09 mrt Bicycle Components – used by FLATTIRE

Hi there,

Here you can find a short description about the parts we use:

1. Tires and tubes: The most common problem for a lot of Amsterdammers. Getting a flat tire is annoying as you’re stuck and there’s no way of using your bicycle. We’ve seen quite a few people bike on flat bicycles, but that can lead to damaged rims and a whole list of issues. Cycling with a flat back tire is much worse than a flat front (also quite bad).

•  Tubes: We use CST  inner tubes for most sizes. They’re quite resilient and not that prone to factory defects. Not much to say here. A good inner tube is important, but the protection is usually as good as your outer tire. Speaking of which:
• Tires: As mentioned in our “FlatTire anniversary manifesto”, we use CST Breaker tires for the most common sizes. We were quite impressed with the resilience it has, while still being relatively slick and fast. This is why we’ve decided to offer a whole 3 month no questions asked warranty for those of you getting a new tire and tube. As explained here (which repair do you need post), in most cases of regular bicycle usage, this tire will be more than enough.

However, if you have a special purpose bike, whether it’s a Bakfiets that you use for work, a Mamma bike fully loaded with kids, or simply a normal bike that you use for ridiculous distances each day, the Schwalbe Marathon Plus is a better option. Although a bit pricier, this tire is insanely thick. We’ve pulled large chunks of glass from people’s bicycles, without them even having a flat tire. This tire is so ridiculously good that we offer 6 month no questions asked guarantee with it. Just make sure to inflate it now and then J (post about small things you can do to improve the quality and durability of your bicycle). Check our Flat Tires Service category.

2. Chain: When replacing a chain, we’ll use the Shimano anti corrosion Simple and reliable. For Cassette/Freewheel multiple speed bikes we also use Shimano chains, but the model depends on each case. Check our Chain and Gear Service category.

3. Wheels: For multiple gear and hub brake wheels there are a lot of shapes and sizes, too many to list here. For single speed, pedal brake wheels (most bicycles in Amsterdam), we have two options. The reason why while we decided to split is that even the basic steel wheel will do a good job for 1-2 years if maintained properly. However, a Shimano hub/rigida rim wheel has two big advantages: Firstly, it doesn’t rust almost at all, keeping the slick look of your bike, and secondly it rides considerably smoother as the Shimano hub is quite efficient. As replacing a wheel is already a costly business, although we recommend using the Shimano wheel, we wanted to offer a choice. Check our Wheels Service category.

4. As far as saddles, cables, brake pads, kickstands, lights, pedals and the like are concerned, we have a bit more wider variety which you can see in our shop. Drop us an email if you want to know more precise details. Check our Accessories category.

Thanks!

Team FlatTire.