Deadly Bus Fire Tragedy Highlights Safety Failures on Thai Roads

[Jareb]

Is there some kind of flat tyre scam going on in various parts of Thailand? I rented a bike in Bangkok and also Phuket in January 2010 and both times the bikes developed flat tyre problems - something that had never happened before to me in Thailand.

Both times the bikes were parked in unguarded (but legal) parking places and there were also near places that rented bikes to tourists.

[Kf6vci]

Jareb,

I heard much worse tales of bikes being stolen by the owners or their helpers. Anything goes for a quick buck, are you surprised?

[neverdie]

Lot of crap quality tyres on hire bikes......going flat doesnt surprise me......it may even be the way the tyre & cheap crappy tubes come together.

[MB1]

My tyres are knackered and my knackers are tired, yeah it's a scam and their bursting our balls, oh what would we do without the land of scams.

Edited April 2, 2010 by MB1

[rfukata]

Lot of crap quality tyres on hire bikes......going flat doesnt surprise me......it may even be the way the tyre & cheap crappy tubes come together.

come to think about it (this subject), my new bicycle tires go low on air every other day, perhaps yes, the tire and its cheap tubes may certainly be a factor.

[sarahsbloke]

worn out tyres get lots of flats.

Only 300bht for new tyres.

I was getting one flat a month with my old tyres (5 months), none for the last 3 months after having new ones fitted.

[neverdie]

Lot of crap quality tyres on hire bikes......going flat doesnt surprise me......it may even be the way the tyre & cheap crappy tubes come together.

come to think about it (this subject), my new bicycle tires go low on air every other day, perhaps yes, the tire and its cheap tubes may certainly be a factor.

Believe me, pressures can often be a problem here in LOS. When they arnt pumping the tyres up to extremely high pressures, they are letting them drop down to next to nothing. The tubes then get pinched or wear against the tyres. Also those cheap tyres, well they are errrr cheap.

I always try to opt with the best tyres I can when hiring a bike & always take my little pressure guage with me and check them and pump them up........afterall theres not much between you and the road, is there?

Also on my bike, I've got one tubed tyre & it goes down considerably over a week. I've replaced the tube thinking it was faulty and the new one ended up being even worse....they were thai made irc tubes. Anyway, I check my tyre pressures weekly.

Theres probably a scam in there as well somewhere but it hardly seems worthwhile to me when its 30 baht to have a puncture repaired

[Atmos]

not saying this stat is corect, but bike shop I used to deal with NZ had a poster (from a tyre company of course!) stating something like:

80% of punctures occur in the last 20% of a tyre's life

I've done 4000km since Nov on a Fino, three punctures - but not 'punctures' - twice a hole on the inner side of the tube near the valve, yet I'm careful re tyre pressure. I persist with cheap tubes . . . cheap repairs.

[VocalNeal]

Also on my bike, I've got one tubed tyre & it goes down considerably over a week. I've replaced the tube thinking it was faulty and the new one ended up being even worse....they were thai made irc tubes. Anyway, I check my tyre pressures weekly.

If there is a good mountain bike shop near you they will sell small bottles of stuff like Slime, which you can put in your tires to prevent slow punctures like the ones you experience. Sized for bicycle tires, but check the bottle there maybe enough for two or one motorbike tire. I have not seen Slime in any local motorbike shops.

[VocalNeal]

I thought you could only use that stuff in tubeless tyres.

(PCX has tubeless tyres)

TA. You may use that stuff in any tire you chose. It obviously won't do much if the tube get a long cut because it has been squeezed between the tire and the rim. If however you run over a nail it will delay deflation long enough that the tire won't "blow out"

In such a case Slime will make a sticky green mess over the wheel. (Indonesian NSR 150R with spoked wheels and tubed tires)

[CHdiver]

I am just at the Bike Shop changing the Front Tyre from my Nouvo (together with a lot of other Stuff, phhh will be a high bill) Front Tyre is 575 btw. IRC. I had the Front one for 29 k klicks and not one puncture. Back Tyre is another story. As soon as there is not enough Air in the back you will get a puncture. Because the roads are so bad here you will puncture your tube when you go over (or in) all the potholes and over the speed bumps. I never had a puncture with enough air in the tyre however.

So as long as you keep enough air in your back tyre you are mostly safe. Exeptions are nails and other nasty stuff your tyre may pick up.

[neverdie]

Also on my bike, I've got one tubed tyre & it goes down considerably over a week. I've replaced the tube thinking it was faulty and the new one ended up being even worse....they were thai made irc tubes. Anyway, I check my tyre pressures weekly.

If there is a good mountain bike shop near you they will sell small bottles of stuff like Slime, which you can put in your tires to prevent slow punctures like the ones you experience. Sized for bicycle tires, but check the bottle there maybe enough for two or one motorbike tire. I have not seen Slime in any local motorbike shops.

