My First Blowout - What Next?

[Jezston]

I've had my share of punctures but tonight on my way home I had my first proper explosive BANG blowout on my front wheel. There was a flash and what appeared to be a flame and everything!

Initial inspection seems that the tyre itself is fine, but I'm going to have a proper look now. Anything I should be looking out for?

Fortunately it happened just as I was slowing for a crossing on a cycle path. Bit nervous about getting back on the bike now for it to happen going 30+ downhill! Want to make sure that whatever I do, it's definitely safe to ride.

Cheers!

 

[NormanD]

check the inner tube for where it's blown out from, could have been a fault or the inner tubes been pinched between rim and tyre for some time and just gave up at that moment. Goes without saying check the tyre on the inside.

Once you've established why the tube blew out like that, put it behind you, things like this happen

 

[Jezston]

Oh pissballs. £35 as new tyre down the drain

 

[Jezston]

Fortunately I have a spare (although sadly it's a lot more worn than that one!).

Anything to look out for before putting new tyre and tube to be sure it doesn't happen again?

 

[col]

I had a blowout on an old suzuki b120 a long time ago. I was just going over the brow of stapleton bank at fifty mph. Instant flat front tyre which wipped from one side to the other. As I tried to straighten the steering it just snatched right over to the other side. Very lucky I managed to stop at the bottom of the bank and didnt come off. Made me very wary for a long time, certainly a big shock to the system. You will soon be releasing the brakes down hills again. Even now, I think its still in the back of my mind when going down hills on my royal.

 

[biggs682]

i had one a while ago on a pr of folders , put 3 finger sized holes in rear tyre , could find no fault or reason , but has put me off using folders again

 

[Tim Hall]

Don't forget that it's the tyre failure that caused the tube to escape. Once unencumbered by the tyre casing, the tube then expands rapidly until it bursts. It's not the tube exploding that damages the tyre.

Check for misaligned brake blocks rubbing on the tyre rather than the wheel rim.

 

[manalog]

Similar thing happened to me, in the middle of the night I heard a bang and thought nothing of it. When got up I found the rear tyre deflated, changed the inner tube pumped it up to 100psi a few minutes later, bang! I found a tiny hole on the wall of the tyre approx 1mm in diameter. Patched it up with repair kit so far so good.

 

[ianrauk]

Check for misaligned brake blocks rubbing on the tyre rather than the wheel rim.

THIS

 

[fossyant]

Ah - this happened to a 4 Season of mine !! - No blowout just a big egg sticking out the side - retired it and tube to bin.

 

[Smurfy]

I've had the odd blowout in the past. A couple due to tube trapped between tyre and rim (before I'd discovered that it's a good idea to check for trapping) and one due to a mis-aligned brake block rubbing through the tyre side wall.

Suspect your blowout was due to a mis-aligned brake block or faulty tyre.

Edit: Another potential cause could be a sharp edge round the inside of the rim

 

[alecstilleyedye]

only blow-out i've had was, having replaced a tube, not fitting the tyre correctly (a bit was not quite seated)

only discovered once i'd set off (uphill) and noticed a squeaking sound on each rotation, and after no more than 5, a big bang.

fortunately, it was only one of the kenda tyres that came with the bike from new, so i upgraded them and learned the importance of checking that the tyre's seated properly into the bargain…

 

[youngoldbloke]

Many, many years ago, having been without a bike for sometime and prompted by the discovery of a full chrome Carlton frame in a Bristol junkshop, and a desire to to regain lost fitness, I decided that I would build myself a fixed wheel bike. I bought the required components, and drawing on experience gained in my youth, built the bike. Feeling rather pleased with myself I set out for a circuit of the local lanes. After about a mile and a half there was a tremendous bang, and I returned home on foot pushing my new project. I was baffled, having assembled everything correctly. Only then did I remember that besides tyres and tubes, wheels also needed rim tapes ...........