Pinch Flats

[phil-b]

I seem to get more than my fair share of pinch flats on my MTB tubes. I am obviusly doing something wrong.

Can anyone please advise me?

 

[ianrauk]

Are you pumping the tyres up to somewhere between the min/max PSI as stated on the tyre sidewall?

 

[phil-b]

I have smooth tyers on it right now as I was doing alot of riding on tarmac and I had it close to max PSI

 

[ianrauk]

You're not jumping up and down kerbs then are you?

 

[phil-b]

No I had hardly ridden the thing since swapping the tyres. Wheel looks ok also.

 

[phil-b]

No I had hardly ridden the thing since swapping the tyres. Wheel looks ok also.

 

[I like Skol]

If they are true pinch flats then there are two ways they can happen.

1. impact of tyre against rim due to low pressures or hard landing on an acute edge.
2. trapping inner tube when using tyre levers to fit tyre.

Point 1 is easily dealt with and simply requires higher tyre pressures. My own experience with an MTB going back decades is that I do get pinch flats occasionally when the pressure is not at or above 50psi. It only needs to be a few psi lower and it starts to happen again, having said that, I do off-road downhill like a madman so more cautious riders might get away with 45psi?

2 is just a matter of practice and technique. Nearly all tyres and every fatter MTB tyres I have encountered can be fitted without the use of levers. I'm sure there are awkward pig combinations of tyres and rims that are just impossible to fit by hand but in the main you really need to be fitting your tyres without the aid of levers to avoid trapping the tube when lifting the last bit of tyre onto the wheel. Even my 23c roadbike tyres go on without levers.

What Psi are you putting in to the tyres what make/model/size are the tyres and is your pressure gauge accurate?

 

[Pale Rider]

Mate of mine found 45-50psi to be about the tipping point for pinch flats on his mountain bike.

Punctures aside, he prefers the lower pressure for trail riding.

 

[phil-b]

If they are true pinch flats then there are two ways they can happen.

1. impact of tyre against rim due to low pressures or hard landing on an acute edge.
2. trapping inner tube when using tyre levers to fit tyre.

Point 1 is easily dealt with and simply requires higher tyre pressures. My own experience with an MTB going back decades is that I do get pinch flats occasionally when the pressure is not at or above 50psi. It only needs to be a few psi lower and it starts to happen again, having said that, I do off-road downhill like a madman so more cautious riders might get away with 45psi?

2 is just a matter of practice and technique. Nearly all tyres and every fatter MTB tyres I have encountered can be fitted without the use of levers. I'm sure there are awkward pig combinations of tyres and rims that are just impossible to fit by hand but in the main you really need to be fitting your tyres without the aid of levers to avoid trapping the tube when lifting the last bit of tyre onto the wheel. Even my 23c roadbike tyres go on without levers.

What Psi are you putting in to the tyres what make/model/size are the tyres and is your pressure gauge accurate?

the fact I had just changed the tire points to number 2 and I do use levers to put on the Tyre

the tyres are Continental City Ride MTB Tyre 26 x 1.75 at 60 psi using the guage on my road morph pumo

 

[screenman]

I am suprised nobody has offered the fail safe method of avoiding pinch punctures and in fact most puncture. Tubeless, once you change you will not go back.

 

[Cubist]

I am suprised nobody has offered the fail safe method of avoiding pinch punctures and in fact most puncture. Tubeless, once you change you will not go back.

Beat me to it.