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I recently started riding an e-bike. E-bikes are great. They combine the fun of cycling with the great joy of not having to struggle up a hill if you are not a strong cyclist.
as well as – The best electric bikes for transportation
And it’s so much fun to jump on a bike and go on an adventure. But there is one thing that all cyclists worry about – and that is a flat tire.
Getting a flat tire on a pedal bike is a pain, but getting a flat on an e-bike is even worse. The extra weight of an e-bike, along with the extra range the motor allows, could put you miles back home if a problem occurs.
That’s why I take many steps to reduce the chances of it happening when I’m cycling.
First of all, there is prevention.
My first defense is adding a compound called Slime Tube Sealant to my tires (there’s also a version for tubeless bike tires). It’s a mixture made up of fibers, binders and proprietary sealing agents and the idea is that as soon as you get a hole, it will come out of the hole and form a plug.
Slime can instantly seal holes up to 1/8 inch (3mm) in your tube and I’ve used this in the past with great results.
Slime can be a bit of a problem to get into the tubes (you take out the valve and squeeze it into the tube) but once it’s in there and you put the tires up, you’re good to go.
One bottle is good for two tires.
It provides a cheap but effective defense against fines.
Next, when my first line of defense doesn’t work, I need a puncture repair kit.
This is nothing like the old fashioned piercing repair kits where you had to mess with smelly adhesives and wait ages for the glue to set.
The tire lifters in this pack are used to lift the tire off the rim, and then just twist the tube where it flows with a small driver and then slap it on and you’re good to go.
Not sure where the hose goes? Feel around with your fingers or use water and look for the bubbles!
Finally I need something to add to the wheels.
Sometimes you get a flat tire that you can’t fix yourself, and if that’s the case, you’ll need a flat tire to get you home. Or maybe you just patched the hole and are now ready to go.
I carry a CO2 inflator with 25g CO2 canisters.
You screw the CO2 cartridges onto the inflator, screw the inflator onto the valve, and turn the knob to let the CO2 into the tire.
And you’re done.
You can calculate how much pressure a single cartridge will give you from the gas volume and the size of your bike tire. For my e-bike touring tires, a single 25g cartridge gives me just the right amount of pressure to take home.
These are smaller, faster, less hassle and more convenient than carrying the old bicycle pump.
While you don’t need to fix many tire problems, it’s a good idea to have some basic tools in case you need to change a tire or tube down the road.
Sometimes you need to do some running maintenance, so having a few basic tools can make all the difference.
I find that having a small folding device can cover many eventualities.
The Topec Mini 20 Pro is pretty much all the tools you need for roadside or trail maintenance.
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