Troubleshooting › Wheels & tires
Keep getting flat tires: causes and fixes
Repeat flats almost always have one cause still in the tire or rim.
- Something still stuck in the tire · Most likely
Run your fingers carefully around the inside of the tire. A thorn or wire fragment will keep puncturing new tubes.
Fix: Fix a flat tire
- Pressure too low (pinch flats) · Most likely
Two small slits side by side ("snake bite") mean the tube was pinched. Pump to the right pressure for your weight.
Fix: Set tire pressure
- Rim tape shifted · Sometimes
A hole on the inner side of the tube means a spoke hole is exposed. Replace the rim tape.
- Worn-out tire · Sometimes
Flat tread, cuts or visible threads: replace the tire.
Fix: Replace a tire
- Tubeless sealant dried out · Sometimes
Tubeless: shake the wheel. No sloshing means top up the sealant.