flat tires on a motorized bicycle (do not turn tire inside out)

GoldenMotor.com

paul

Well-Known Member
Dec 23, 2007
5,547
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Kalamazoo, MI
we all sooner or later get flat tires on our motorized bicycles and they are a pain to fix whether you ride an e-bike or a gas powered bicycle. something i learned today that maybe a lot of you already know however i am sure a few of you like me did not know, i could not find what kept puncturing the tube, so i checked real good with a magnifying glass and could not find anything, i turned the tire inside out so i could check from the other side, bad mistake, it did something to the bead and ruined a $50.00 schwalbe big apple tire. i guess i will mark it down as another lesson learned the hard way. word of advice is never turn a tire inside out, the damage is not repairable.
 

maniac57

Old, Fat, and still faster than you
Oct 8, 2011
4,484
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memphis Tn
Re: flat tires on a motorized bicycle

I'll be honest, I have never tried turning one inside out. I simply use my fingers to check the inside.
But then again, I've never had the problem you describe either.
Good to know!
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
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63
Littleton, Colorado
Re: flat tires on a motorized bicycle

Wow, Paul. Is that a problem on all bike tires or just the brand you had? I've done the same as you before and actually found a small piece of steel that had penetrated the tread and was protruding into the tube. The tire wasn't damaged at all. I replaced the tube, mounted and inflated the tire and all is well.
What specifically happened that ruined the bead? Interesting and food for thought, for sure.

Tom
 

paul

Well-Known Member
Dec 23, 2007
5,547
44
48
66
Kalamazoo, MI
Re: flat tires on a motorized bicycle

from some research it is wire bead tires that will do this, i have also turned a tire inside out in the past and never had a problem, from what i have been reading i just got lucky the other time, what happened was when i tuned the tire back to normal it was twisted and the wire bead rolled up so their was no way possible to mount it. i spent a couple hours trying to fix and finally gave up after researching a fix which i could not find. the tire is now in the dumpster and just ordered a new on that should be here in a week or so, personally i will not chance turning them inside out ever again, ruining a tire is bad but the wait to get a new one is even worse
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
Re: flat tires on a motorized bicycle

Maybe I got lucky too. Whatever, I won't try it again.
It is good to know. I hope others read this and learn something. I did. Thanks

Tom
 

massdrive

New Member
Oct 3, 2013
454
3
0
Las Vegas
Re: flat tires on a motorized bicycle

I am so tired of flat tire's. I've had 7 flats in the last 7 months. I changed to heavy duty tubes, flat. I changed to super heavy duty puncture resistant self sealing slim tubes, flat. On 4 out of the 7 flats I found the puncture, but could not find the cause of the puncture. On one of the flats it looked like the tube simply wore out and got to thin to hold air. Am I the only one experiencing this? Oh and yes I did turn my tires inside out looking for foreign objects. Got lucky with that I guess.
 

Lightning Boy

Member
Apr 19, 2014
185
0
16
Michigan
Re: flat tires on a motorized bicycle

I ran over a broken seat post clamp someone left in the street last week. If they had stopped to pick it up, maybe it wouldn't have punctured my tire and tube. I blame myself for not seeing it, but not as much as the person who left it there. Cost me a tube which was likely on its last leg anyway, but I was reminded the importance of scanning the road ahead closely for more than potholes and other motorists. Nobody likes a flat tire.
 

maniac57

Old, Fat, and still faster than you
Oct 8, 2011
4,484
22
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memphis Tn
Re: flat tires on a motorized bicycle

Flats are simply a part of riding. You can minimize but never totally prevent. I dislike slimed tubes since you cannot patch them when they get a puncture too big for the sealant. And they WILL get one too big.
I run extra thick thorn resistant tubes and have been doing real good so far this season with only one nail which took about 5 min to patch. I don't even remove the rim usually anymore unless there is serious damage.
Tire liners are another layer of protection and with thick tubes, will stop 90% of punctures. By using non-slime tubes, you can easily patch that remaining 10%.
Except for the really bad ones...

which nothing will stop.
 

bluegoatwoods

Active Member
Jul 29, 2012
1,581
6
38
Central Illinois
Re: flat tires on a motorized bicycle

Interesting. I wasn't aware that turning a tire inside out might ruin it.

