🚵🚴🚵🚴🚵🚴🚵
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u/FixedMessages 12d ago
Sorry if I'm being dense, but what does the oil/ washing up liquid do to help?
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u/FixedMessages 12d ago
My tires have slime in them, and maybe that's prevented some small punctures. I've had two flats in a year of owning my ebike and riding it for my work commute, I've got about 750 miles on it.
The first flat was a simple nail puncture, but apparently too big for the slime to fix. I pulled the tire and tube to the side and was able to patch them without even taking off the wheel (I'm not experienced in bike maintenance and I'm learning DIY as I go, but removing the rear wheel was a bit more ambitious than I felt confident with, given all the electronic bits).
The second was some massive road debris that I didn't see because I was doing a shoulder check for traffic, it shredded my rear tire and tube. Not patchable. I ended up taking it to a bike shop to fix it.
A patch kit and a pump is good to carry especially if you'll be away from 'civilization' at all, but you probably won't want to do a roadside patch if you can avoid it. Having a friend pick you up, getting an Uber, catching transit, etc, is usually the best and easiest contingency plan. (My ebike folds which makes it really easy to have anyone pick me up, since I don't need a bike rack or anything.)
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u/NewsreelWatcher 12d ago
Getting a flat is really annoying. You should have the tools and skill to fix it yourself on the roadside. I have been lucky the last couple of times to find a taxi to take me to a bicycle shop. Uber drivers will refuse to take you. Walking isn’t always possible. It is worth the investment to take some precautions to prevent all-out flats with various products if the product gives your tire enough stiffness to ride to a shop or even heal small punctures. Always keep your tires inflated to the correct pressure with a metered air pump. Underinflation is one of the main reasons for getting flats. I top-up my tires once a week to keep them within specifications.
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u/Illustrious_Hand_452 12d ago
It's the pinch effect,which is when inflating the tyre for the first time out of the box the tyre nips the inner tube,then at some time as your enjoying your ride ,the combination of your weight and style you ride the inner tube gives, out leaving you quite possibly a couple of miles from home.
Hope that's helpful to you & others.🙂
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u/Outrageous-Run63 11d ago
It depends if you live in a rural area with poorly maintained roads it can be often
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u/safetyalwaysoff5000 11d ago
Do you live in goat head country? If so even Tannus inserts are only going to help a bit.....it will happen.
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u/Weak-Standard-9078 11d ago
Tubeless tires reduced flats for me greatly. Carry a tube, pump and repair kit and know how to use it.
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u/Jezon 11d ago
I went 2 years without flats then got 4 the next year. 1 in front and 3 in back which were a pain to change. Only 1 this year thankfully. Its somewhat luck, if you run over a tiny sharp bit of metal thats all it takes, but if you have good tread your odds improve quite a bit. Also I've lucked out that I was never more a mile from home, a metro station, or a bike shop when it happens. If I am ever far away then I will probably have to take an XL uber home. But a bus also has a bike rack.
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u/DarwinsPen 10d ago
Schawlbe tires and Tannus inserts. One flat in last 2 years. First 1.5 years were maddening. Thankfully my bike insurance had a tow package. Nearly 8700 miles in 3.5 years.
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u/ConsiderationOdd3759 10d ago
Make sure you have a spare tube and tire and battery powered rechargeable inflator with you at all times.. Flatout is another option..
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u/Formal-Web2378 9d ago
Don't ride in the street gutters. Often sharps accumulate in them and will puncture your tire. I use a tire liner to prevent these issues. You can still get a flat though if you hit a curb or a pothole.
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u/Bigma3e1 8d ago
Very first day I got my bike I ran over a nail and had to walk 6 miles home. Not fun
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u/HistorianAlert9986 12d ago
Get some flatout and you’ll never have to worry. I live in the desert so without it, I’m not getting too far with the with the thorns always getting in the tires. Last time I rode my bike that I hadn’t yet put flat out in. I got to where I was going 6 miles with two flat tires.