5 tips to avoid punctures

Avoiding bike punctures is the real goal we all want to achieve. There are no Alps or Pyrenees to climb, no pink or yellow jerseys to wear. To the question “what would you really like to do with a bicycle?” The answer is: To never get a puncture again!

Unfortunately, it’s a goal that doesn’t depend on us alone, unlike a competition, as bad luck can play a part. However, there are a few tricks that can help reduce the risk. 

Here are our 5 tips to follow to try to avoid punctures.

1. The right tyre

Choosing the right tyre is very important to avoid punctures on your bike. The brand and quality will surely make a difference, just like with cars.

Some tyres are also more puncture resistant than others, especially if they have a compound with materials such as Kevlar inside. 

Then there is the matter of TPI “threads per inch”. The wheel casing is made of threads (usually nylon) and the empty spaces are filled with rubber. The higher the TPI value, the greater the number of threads present in the tyre, thus ensuring greater smoothness, grip and durability. A lower value means more rubber and therefore a tyre that is more resistant to punctures, thicker and less deformable. 

The choice is yours.

2. Avoid passing through rocky terrain

To avoid a puncture, avoid contact with any object that could puncture the tyre. And stones, in this sense, are the worst.

It seems like a triviality, but very often you see cyclists pedalling on the most extreme “edge” of the road, right at the point on the road where all the dirt ends. And by dirt we also mean screws, glass, nails, thorns. 

True, we should try to stay as far away from the lane as possible for our safety, but we don’t have to overdo it, especially after rainy days when the dirt increases.

3. Check the tyres

Who hasn’t ever looked at a tyre and noticed that in one or more places you can see the inner fabric? It is therefore very important to constantly check tyre wear.

Then there is something else to add, though less likely. Just because you didn’t get a flat tyre the last time you went out doesn’t mean there isn’t something stuck in there. A quick look at the tyre before setting off is a good idea. It can also happen that, between each outing, we forget to inflate the tyres. And with a flat tyre, the risk of a small piece of glass getting caught is greater.

4. Tyre pressure

That’s right, tyre pressure. The closer you are to the maximum pressure indicated on the tyre, the harder it is to get a puncture.

Which, however, also means “more uncomfortable bike”, especially on uneven terrain. 

Here too, it’s your choice.

5. Correctly mount the tyre

This standard applies if you use a tyre that is not valid for tubular or tubeless wheels. When inserting the tyre onto the wheel, you must be very careful not to puncture the inner tube. This often happens when the tyre levers are used for this operation, or when you do not carefully check that the inner tube is well inserted and is not between the wheel and the tyre, running the risk of being crushed and therefore punctured. 

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Stefano Francescutti