Tips on avoiding flat tyres when mountain biking on rough trails. Learn how to prevent punctures using tyre sealant, correct tyre pressure and other tricks.
Are you tired of getting regular flat tyres that take time to fix and spoil your mountain biking fun time? Punctures are almost inevitable from time to time if you regularly ride off-road on rough terrain, but they can also be minimized using a few simple tricks.
Avoiding a Punctured Tyre
Mountain bikers who experience punctures on a regular basis need to work out why they are so frequent. Do they happen mainly on certain types of terrain, for instance on rocky trails with sharp stones or dry, and potentially thorny, countryside trails? Do they mostly occur when jumping over objects, in which case it could be down to style of riding? What kind of punctures are the most frequent? Pinch flats, also known as “snake-bites” leave tell-tale twin tears in the inner tube, whereas punctures caused by sharp objects on the trail generally leave a small hole, often in both tyre and inner tube.
Once the reason for the abrasion has been determined, you can then look at the various preventative measures below.
Use Slime Inner Tubes
Tyre sealants from companies like Slime and Dr Sludge are essential for mountain bikers riding in hot dry countries where thorns from trailside thistles are the norm. Available both as pre-filled Slime inner tubes and in a bottle to insert directly into an existing tube, the sealant fills small holes up to 3mm wide and, while the tyre may initially deflate, a quick pump and spin of the wheel usually gets you straight back on the trail.
Tyre sealant is also available in gallon-sized tubs, a cost effective solution for keen riders with multiple bikes or for bike hire companies.
Correct Tyre Pressure
Many mountain bikers like to ride with low pressure in their tyres in order to get better contact between bike and terrain. But this can also lead to pinch flat punctures, especially when jumping or doing drop-offs as the under-inflated tube presses against the wheel rim.
The correct tyre pressure will depend on rider weight and riding style, but consider putting extra air in your tyres if you are getting regular pinch flats.
Additional Tips for Preventing Punctures Off-Road
Use these extra tips to minimize any time spent on puncture repairs:
- Check tyres after every ride to look for sharp objects and thorns; this is also a good opportunity to look at the tyres themselves for any wear or weaknesses that may allow sharp objects easier access to the inner tube.
- Use an additional layer of rim tape for extra protection from spiky objects or line your tyres with an extra layer of rubber – grab an old inner tube, cut it in half lengthways and then trim it to fit inside the tyre between the wheel rim and the inner tube.
- Consider buying better quality tyres, especially ones that are reinforced to withstand rough, puncture-prone terrain. While good quality tyres can be expensive, the cost of buying dozens of spare inner tubes soon mounts up and there are only so many times you can patch a tube!
- If you do get a puncture on the trail, make sure you check inside the tyre wall carefully for any tiny thorns or objects before inserting a new inner tube.
Keep Mountain Biking not Fixing Punctures
Prevent constant flat tyres by understanding the main reasons for getting them, and then use tyre sealants or extra rim protection as well as correct tyre pressure to minimize time spent on puncture repair.
If all else fails, simply avoid riding in areas prone to multiple punctures at certain times of year and make sure you know how to fix a flat tyre fast.