Inner tube help?

[RookieMessenger]

Hi all,

Just blew my first inner tube after patching it (exploded right when I set it down after a 105psi pump up, what a sound). I have a couple questions...

first question... The blowout seems awfully unnatural - did I pinch the tube? I have to admit I used levers putting it back on during the previous flat, but this flat I paid careful attention to make sure the tube was unharmed going in... Can wear and tear cause this (patched this tube twice in a month) or did I mess up somewhere? Pics attached.



second question... What size tube should I use to replace it? The tire specifies 700x25c, but stores here only sell tubes that fit a range (i.e. 25c-28c, 23-28c). I don't think I'll get a specific 25c, so should I look for a lower or higher range?

hope I posted this in the right section. Thanks for reading, I look forward to your responses!

(Help a) Rookie out!

 

[die_aufopferung]

Hard to say as the first picture looks like a large hole but the second picture looks like the tube has got a long split. A hole could possible have been caused by you catching the tube when inserting it, but if you'd holed it at that point you wouldn't have been able to get it to 105psi. If it's a split then there are two likely causes: If the split is along the seam (doesn't seem to be from the pics though) it could just be a crap tube. Otherwise it could be that you hadn't fully seated the tyre itself into the rim - that causes the tube to poke through the gap between tyre and rim and will cause a very loud and sudden deflationary event. It's always best to stop short of full pressure when inflating and check the whole thing over to ensure your tyre is fully seated whenever replacing a tube.

Other than that, do the usual suspects check - remove tyre from wheel, check your rim tape to ensure no spokes are poking through and the tyre itself for anythign stuck in it.

As for the second question, yes, all tubes have a range of sized tyres they will fit. As long as your tyre is within the tube's range, it'll be fine.

 

[guitarpete247]

Don't know where I got this from but I pump up about half way to full pressure then bounce wheel round. I then deflate and re-inflate now up to full pressure.
I think I was told that this would get rid of any twist or poorly seated tubes.

 

[al-fresco]

Check that the rim tape in the well of the wheel rim is seated properly and covering the spoke holes and ends. Replace it if necessary. Otherwise it may just have been a defective tube. Old tubes can fail, it's happened to me once or twice. Any tube with a range that includes 700x25 will do - bigger tubes may have to be tucked in a bit more but they'll still work. Try to avoid using levers to put a tube on, it shouldn't be necessary. Take a look at Spa Cycles YouTube video of installing a Scwalbe Marathon Plus by hand if you need encouragement.

 

[guitarpete247]

I had a mate who kept having deflationary events on his brand new bike, on a ride to Bridlington in the early 80's. It turned out, after 3rd flat, that his plastic rim tape had been put in upside down. So the indentation that should have gone over spokes was now 2 raised, sharp, edges slicing into his tube.

 

[biggs682]

The sound of a tube going pop when you are bent down near it always scare the living ... out of me

 

[MichaelW2]

Use velox or some other quality rim tape.
Check your spoke heads for sticky-outyness.
Check the rim hole for sharp edges and smooth with emery cloth.
When you replace the inner, reseat the tyre well, squeezing in to ensure the tyre bead is seated. Push the valve so it is under the tyre bead.
make sure the valve is radial, not wonky.
Avoid valves which are longer than needed.

 

[mjr]

Try to avoid using levers to put a tube on, it shouldn't be necessary.

Screw you and the rest of your strong-fingered kind!

Unless they were metal levers, I doubt the slit in the OP was caused by them. I think dud tube or possibly pinched. After refitting the tyre, check you can see the rim base and no tube between tyre and rim wall all the way round before inflating to full pressure. Bouncing at half-pressure can help to seat awkward rim/tyre combinations but often isn't needed.

Any tube with the correct size in its range will be OK. I tend to prefer larger than smaller but that's only because I think it'll be less stretched when inflated and so deflate more slowly, which might not be true. Weight weenies will prefer smaller.

 

[RookieMessenger]

I checked rim tape and spokes as advised, both are fine! I will definitely recheck the next tube that goes in, never done that for tube changes or patches. Also, I promise no more levers for putting in repaired tube + tire!!

Thank you for all your replies, learned a lot in these posts! "Teach a man how to fish" moment