Punctures, and more punctures.

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delb0y

Legendary Member
Location
Quedgeley, Glos
I've been luckily enough to do a couple of thousand miles since the last puncture, however I had one last weekend as I came down a gentle slope at about 20 mph. There was a bang, a loud but short hiss, and the back wheel went all squiffy on me. Fixed it up, came home and then the fun began.

I took the tyre back off to double check that whatever had caused the hole was gone, couldn't find anything, so put it all back together, leaned the bike up against the garage wall, turned my back and then there was a loud and longer hiss and the tyre went down...

Turned out it was a new hole in a different position.

I put a brand new tube in, put it all back together and went over to the bench to fix the latest puncture.

Bang. Hiss again.

A new hole in my new tube in the same place as the previous new hole. These holes - all of them - are, by the way, on the inside of the tube rather than the outside. Ahhh, thinks I. There must be something on the rim. Close look. Can't see anything but I am lacking decent rim tape. Better to be safe than sorry. In the absence of any such tape a couple of layers of black insulating tape might do the trick. Put it all back together with a repaired tube and it seems ok.

Went for a ride. Ten miles in (and luckily just a few hundred yards from home) bang hiss. New hole. Same position.

Went to the LBS and bought rim tape and a good quality tube. Put it all on. Pumped up the tyre. Leaned it against the wall. Bang hiss. New tube, new hole. Same position.

I went over that rim with a microscope - well with my glasses on. Couldn't see anything couldn't feel anything. Checked all these repaired tubes. Three holes, I think, were in the same place, two were in different places.

Now maybe it's me - maybe I'm pinching the tube as I put the tyre back on (it is a tight fitting combination of rim and tyre) but all but one of these holes are within six inches or so of the valve and as that's the first bit I put back on I'd have thought if I was pinching the tube it would have been opposite the valve where the final effort is needed to get the tyre back on.

In desperation I've put a repaired tube on a brand new wheel which I was lucky enough to have hanging in the garage. It's all pumped up but I'm scared to go in the garage and have a look....Not sure I can face another bang/hiss. The combination of tyre and rim on this new wheel was very easy to fit so I'm hoping no chance of any pinching...touch wood. But I still can't figure out that first wheel and why I should have all these punctures after a couple of thousand miles of happy pedalling.

Apologies for the long post - frustration shared is frustration halved! I hope...

Kind regards
Derek
 

Tim Hall

Guest
Location
Crawley
The "bang hiss" sequence suggests that the tube is escaping the confines of the tyre and then exploding like an excited balloon. A favourite way to get this is with mis-aligned brake blocks, rubbing a slot in the tyre wall. Examine the wheel while fitted to the bike, with the brakes on to check. Of course if you've got disc or drum brakes it'll be something else.
 
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delb0y

delb0y

Legendary Member
Location
Quedgeley, Glos
The new wheel / tyre combination seems to be holding up :-) Can't see any weak spots on the tyre. I reckon there must be some issues with the previous rim. Out tomorrow for a ride with Mr Chromatic of this parish so fingers crossed I've had my share of bang-hiss for a while...
 

Chris-H

Über Member
Location
Bedford
I had this exact same problem last year, 5 times it happened without the bike leaving the shed. Went out to find the tyre flat, took the tube out, repaired the hole and refitted the tube carefully, 10 mins later bang hiss, as I said Ithis happened 5 times on me, turns out my rim tape had perished and was lsightly revealing a spoke hole !! New rim tape and was all sorted.
 

Smurfy

Naturist Smurf
I had this exact same problem last year, 5 times it happened without the bike leaving the shed. Went out to find the tyre flat, took the tube out, repaired the hole and refitted the tube carefully, 10 mins later bang hiss, as I said Ithis happened 5 times on me, turns out my rim tape had perished and was lsightly revealing a spoke hole !! New rim tape and was all sorted.

Cloth rim tapes for me on every wheel. 'Velox' is the only word you need to know!
 

Shut Up Legs

Down Under Member
Oooh... you used the P-word 3 times in one post, delb0y. That's really tempting Fate, that is :eek:.

By the way, check the tyre also, for any irregularities. I had defective tyres a while back, which had a nasty habit of unseating from the rim, and of course the tube would instantly explode when that occurred.
 
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delb0y

delb0y

Legendary Member
Location
Quedgeley, Glos
Only one flat today - would be pushing the boundaries calling it a puncture. I think it was the result of a poorly applied patch previously this week.... The positive news is that Chromatic, of this parish, was on hand to buy cider whilst I was fixing the flat :-)
 
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