tyre keep going flat.

[ch3]

I am 45 days into my Europe tour and over the last few days I am having a big problem with my rear wheel.
The inner tube keeps getting holes on the inside, exactly just above one of the spoke nibbles. The protective tape is still there and I can fill anything sharp that might have caused it. The first two times it happened on the same spoke. Then apart from the thick patch, I added 4 layers of celotape on top of the protective tape.
Today I got another hole on another spoke, so I ended up adding celotape twice all around the wheel. It was ok for 4 hours of cycling... but don't know what else I can do if it happens again.

Everything started when 10 days ago the rear tyre completely split and the rim grinded on the tarmac for a few meters. I then noticed that the protective tape turned around by a few cm, so I am assuming as I am putting the tyre back on the wheel, the tape goes away a little and reveals the holes.

Can you think of anything else? Anything more I can do on top of the tape I've added and before I have to change the wheel?

thank you in advanced

 

[garrilla]

Get some new rim tape?

Also are you sure that the punctures are are from the spoke ends and not the wall of the clincher?

I'm also wondering if your wheel 'egged' when you had your blowout and this has forced the spokes in a little? This could be rectified with a bit of tensioning. But it could also leave your wheel worse off.

SOrry, just thinking aloud and probably not helping much.

 

[Archie]

Looking at the pic I'd guess the edge of the rim tape cut the tube. Ditch whatever's on your wheel already for some Velox cloth rim tape. It's adhesive so no issue with the tape shifting when seating the inner tube. Also cheap and readily available in any decent LBS no matter what country you find yourself in.

As garrilla says, the wheel may need some attention so get it checked out too.

 

[Over The Hill]

If the wheel (rim) is buggered it may be buckling in at that point when the weight is on the bad bit - wheel goes in so spoke pokes out.
To test - get someone to wiggle the suspect spokes when that part of the wheel is on the road while your normal weight is on the bike. if they are more loose than the rest in the same position then they may be poking through.

 

[swee'pea99]

You have my sympathy - these repeating problems are a pain in the bum. Just a thought...you say that apart from the latest incident "The inner tube keeps getting holes on the inside, exactly just above one of the spoke nibbles"...if it's happening repeatedly in the same place, I'd at least try putting some serious physical barrier at that point. And sellotape isn't going to do it, not when you think of the kind of pressure you're putting into that tube. I'd have a go with, say, a couple of padded sticking plasters - cloth band-aid type things - one on top of the other, right over that spoke. I might even rig up a couple of plasters like that with, strip of plastic cut from an old bottle in between. See what happens. Might not work, but that would be my first try. Good luck.

 

[ch3]

That's very good to hear. And if that's the case I think the celotape will probable hold for a while as it covers both edge of the tape. One way or another, I will buy a new one just to be safe.
I did check the wheel and it is a tiny bit out of true (maybe 1mm), which I need to tune at some stage.

Thanks a lot for your quick replied.

 

[ch3]

Sorry the last two replies appeared as I was answering.

I doubt its the nibbles, as it is a deep rim (or however you call it) There is about 1cm gap between the nibble and the inner tube.
I also checked the spokes to detect any lose ones, but they look ok. I may try to do what Over The Hill said about putting someone else on the bike to see.

It happened under the same spoke before I put the patch and the celotape (first time I changed the inner tube all together). Then it happened under another spoke.

 

[Fab Foodie]

It looks and sound like... the tape is moving, uncovering the edge of the spoke hole, the pressure of the tube eventually forces the tube into the edge of the whole and eventualy gets either cut or pinched (maybe over a bump) by the edge of the hole. It's like an inner-tube hernia! I've had this happen on a rim where the spoke ends are recessed in a deep section rim. You just need to stop the tape moving. To be honest I've never used expensive tape, prefferring simple insulating tape, 2 thicknesses seems to do the job perfectly, costs naff-all and weighs nowt either.

 

[raindog]

I had a series of punctures last year that nearly drove me bonkers. Took me ages to realise they were happening over the spoke holes where the rim tape was holowed slightly in the shape of the hole. Put some thicker rim tape on and never had a puncture since.

 

[ASC1951]

It happened under the same spoke before I put the patch and the celotape (first time I changed the inner tube all together). Then it happened under another spoke.

Sellotape is completely useless - it's very thin, brittle and designed for a totally different task. The reason it happens under different spokes is that the tube is being damaged in several places, but as soon as it punctures under one spoke you take the tube out and everything gets moved around.

Throw away the sellotape and re-do it with adhesive cloth tape. Proper rim tape from a bike shop is worth the extra, IMO, but lots of people get good results with electrical insulating tape provided you give it at least a couple of thicknesses.

 

[garrilla]

The reason it happens under different spokes is that the tube is being damaged in several places, but as soon as it punctures under one spoke you take the tube out and everything gets moved around.

surely not, the tube can only be placed in two orientations - the reflection around the valve unsures that everything is thereore in one of two places. It can't 'move around'

Or have I mis-understood you?

 

[ASC1951]

Or have I mis-understood you?

No.

What I meant to say was that once you have taken it all to bits, mended the puncture and put it all back together again, the second most damaged bit of the tube becomes the weakest and promptly punctures....and so on.

 

[02GF74]

rim tape comes in different widths - made sure you have the correct one so that it satys in place.

also there are at least 3 types of tape: cloth, rubber like and plastic tape. The rubber like tape feels like inner tube so althouogh it may cushion, it may stretch.

What sort is yours?

I have used all three types and not had a problem.

Replace the tape with cloth or plastic type* and fit new inner and problems shold go away.

If you cannot buy tape, then cut an inner tube to width but use the inner side.

 

[ch3]

The only tape the shop had was a plastic schwalbe one, so that's what I bought. I haven't put it yet as it seems the celotape is still holding well.
Just to clarify, I put the celotape to hold the original (I think it's rubber) tape in place, not to actually protect the inner tube.
Thank you very much for all your input.
Off to Genova now
=]