But it also never occurred to me to try that. So it might not have mattered to me.

But now I know. So, thanks.
 

paul

Well-Known Member
Dec 23, 2007
5,547
44
48
66
Kalamazoo, MI
Re: flat tires on a motorized bicycle

i dug the tire out of the dumpster and attached is a couple photos. the twist is not the problem the problem is with the way the bead is, i messed with it for an hour this morning again because i want to ride but it is not fixable. as far as number of flats i believe motorized bicycles are more prone to flats because they weigh so much, you figure a heavy bike now days is around 30 lbs and ours all weigh considerably more then that
 

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The_Aleman

Active Member
Jul 31, 2008
2,653
4
38
el People's Republik de Kalifornistan
As a guy who's been on bicycle for primary transportation (by choice, mind you) since the 1980's, 150+K miles pedaled, please hear me out:

Yes, it's totally possible to mess up a tire bead. For tubeless use.
A wire tire bead is always salvageable for tubed use as long as the sidewall is intact, from my experience.

Even if a tire's bead has separated it's possible to use a tire, from my experience. Again, I speak only for mostly intact sidewalls and use with tubes (I have yet to go tubeless on bicycles). A little background: I grew up in an area of California with the dreaded goathead thorns so I'd like to think I know my way around flat tires and have ridden enough miles to have worn all kinds of tires out. I have used tires with folding/kevlar beads and true wire beads. Wire beads can be less forgiving, given the nature of wire, but turning one inside out shouldn't ruin it. Granted, it's my humble opinion that you didn't need to do that to find the offending flat-maker, but we all have our methods regarding location of such. Still, that should not have ruined the tire.

It's a good thing you saved the tire, because I think it's still usable.
Bend it to its natural shape, put it in the sun for a few hours and it should be up to the task when you fill it with a tube and inflate it again.
 

paul

Well-Known Member
Dec 23, 2007
5,547
44
48
66
Kalamazoo, MI
aleman i decided after your post to try again. this time four of us and what the problem was is the bead was rolled and we had to role it back which was impossible to do with just two hands because it would just role back in when you tried to work around the tire, had three of us last night and figured i would try again today with 4 of us, we had to roll the bead out with each person holding their roll out so it did not roll in again and finally got it so i could at least get it on the rim, over filled the tire and let it sit for an hour and then let the air out and inspected and all was good, i know i will never turn a tire inside out again, living on an island that most things you order from the states and the bicycle shop that is about the size of a closet is only open 4 hours on 2 days a week with very little stock we have to wait a week to get things. i will say it keeps you from giving up, just to bad i ordered another tire last night, guess i will have a spare motorized bicycle tire on hand
 

bluegoatwoods

Active Member
Jul 29, 2012
1,581
6
38
Central Illinois
The tires on a motored bike also just seem to take more wear. It sorta makes sense. But one would think that you could ride easy and things would balance out.

But it doesn't seem to be that way.

What convinced me of this is my studded tire on front. I put a brand new one on last fall.

On my pedal bike I have a studded tire that has gone through two seasons now and the studs are maybe half worn down.

My motored bike didn't even get all that much use during this past horrible winter. Yet the studs that were brand new in December are now worn down to flat spots. It's so bad that I haven't even bothered changing to a non-studded tire yet. I've got practically the same thing right now.
 

Techbiker

New Member
Oct 27, 2009
164
2
0
DFW, Texas
Flats are no longer much of an issue for me since using tire liners on all of my bikes. I used to get flats every couple hundred miles whereas I have never gotten a flat on a bicycle with tire liners.

I get many odd looks when purchasing tire liners in bike shops. Typically, other customers and shop employees think I'm nuts for adding "unnecessary weight". I think they're nuts unless they don't mind changing flats on the side of the road. The obvious exception is peddle racing where you want as little weight as possible.

Honestly, I might look for very strong tires for my XR80 build. Tire liners are nice but make the tire changing process a little more challenging.