{"id":4058,"date":"2022-06-22T20:21:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-23T00:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brooklynfixedgear.com\/?p=4058"},"modified":"2024-02-05T22:40:58","modified_gmt":"2024-02-06T03:40:58","slug":"talcum-powder-on-your-inner-tube","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brooklynfixedgear.com\/maintenance-and-repairs\/talcum-powder-on-your-inner-tube\/","title":{"rendered":"Should You Use Talcum Powder on Your Inner Tube? (The Truth)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You might have heard that storing your spare bike tube in a zip lock bag with talcum powder may be beneficial. Some say it will prevent tire punctures, but others say it’s a myth. Well, which is it? Should you use talcum powder on your inner tube?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, in this article, you will learn whether or not you should use any powder on your inner tube, so you can put the urban legends to rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is little evidence that sprinkling talcum or powder over a tube or tire can prevent a flat tire. However, a little powder can help make your inner tube easier to install, and there’s no harm in using it.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What’s inside an inner tube?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before using talcum powder on your inner tube, let’s first understand what an inner tube is in the first place. The inner tube is a soft rubber donut with an air valve<\/strong> on the underside that allows air to enter and exit. It should be noted that a full inner tube might appear to be larger than the tire. This is quite normal. The tube will not exceed the tire’s dimensions while encased inside it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is talcum powder?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Talc, often known as talcum, is a clay mineral made of hydrated magnesium silicate<\/strong> with the chemical formula Mg3Si4O10(OH)2. Baby powder<\/a> is made from powdered talc, frequently mixed with corn starch. This mineral serves as a thickener. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a tire pinch flat?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pinch flats<\/a> occur when you ride into anything that makes a sudden impact, such as a rock, railroad track, or the edge of a pothole. The collision compresses the tire so much that the tube becomes trapped between the rim’s edges<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This results in two small holes approximately a half-inch apart on the rim side of the tube. Because they resemble fang marks, pinch flats are sometimes called snakebite flats<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most pinch flats are caused by a combination of three things: <\/p>\n\n\n\n