Pinch Flat

Hey Everyone,

I had to fix my first flat last night (due to a pinch), however I have a few things that concern me. First and foremost, I did notice a small dent on the rim from what I'm assuming was where the pinch happened. Is this serious and should I get it looked at? It doesn't seem to be too major so I'm hoping that it can just be fixed. However I've noticed that new wheels (rear) can be verrry expensive and I cant seem to find one that matches my perfectly good front wheel anywhere (It's a Vera Corsa).

Second, I didn't even notice the flat till I got off my bike. How can I tell if I did any other damage by riding on the rim? There is a likely culprit right by my apartment that I'm guessing is the cause but I really have no clue.

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Permalink Reply by Vitaliy on August 9, 2013 at 10:41am

You should first find out if the pinch happened exactly where the bend is; are they aligned? If so then that is your culprit. If not then find the spot that the pinch lines up with on the rim and inspect that area for any abnormalities. To address the bend, strip the wheels of its clothing (inner tube and tire) and pick it up with both hands and hold it so that is it vertical to your face. Spin it slowly and search for bends in the rim. If anything serious I would go to an LBS.

Riding on a flat is dangerous to the rim when in bounces on the pavement because it will bend. This happened to me after a CCM ride and didnt notice until I got home. I trued my wheel as soon as I could and while it was on the stand I did notice some nasty fluctuations in the rim's structural integrity.