Pro Tips to Flats

PRO TIPS - FIXING A FLAT TIRE

• Place a few pumps of air into a tube prior to installing in tire.  This gives shape to a tube and which lets it lay easily in the rim and keeps the tube from getting pinched between tire and rim during the seating process.
• Do different sized tires require different sized tubes? Yes & No.  There are 2 approaches to this problem.  
• 1, Either carry the lowest common denominator of tube size for your bikes.  IE: A smaller "like" tube will expand to fill all of your needs.  I've been using 26" tubes in 29" wheels since day one and they will work just as well for 27.5/650b.  For it to work, you must stretch a smaller tube a little prior to installation.  
• 2, Purchase a separate tube & bag for each bike that you own.  This can be a little more costly, but your bike is always ready for action and you know the equipment correct.
• Practice, makes you faster! Just like training for an event, training for mishaps  should have the same priority as training to win.  Using patches, installing tubes, using Co2, etc.  Practice, practice, practice...
• Carry Latex gloves. Latex gloves are light and easy to carry and the benefit will keep you hands clean.  During cold days they can keep your hands warm during the change out.  And if the unexpected happens, you will have gloves for medical situations.