Within the last month, 2 friends have had major crashes due to front tire flats, both ending up in the emergency room. I’ve had a bunch of rear tire flats, but never up front. I hope the tire gods aren’t reading this.

Besides inspecting your tires to make sure the front tire has good tread, properly inflated, no foreign objects, blah, blah, blah, any good advice for when the front does flat, how to avoid any further complications?

I’d suspect stopping as soon as it’s recognized and steering straight would be at the top of the list.

Anyone want to share their personal experiences and impart their wisdom on BF?

I've gotten four front flats in the last month and a half. It sucks.

I would just make sure you have your freshest tire on the front. Don't rotate your tires... and if you get a new one, put it up front.

If you do get a front flat, don't steer, just brake.

What kind of flats?

Pinch flats: you're doing it wrong, you may occasionally pinch the rear, but not the front
Puncture: you should be able to feel the change in handling as you lose air. 110 psi to 70 psi is very noticeable, much less 110psi to 0.
Valve failure: replace your tubes more often, every few months.

Just don't run over crap in the road and you wont get flats.

i agree. the rear is always an old tyre and the front gets the new one.

don't jam on your brakes.

I've never heard of a replacement schedule for inner tubes. I'm on the same ones I was on over a year ago, with one patch on the one on the rear wheel from the single flat I've had. What is the average life of an inner tube, assuming no flats?

Check for small burs in and on the rim bead as well as burs on the valve hole. I was having the same problem. i threw another layer of velox on and haven't had a problem. could be a fluke thing like Canada trying to kill northeastern bikers. Viva la Canada.

Years, including flats. Just buy a patch kit. If you use clinchers, don't use latex tubes- too delicate, sometimes they flat for no apparent reason. Tubulars handle much better when flatted than clinchers. Flip side is because they operate so well even at low pressures, you often don't notice a flat until it's bottoming out.

I carry a patch kit at all times in case I flat, and I do ride clinchers (tubulars are too much hassle for someone who doesn't race).

Do you mean those super light tubes? Yeah, the weight saved means that the tube will probably flat if I so much as think an incorrect thought. I use the "normal" inner tubes, Bontrager brand. I had some of the performance ones on my previous bike, and those were such trash that I swore them off for all time. Current bike has the bontragers, and I had one flat, from a rock that eventually grazed the inner tube because I neglected to pick it out.

You don't ride on the road much, do you?

Never get them.

Agree. But those that crashed said they just heard a pop.

Never heard this suggested. I do replace the tube the same time as the tire, since I've had a few valve failure flats.

he's right though