Do Bass Wheels Get Flat Tires?

There are two types of tires that are used on bass wheels. The most common type is a pneumatic (air-filled) tire. Such tires are susceptible to flat tires. In fact, bass players with pneumatic bass wheels have to play a very fine balancing game as they operate bass wheels:

• A fully inflated pneumatic tire is more resistant to flats, but does not offer as much shock absorption
• A semi-inflated or under-inflated pneumatic tire will absorb more shock (and do a better job of protecting your bass), but it also greatly increases the chance of a flat tire.

Some bass wheels are not filled with air, but are perhaps a solid-rubber tire, or perhaps a foam tire. These bass wheels do not appear to offer as much shock absorption.

Some internet searches showed that flat tires on pneumatic bass wheels are a reality. If you are buying a pneumatic bass wheel you will want to be prepared to deal with flat tires. You'll probably want to carry a patch kit and a bicycle pump with you, and perhaps a spare tire as well as the tools to change it out.

What About the Bass Buggie?

The Bass Buggie will never have a flat tire - because the tires are not pneumatic (air-filled). You will not need to carry a patch kit, spare tires, or an air pump! Because the overall design of the Bass Buggie avoids transferring shock directly into the internal structure of the bass, there was no need to use under-inflated pneumatic tires to try and lessen the shock. The Bass Buggie has two non-marking, semi-firm rubber tires mounted with ball bearings onto on an aircraft-grade aluminum axle.

The Buggie offers far superior shock absorption, and any bumps that are encountered do not transmit the shock into the bass's internal frame, but are instead dispersed across and around the strongest part of the bass: it's external frame. If you will be rolling your buggie on a very bumpy surface, you may want to consider the foam padding that KC Strings offers (a bit more than halfway down the page).