Maintaining Tyres¶
Inflate tyres within Manufacturers recommended range
Before any ride, inflate tyres to within the manufacturers recommended pressure range, considering combined rider and bike weight.
Regardless of the type of tyre, check for general wear on a regular basis (after every ride or not less than once a month).
- Tyre wear indicators should still be visible
- Check for excessive cuts and holes in the tyre (patch inside of tyre or replace if too many)
- Remove foreign objects from the tyre
- For deep cuts, consider adding patch on inside of tyre
- worn side walls or with 'string' pealing off
Regularly getting punctures
The tyre may be very worn or have significant cuts from previous punctures. Replace the tyre.
Ensure the tyre has been inflated to the recommended tyre pressure, as stated on the manufactures website.
Ensure the correct sized innter tube was used with the tyre.
Clincher (Inner tubes)¶
Before every ride, inflate each tyre to the manufactures recommended pressure, based on rider weight and the weight of tools and other luggage.
The larger the tyre size, the less pressure required, e.g. a very rough guide: 23C @ 110 PSI, 25C @ 100 PSI, 28C @ 90 PSI
Inner tube sizes¶
Every type of inner tube specifies the size of tyre it can be used with. If the tyre is the maximum size the tube can fit, consider getting the next size up. e.g. for a 25C tyre use a 25-32C inner tube.
Butyl inner tubes are designed for specific tyre sizes: 18-25, 25-32, etc
TPU tubes usually have a wider tyre range: 18-32C, 32-47
TPU tubes stretch to the size of the tyre
Once TPU tube has been inflated inside a tyre, avoid using that tube with a smaller tyre. e.g. If inflated to the correct pressure inside a 30C tyre, the tube will have stretched too much to be useful in a 25C tyre.
Tubeless Tyres¶
After every ride, check the tyre for objects that have punctured the wheel and remove them
If the bike is not ridden at least once per week, spin both wheels for a few minutes each week to minimise the risk of sealant getting too sticky.
If the bike will not be ridden for a month or more, remove the tyres and clean the valve, wheels and tyres thoroughly to remove all sealant. Add sealant back in no more than a week before the next ride.
Replace sealant every 3-6 months to prevent clogging
Repair tyre¶
A Tyre boot is a patch specifically designed to patch a hole in the tyre (rather than an inner tube).
NOTE: a tyre boot will be difficult to use with Tubless tyre unless all the sealant is removed from the area the patch is to be applied.