When Quick-Step’s Gert Steegmans gets a flat, like he did on the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix, he only needs to wait for the team car for help. (Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)
FLAT TIRE FIXES
1. The best tip came when we were at a team camp last year when one of the assistants went out on a ride only to return shortly after having suffered two flats. Lucky for him, he took two tubes with him, and from then on, it was two tubes on every ride. It’s always best to be prepared—even for the possible double flat. And by carrying two tubes, you always have one to give up for a stranded rider.
2. Make sure your inflation devices (the cartridge and head) are of similar design. Some air cartridges are threaded and some aren’t, which makes interface impossible.
3. One of the silliest things we ever heard was a particularly silly bike geek extolling the weight-saving virtues of not using the small nut on the valve stem. As “heavy” as they are (one gram each), the nuts hold the valve in place and make inflation much easier.
4. If you run long-stem valves (with deep-section rims), make sure they are threaded the entire length. Many longstem valves (60mm plus) are not fully threaded, which disallows using the securing nut (see above).
5. Check your tires for glass shards. Most times, the small cuts in the tire’s tread could have glass fragments still in them, working their way to the tube.
Here's a photo of pro rider Matthew Lloyd of Omega Pharma-Lotto from back during the 2010 Tour de France. Pro team mechanics have always been fastidious when it comes to tire inflation. (Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)PRO TIPS: ALL ABOUT INFLATION
The following tips come from Mark Burgener of SKS Germany, one of the world's leading producers of bicycle pumps and other inflation devices.
1. When purchasing a bicycle pump, check to make sure that the tolerance is tight between all assembled parts. Wiggly parts will not hold up under pressure. Consider the attention to quality of the pump. Value is more important than cost.
2. Most importantly, before purchasing a pump, be sure to understand the pressures you need to achieve in your bike fleet. (The physics of a pump is that a smaller barrel will push less volume of air per stroke, but will achieve higher pressures. The larger the barrel, the higher volume of air per stroke, but the lower maximum pressure.) If your fleet is mountain bike only, a fat, high-volume pump will reach the pressure you need and pump more air per stroke. If you need to inflate an urban or high-pressure road tire, you need a smaller barrel that will reach the higher pressures.
3. Consider the valve connections that you have in your garage. Many racing cyclists have only Presta valves. However, if you are a family of cyclists, or also have an urban ride, you are likely going to encounter Schrader valves (like those on a car). Many garage and mini pumps are compatible with both Presta and Schrader valves. Make sure that the pump you are buying has the correct valve connection for your needs.
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