If you are not a bike lover and you just ride once a month then your tires are still going to lose some air over time and get a little flat. in this post we will explore Why Do Bike Tires Lose Air?
For all the enthusiastic and dedicated cyclists, it’s a common problem that their tires lose pressure with time but if you are new to biking then you must be wondering how is that even possible.
Here, we’ll clear up all your confusion regarding the tire pressure and also the reasons that are causing your tires to lose air.
- What makes the Air Escape through the Tires?
- What is the usual pressure loss in tires?
- How often should you examine tire pressure?
- What is a tire tube?
- How does the Quality of inner tubes influence Pressure Loss?
- ● Some Invisible Punctures
- ● Damage to the Rim
- ● Brand new inner tube losing air fast
- ● Damage to the Valve
- Final Verdict on Why Do Bike Tires Lose Air
What makes the Air Escape through the Tires?
Tires are made from rubber which is a polymer of elastic molecules. These polymers let the gas pass through them easily.
Through the pathways in rubber, gasses find their way to escape. This results in reduced pressure on your tires. Often a slight puncture or damage to your valve creates a way for the air to escape and the process by which it escapes is called Diffusion.
Moreover, a low volume causes the tire to lose air much rapidly. This suggests that your tire’s thickness will influence the period it takes for the air to get retained in the tire.
It is observed that the regular tires lose 1-2 psi per day. For low volume, high-pressure tires, you need to check your tires and do the necessary inflation after every 4-7 days.
What is the usual pressure loss in tires?
It is observed that the regular tires lose 1-2 psi per day. For low volume, high-pressure tires, you need to check your tires and do the necessary inflation after every 4-7 days.
The inner tube of the tires is usually filled with air. There are different types of tubes but the most commonly used are Butyl and Latex.
Butyl tubes are highly preferred among the different types of tubes because of their durability. These are available everywhere and you can easily recognize them by their Black color.
The Butyl tubes are designed in a way that makes them capable of storing a bulk of molecules like water. Although, the oxygen present in these tires can diffuse in the structure.
The rate of diffusion of different gases varies with the quality of the tire.
How often should you examine tire pressure?
As you have observed, the pressure of the tires gradually decreases with each passing time so you need to keep a check on your tire pressure on a regular basis or once a week.
If you are a person who loves riding their bike on mountains then you are likely to lose the pressure earlier. Also, if your tire is narrow then you must maintain sufficient pressure.
What is a tire tube?
A tire tube is an inflatable ring that creates the interior framework of your tire. The tube provides good support while the outer tire offers grip and protects the inner fragile tube. These tubes are most commonly used in bicycles, motorcycles, and some other vehicles.
How does the Quality of inner tubes influence Pressure Loss?
If your bike has a substandard tube then you will lose pressure for a lesser duration. This occurs due to increasing quality problems in the distinct parts of the tube.
Some high-quality inner tubes including Continental tubes are not heavy on the pocket yet hold your air easily.
People often think that their patched inner tubes cause their tires to lose air.
However,the inner tube patches are much more resistant and the glue that is applied to the tire is sufficient to heal the rubber.
So, there is no visible difference in the pressure holding capabilities of a patched tire or a new tire. If you observe that your tire keeps losing its pressure at a rapid rate then there must be something wrong with your patch.
Moreover, you need to analyze carefully that there must be an absence of holes in your tube and the whole surface is secured. Otherwise, the air might leak easily through the tire.
We recommend you maintain a certain range of pressure in your tires as suggested by the manufacturer company. For this, you will need a good quality pump that provides you with accurate readings and helps you maintain sufficient pressure.
Here we are listing some reasons that cause your tires to lose air.
● Some Invisible Punctures
Your bikes easily get punctured with a small pin or anything which creates a hole. Bicycles easily get punctured and even a slight provides an opportunity for the air to escape.
Therefore, it leaves your tire completely flat. The problem often increases when you can’t find the hole in the tube which caused the leakage.
You can remove the tube from the tire and then put it in a bucket of water. The water will be visible coming out of the hole and will make patching easier for you. Always keep a puncture kit with you as you might need it anywhere.
● Damage to the Rim
A top-notch quality rim makes it easy to maintain the pressure in the tubes. Whereas a damaged and substandard rim will render a rabid loss of pressure.
When you are on the go, check if your bike rim has any dent or visible damage to it. Also, it is possible that your rim tape was moved by the wheel’s spokes.
Make sure there isn’t anything rubbing your inner tube when you are on your bike as it will cause a puncture within no time.
● Brand new inner tube losing air fast
Some bikers have complained that their inner tube was newly purchased and still it got flat the next day.
Therefore, we investigated the underlying causes and found two common reasons that cause the tire to go flat.
● Problems Encountered while installation
During the installation process, your brand new tube might get pinched between the tire and the rim or any other part.
If you are inexperienced in replacing your inner tubes then there is an increased probability that you will get it wrong and later it will lead you to get flat tires.
● Sharp objects causing damage to your new tube
Another reason that will cause your brand new tube to go flat is the sharp objects and debris around your tire.
So, when you are all set to replace your tube, don’t forget to clear the place surrounding it. Make the surrounding area free of sharp little objects and debris. Because of the small thorns, glass when going unnoticed can create a hole in your tube.
Make a thorough check over your tire and rim after each puncture before replacing the new tube in order to avoid any mishap.
● Damage to the Valve
Sometimes the air can escape out through the tire when the valve is damaged. You can perform a bucket test to check what is causing the leakage in your tire.
In this scenario, you will need to replace the tube and repeat the process all over again.
Final Verdict on Why Do Bike Tires Lose Air
Losing the air pressure quickly is one of the most frustrating things bikers experiences. In the above article, we have explained the phenomena by which your tires lose air.
While delving deep into the subject, we have got a list of solutions that are beneficial to slow down the process. We have also tried to illustrate the things that might enhance the escape of air and the reduction in the pressure of tires.
I hope we were able to explain Why Do Bike Tires Lose Air in our comprehensive blog post. please follow out blog at bikedestiny.com for tons of updated content on biking. Happy reading.