Pinch flats

nick1972
nick1972 Posts: 144
edited November 2012 in Road beginners
I keep reading that if tyres aren't correctly inflated you run the risk of getting a pinch flat. Can someone advise a newbie what this is.

Sorry if its a silly question.

Comments

  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    Tyre deflect when u hit a pothole and gets squished against the rim, this can cause punctures known as pinch flats
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    No such thing as a silly question...you should see some of the replies though :)

    As Smidsy says, pinch flats can be caused by the rim of a wheel pinching the tube, usually causing two holes (hence, the common term "snake bite"). They can also be caused by not semi-inflating the tube prior to insertion into the wheel such that the tube gets pinched on full inflation, causing a burst.

    Snake bites are usually avoided by knowing/setting the correct min pressure for your weight, but can be unavoidable if you smack into a pothole (I got one on Dartmoor in the summer... but losing big chunks of teeth and flesh were of a more immediate concern :) ).
  • nick1972
    nick1972 Posts: 144
    Thanks for the advice guys.

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