Mine is not a puncture, I have had several IRC tubes and they all bleed air over time @ different rates. Not a puncture.

[ScubaBuddha]

I have also heard of bike shops which will sabotage your bike by putting nails or other items just up the road from their shop. 30 baht x 20 a day and it starts to add up.

[robblok]

Also on my bike, I've got one tubed tyre & it goes down considerably over a week. I've replaced the tube thinking it was faulty and the new one ended up being even worse....they were thai made irc tubes. Anyway, I check my tyre pressures weekly.

If there is a good mountain bike shop near you they will sell small bottles of stuff like Slime, which you can put in your tires to prevent slow punctures like the ones you experience. Sized for bicycle tires, but check the bottle there maybe enough for two or one motorbike tire. I have not seen Slime in any local motorbike shops.

Mine is not a puncture, I have had several IRC tubes and they all bleed air over time @ different rates. Not a puncture.

I had the same problem you had on my wave. then i switched to a Kawasaki boss and later to a Kawasaki vulcan and never had the problem again. According to my dad (knows more about this stuff then me) its just the cheap rubber they use for cheap tires. They don't do certain processes they do with the better quality tires that is why it bleeds air.

Not saying you have to switch to a big bike just explaining its probably cheap rubber.

[neverdie]

Also on my bike, I've got one tubed tyre & it goes down considerably over a week. I've replaced the tube thinking it was faulty and the new one ended up being even worse....they were thai made irc tubes. Anyway, I check my tyre pressures weekly.

If there is a good mountain bike shop near you they will sell small bottles of stuff like Slime, which you can put in your tires to prevent slow punctures like the ones you experience. Sized for bicycle tires, but check the bottle there maybe enough for two or one motorbike tire. I have not seen Slime in any local motorbike shops.

Mine is not a puncture, I have had several IRC tubes and they all bleed air over time @ different rates. Not a puncture.

I had the same problem you had on my wave. then i switched to a Kawasaki boss and later to a Kawasaki vulcan and never had the problem again. According to my dad (knows more about this stuff then me) its just the cheap rubber they use for cheap tires. They don't do certain processes they do with the better quality tires that is why it bleeds air.

Not saying you have to switch to a big bike just explaining its probably cheap rubber.

I havent had any problems with the tubeless tyres im using, just the ones with the inner tubes.

Ive read its got something to do with the rubber being used. Its not really a problem, Im normally in the habit of checking the tyre pressure every week and the amount lost in this time is nominal, about 3-4psi. Of course that could end up being a problem for people that only check their tyres every blue moon

Edited April 2, 2010 by neverdie

[robblok]

That is what im saying.. it has something to do with the rubber.. and yes it was a problem for me because i let the wave stand outside for a week and then expected to ride it again. I hated having to fill my tires all the time.

[neverdie]

That is what im saying.. it has something to do with the rubber.. and yes it was a problem for me because i let the wave stand outside for a week and then expected to ride it again. I hated having to fill my tires all the time.

Air Compressor, Tesco/Lotus: 199 baht EASY & you should be checking your tyre pressures often.....one of the most important parts of the vehicle.

[Garry]

That is what im saying.. it has something to do with the rubber.. and yes it was a problem for me because i let the wave stand outside for a week and then expected to ride it again. I hated having to fill my tires all the time.

Air Compressor, Tesco/Lotus: 199 baht EASY & you should be checking your tyre pressures often.....one of the most important parts of the vehicle.

Similar process here with me. I bought two from Big C, one to keep in the SUV and one for around the house: bicycle tyres, motorcycles tyres, trailer tyres etc...

Edited April 2, 2010 by Garry

[biplanebluey]

Lot of crap quality tyres on hire bikes......going flat doesnt surprise me......it may even be the way the tyre & cheap crappy tubes come together.

come to think about it (this subject), my new bicycle tires go low on air every other day, perhaps yes, the tire and its cheap tubes may certainly be a factor.

I Have solved this problem twice----went to backstreet repair man where he had heaps of old inner tubes----took out all the valve cores and now use them if I have a constant flat. Some valve cores are pretty rough and useless some are good. If you take it in to a repair joker he will just change the inner tube and you could still have a faulty valve core on the new one. Believe me IT WORKS.

[neverdie]

^thanks for the tip......I will grab a few and try that.

[MAJIC]

Lot of crap quality tyres on hire bikes......going flat doesnt surprise me......it may even be the way the tyre & cheap crappy tubes come together.

come to think about it (this subject), my new bicycle tires go low on air every other day, perhaps yes, the tire and its cheap tubes may certainly be a factor.

Believe me, pressures can often be a problem here in LOS. When they arnt pumping the tyres up to extremely high pressures, they are letting them drop down to next to nothing. The tubes then get pinched or wear against the tyres. Also those cheap tyres, well they are errrr cheap.

I always try to opt with the best tyres I can when hiring a bike & always take my little pressure guage with me and check them and pump them up........afterall theres not much between you and the road, is there?

