I got new wheels on Thursday and had to set them up for an audax on Friday with very little time for testing. New tyre on the back and part-worn one on the front, both 28 mm gp 4000s. Wheels didn't have a hole in the rim tape, so I poked the valve through.
Middle of the night I had a puncture on the front. Get about another 80k and discover tyre is very soft, so change tube again. Another 20k tyre is again very soft. I convince myself it must be the hole in the rim tape with an edge rubbing against the tube. Visit a bike shop, where he locates hole in tube, finds a corresponding tiny piece of wire in the tyre and removes it with a pair of pliers. He gives me a new tube with sealant and sends me on my way. He says the rim tape hole is fine.
I get another 150k this time and hear a strange noise after going through a puddle. Stop, tyre is still hard, continue, short distance later hear it again, and then again and this time tyre is flat. By this time I'm out of tubes - remove tyre and halfways round there is a very small hole in the tyre, possibly where the wire was previously. Near it there is liquid sealant in the tyre. Another guy on the audax passing gives me a park tools emergency tyre boot, a thin piece of sticky-backed plastic card which goes over the hole in the inside, put back on the sealant-filled tyre, blow it up and fortunately it stays to get me to finish the event.
So what do you think I'm up against? Would a small, less than 2mm hole be enough for a tube to protrude and burst? Possibly multiple times from the noise I heard?
I'll replace the tyre, but I've been inclined to blame the wheels - particularly as they are new. I'm not home yet, but will do a soak test on the two old tubes to locate the holes.
Middle of the night I had a puncture on the front. Get about another 80k and discover tyre is very soft, so change tube again. Another 20k tyre is again very soft. I convince myself it must be the hole in the rim tape with an edge rubbing against the tube. Visit a bike shop, where he locates hole in tube, finds a corresponding tiny piece of wire in the tyre and removes it with a pair of pliers. He gives me a new tube with sealant and sends me on my way. He says the rim tape hole is fine.
I get another 150k this time and hear a strange noise after going through a puddle. Stop, tyre is still hard, continue, short distance later hear it again, and then again and this time tyre is flat. By this time I'm out of tubes - remove tyre and halfways round there is a very small hole in the tyre, possibly where the wire was previously. Near it there is liquid sealant in the tyre. Another guy on the audax passing gives me a park tools emergency tyre boot, a thin piece of sticky-backed plastic card which goes over the hole in the inside, put back on the sealant-filled tyre, blow it up and fortunately it stays to get me to finish the event.
So what do you think I'm up against? Would a small, less than 2mm hole be enough for a tube to protrude and burst? Possibly multiple times from the noise I heard?
I'll replace the tyre, but I've been inclined to blame the wheels - particularly as they are new. I'm not home yet, but will do a soak test on the two old tubes to locate the holes.