Ebike tires, usually being pneumatic tires, rely upon adequate air pressure that offers superior shock absorption for a smooth ride. It is common for a normal bike or an electric bike to employ tubed tires (also known as clincher tires) which insert a separate inflatable tube, and it is relatively simple to repair and replace that you do not need any special machinery to demount the tires from rims. The application of inner tubes to tires seems to draw an obvious distinction amid tubed, tubeless, and tubular tires. For sure, tubeless tires (or vacuum tires), no longer the preserve of car, is trending in the two wheels’ market, which is typically used on mountain bikes and has better puncture resistance, greatly reducing the risk of ‘snake bite’ puncture flats. That being said, you have to spend more money on tubeless components, and take more time for replacement and routine maintenance.

Whether tubed tires or tubeless tires are attached to the rims of an electric bike, it is inevitable to have a flat tire due to various factors, such as puncturing by sharp objects, getting tires over-pumped, and using ripped tires. The significance of an ebike tire is beyond doubt as they are designed to absorb shock from the road surface, transmit traction or braking force to the ground, maintain or change the direction without slipping. With a long list of tangible benefits, tires rub and make contact with the uneven ground all the time, which requires some routine maintenance to prevent a flat tire for your next ride or maybe at some point. However, if you keep leaving them unattended, a small puncture will be a headache even for a short commute ride. Here are some tips underneath that you can have the tires well-maintained.

1.KEEP A PROPER TIRE PRESSURE

The PSI (pound per square inch) is a unit of pressure or of stress based on avoirdupois units, which is widely used as the measuring unit of tire pressure. A tire with higher PSI is harder, while lower PSI is softer. Usually, a cycling novice may think that a hard tire means less work or a soft tire with more effort. But the fact of the matter is that soft tires as apposed to hard tires could roll over small rocks and other obstacles, allowing you to ride smoother and freely even on a bumpy road. As it is, you might be wondering what is the right tire pressure for your pneumatic tires. Well, it depends.

For keeping your tires aired up properly, there are a number of factors that should be counted: the rider weight, tire and rim width, cycling terrain, riding style, comfort, and speed, etc. First and foremost, the rider's weight would surely matter a lot. For example, a rider with a weight of 140lbs would find that a 26” X2.2” tire of 35 PSI tire pressure is too hard for road use, but by contrast too soft for a rider with a weight of 400lbs. The former will also find that the tires are too hard to grip the road surface even with superior tread depth, and easily sliding out while riding. Further relevance you should take into account is that the tire pressures on the front and rear wheels are supposed to be different since huge portions of your weight are supported by the latter.



Moving on to another factor - the tire width, it is worth mentioning that different types of riding determine the different demands on tire width. Generally, the width of the tire depends on the internal width of the rim, which allows for varying volumes of air to inflate. For an electric road bike, tire width would be thinner, which means that you can inflate less volume of air inside in comparison to electric mountain bikes with more volume of air. Being a basic rule of thumb, tires with larger volumes can be run at relatively low tire pressure than low volume tires. For instance, pumping up a 26” X2.0” tire with 25 PSI pressure will create you a tranquil riding, but to a 26” X4.0” tire, it is under-inflation that you could sense the presence of little rock shards and debris.

Further elements in deciding the right PSI for your tires should be the terrain that you are going to hit on. Is it a flow trail or a well-paved asphalt road? When pedaling on the rocky road, you should use an easy-to-read gauge to check if the tire pressure is high enough (but not overinflation) to prevent rim damage and puncture.

Since it is hard for you to decide what pressure to pump up your tires, here is a general rule. We suggest running a little lower PSI than the maximum tire pressure from manufacturers, or more than the suggested minimum tire pressure. For example, a 26” X4.0” fat tubed tire suggests a 25-28 PSI of tire pressure for routine rides. Proper tire pressure should be firm or slightly soft, but not hard as stones. Meanwhile, you can run a tubeless tire at slightly low pressure due to its preferable puncture resistance.

2.CHECK AND CLEAN TIRE TREAD PERIODICALLY

The cause of a flat tire is not only confined to an improper inflating, but simply a puncture by all sorts of sharp objects likely a nail, glass debris, or iron wires that would be vital for your next riding. It is necessary to take a periodic step to glance over your tire tread and clean up the embedded debris and dirt in time. Meanwhile, more attention should be paid to the corrosion protection of tires. Once your eBike’s tires come into contact with acidoid, flammable, or corrosive chemicals on the ground, it will cause the corrosion and deformation of tires. Therefore, don’t forget to check and clean the tread after rides to keep them in good condition.

3.KEEP OUT OF THE SUN

If leaving out your electric bike in the heat of the sun, you will find your tires degrade at a faster speed. Tires are extremely susceptible to ultraviolet rays, weather, and temperature. Rain and high temperature can bring about faster wear and more expenses in repair. One of the effective ways to retard their retrogressive process is to keep your tires out of harsh sunlight. It is practicable to cover your eBike with a sun protectant tarp for long parking in the sun.

4.STORAGE

Check the tire pressure regularly to ensure a tire’s state of being inflated if you are storing your ebike that you have not ridden for a long time. You can also consider removing the tires from the rim completely as leaving them on the ebike may result in flat-spotting.

5.REPLACE YOUR TIRES TIMELY

Tires, regarded as consumable, require a constant inspection and timely replacement. The signs like worn-out tread, rubber cracks on the tires, and constant flats denote an underlying risk of riding, which are also the indicators to replace a new tire.