Also on my bike, I've got one tubed tyre & it goes down considerably over a week. I've replaced the tube thinking it was faulty and the new one ended up being even worse....they were thai made irc tubes. Anyway, I check my tyre pressures weekly.

Theres probably a scam in there as well somewhere but it hardly seems worthwhile to me when its 30 baht to have a puncture repaired

Had 3 punctures in a month once, Thai bike repair shop cut up an old inner tube and lined the wheel with it before

replacing the tube and tire.No more problems.Sometimes its loose spokes that can be the culprit.

[neverdie]

Lot of crap quality tyres on hire bikes......going flat doesnt surprise me......it may even be the way the tyre & cheap crappy tubes come together.

come to think about it (this subject), my new bicycle tires go low on air every other day, perhaps yes, the tire and its cheap tubes may certainly be a factor.

Believe me, pressures can often be a problem here in LOS. When they arnt pumping the tyres up to extremely high pressures, they are letting them drop down to next to nothing. The tubes then get pinched or wear against the tyres. Also those cheap tyres, well they are errrr cheap.

I always try to opt with the best tyres I can when hiring a bike & always take my little pressure guage with me and check them and pump them up........afterall theres not much between you and the road, is there?

Also on my bike, I've got one tubed tyre & it goes down considerably over a week. I've replaced the tube thinking it was faulty and the new one ended up being even worse....they were thai made irc tubes. Anyway, I check my tyre pressures weekly.

Theres probably a scam in there as well somewhere but it hardly seems worthwhile to me when its 30 baht to have a puncture repaired

Had 3 punctures in a month once, Thai bike repair shop cut up an old inner tube and lined the wheel with it before

replacing the tube and tire.No more problems.Sometimes its loose spokes that can be the culprit.

Yeah, Ive seen that too with spokes, I don't have spokes & my tubes have never punctured, but they go down slowly, so its either the valves or the cheap rubber they are using. I was actually going to blow up a new tube and leave it in the house and check it to see if it goes down to test my theory.....not even put it near a bike.

[Fishenough]

Also on my bike, I've got one tubed tyre & it goes down considerably over a week. I've replaced the tube thinking it was faulty and the new one ended up being even worse....they were thai made irc tubes. Anyway, I check my tyre pressures weekly.

If there is a good mountain bike shop near you they will sell small bottles of stuff like Slime, which you can put in your tires to prevent slow punctures like the ones you experience. Sized for bicycle tires, but check the bottle there maybe enough for two or one motorbike tire. I have not seen Slime in any local motorbike shops.

I thought you could only use that stuff in tubeless tyres.

(PCX has tubeless tyres)

When I started running tubeless on the mountain bike; I removed the air and both valves, poured in two ounces of home made leak stop into each tube, and the result was tires that never lost a measurable amount of air over one season. When I changed out the rear knobby there was one small nail and a staple in the tire, the result being the tube was fixed (on tug and it was loose) to the tire by a nasty chewing gum patch. The mix was one part Slime, one part latex mold builder, (less than) one part 50/50 anti freeze, and a craft store tube of glitter.

This mix doesn’t dry with time, clings well inside tubes and tires, and with the anti freeze doesn’t dry up. Would like to try as I’ll be changing tires and tubes soon, though on D-Tracker have only had one puncture in 25,000 km. On the scoots too many flats to keep track off. Have found, nor looked too hard for, the latex mold making goop.

[thesyndicate]

Can you buy repair on tube here? What can i buy to a novou to make them last longer i do not want a flat on the road.

Also on my bike, I've got one tubed tyre & it goes down considerably over a week. I've replaced the tube thinking it was faulty and the new one ended up being even worse....they were thai made irc tubes. Anyway, I check my tyre pressures weekly.

If there is a good mountain bike shop near you they will sell small bottles of stuff like Slime, which you can put in your tires to prevent slow punctures like the ones you experience. Sized for bicycle tires, but check the bottle there maybe enough for two or one motorbike tire. I have not seen Slime in any local motorbike shops.

I thought you could only use that stuff in tubeless tyres.

(PCX has tubeless tyres)

When I started running tubeless on the mountain bike; I removed the air and both valves, poured in two ounces of home made leak stop into each tube, and the result was tires that never lost a measurable amount of air over one season. When I changed out the rear knobby there was one small nail and a staple in the tire, the result being the tube was fixed (on tug and it was loose) to the tire by a nasty chewing gum patch. The mix was one part Slime, one part latex mold builder, (less than) one part 50/50 anti freeze, and a craft store tube of glitter.

This mix doesn't dry with time, clings well inside tubes and tires, and with the anti freeze doesn't dry up. Would like to try as I'll be changing tires and tubes soon, though on D-Tracker have only had one puncture in 25,000 km. On the scoots too many flats to keep track off. Have found, nor looked too hard for, the latex mold making goop.