Flexible smooth silicone hose — for situations where the hose has to bend. Compared with a standard silicone hose, this flexible hose is made with a steel spiral woven into the reinforcement. This gives the hose its flexibility and a high burst pressure. Because of its smooth outer surface it is not as flexible as the other flexible silicone hose, which has grooves on the outside. It is worth checking and comparing the minimum bend radius of the two versions. Its flexibility suits a great many applications, for example as a radiator hose, heater hose and so on. The hose can be bent to suit many different purposes. The hose tends towards being straight; its shape is determined by the connections it is fitted between. Flexible hoses with an internal diameter above 38 mm are not as flexible as the smaller sizes; these are suited to gentle bends. The minimum bend radius of this hose is given in the specification table. An explanation of what is meant by minimum bend radius is shown in the additional drawing.