A common question in cargo and electric bike groups is, “How do I prevent flat tires on my heavy electric bike?” The follow-up question is often, “What do you carry on your bike to fix a flat tire?”
In this article, I will summarize what I have told 100s of people when selling a cargo bike or electric bike to help them avoid flat tires and have a plan for if they get one. Please ask any questions or share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Tire Maintenance
The good news is you can do a few easy things to prevent flat tires!
- Keep your tires properly inflated. I check my tires every 1-2 weeks, depending on how often I’m biking. If you aren’t sure what your proper bike tire inflation is, check out this video.
- Check your tires for wear and debris. In some areas, you may get something called “goat heads,” which are thorns sticking in your tires, causing slow leaks. Thin pieces of metal and glass can also cause this. I carefully inspect my tires whenever I pump them up or if I rode through some terrible road garbage.
- Replace tires before they are too worn. You want to replace them before the tread wears down and the tread in the middle loses its grid. I personally prematurely replace my rear tire to help avoid flats.
- I run Slime in all my bike tubes, the part inside of your tires that holds the air, and install it on every new cargo bike or electric bike build. It helps prevent those slow leaks and can help clog holes in your tubes.
Use High-Quality Tires
Different tires have pros and cons, but I am a big fan of the Schwalbe Moto-X and Big Ben tires. I’ve used the Schwalbe Pick-Up, but the ride quality is terrible under load, so I prefer the Moto-X and Big Ben.
If you have a cargo bike with sub-par tires (like the Aventon Abound), I recommend replacing them immediately.
Have a Plan for When You Get a Flat
You do not have to fix a flat if you don’t want to, and there is no shame. For most customers, I recommend that they make a plan for every ride or route when they first get started to avoid being stuck.
Examples of game plans:
• AAA works in many states and will bring your bike to the shop. In Colorado, I recommend every customer sign up!
• Spouses will pick them up
• They know a friend with a pick-up
• You lock up your bike and come back for it
• You have a public transit card in your wallet
• You know the friend that has the minivan with the car seats your kids need
I’m typically solo parenting, and my wife has a demanding job that she can’t leave. When riding with small children, it isn’t as simple as catching an Uber since they don’t have car seats. I know 3-4 friends I can call that have the car seats we need, I know the bus schedule, and we can always walk the 3-4 miles home, worst case scenario. If we are riding further away from home, or I’m on a trip where I don’t know anyone, I will only then carry a full tool kit to be able to service my bike on the side of the road.
Basic Tools to Carry Even if You Don’t Want to Change a Flat
For every cargo bike I sold, I would ask the customers, “Where are you on the range of wanting to fix a flat tire on a car?”
Scenario 1: If they said they knew how and would do it, we would schedule a time to teach them to fix a flat on their cargo bike.
Scenario 2: If they said they call roadside assistance, we would switch gears to cover basic tools they could carry.
Do you remember that Slime I recommended you install in tire maintenance? Well, it works like a run-flat, and sometimes, you must add air to help it work. Pull out whatever small thing gave you a flat, rotate the tire so the hole is on the bottom, add air, and spin the tire slowly. The Slime will often clog the puncture, and you can be on your way. Sometimes, the hole will turn into a slow leak, but you can ride slowly home or to the store for them to help you with the flat.
I carry on every bike ride: basic gloves because the wheels are dirty and a solid bike pump.
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Final Thoughts
There are situations I do worry about flat tires, but it is typically out in the wilderness where cell phones don’t work. You will be good to go for everyday cargo biking or electric bike rides, with basic tire maintenance, a game plan, and basic tools!
What tips do you have for fellow riders? Let us know in the comments.
