If the front tire goes flat, what will the steering feel?

• A. The steering will feel heavy
• B. The steering will feel light
• C. The bike will lean to the left
• D. The front wheel will bounce

Answer: (A)

When the front tire goes flat, the front end loses its proper shape and the tire drags along the road instead of rolling smoothly. That extra resistance and the off-balance contact patch make turning the handlebars require more force, so the steering feels heavy and becomes harder to control. You should ease off, slow down gradually, and safely pull over to inspect or replace the tire. A flat front tire doesn’t regularly cause the bike to lean to one side or to bounce in a typical sense, and it certainly isn’t described as steering becoming light.