Problems with punctures

[Deserted]

Hi all. Had my bike for 1 year in BKK now and got my 10th puncture recently. They have all been on the back tire, and are often on the inside of the inner tube. I have inspected the wheel as has the shop I take it to many times and they are adamant there is nothing wrong with it. There is strong tape to insulate against the spokes, so I am lost as to why this keeps happening. Its a mountain bike so the tires are thick. Any thoughts?

[el jefe]

If most of the punctures are on the "inside" of the tubes (facing the spokes), then replace the plastic rim strip with a cloth one.

[Deserted]

What could be causing it? They keep saying debris inside the tire but i just don't believe it. On the last one the puncture was directly over where a spoke is but i have checked it carefully. The tape is thick and undamaged. The wheel is fine too which is why its so strange. Is a

cloth lining better?

[JanDetlefsen]

Sometimes you will never know what causes it. I had the same thing. Ended up buying a new bike (for other reasons) and it never happened again. Suggest to get a new wheel.

[tolsti]

Get yourself one of these!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2343161/The-amazing-flying-bicycle-means-traffic-jams-parking-fines-road-rage-things-past.html

[JanDetlefsen]

i think the VTOL version is better suited for Bangkok

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/10117324/Flying-electric-bicycle-invented-in-Czech-Republic.html

[black fox]

suggest you check to see if its puncturing in same place every time if so change your tyre, you can sometimes check and still not see anything wrong witth tyre but its happened to me several times and when i put a new tyre on hey presto no punctures.

[el jefe]

What could be causing it? They keep saying debris inside the tire but i just don't believe it. On the last one the puncture was directly over where a spoke is but i have checked it carefully. The tape is thick and undamaged. The wheel is fine too which is why its so strange. Is a

cloth lining better?

Once in a while the plastic strip will have a rough edge or will move in the wheel. Substituting cloth tape is a cheap solution. If it doesn't help, you're out 50-100 baht. Certainly a better first step than replacing the tire, wheel, or bike.

[Deserted]

Ok so this time I got 2 punctures in one hour. I examined the wheel and noticed that it has a very slight buckle in it. Not enough for the wheel to hit the brake pad but it is there. Could that be a cause?

[wantan]

Have you changed the tube for a quality one? Some tube are of really bad quality and get holes without being punctured.What brand are you using?

Or: Are there thornes sticking in the tire? Some thornes are so small you will not even recognise them with your fingers touching. But with pressure on the tire they are possibly punturing the tube. Ever tried to replace tire and tube?

Edited June 25, 2013 by wantan

[aarn]

A few people I have met over the years have been bedeviled by the too-frequent-puncture curse.

Typically, heavier people (not necessarily fat) not inflating their tyre/tube towards the upper limit of the recommended pressure range.

If most of your punctures are occurring in one place:

The first thing to rule out is a rough spot (or two) on the inside of the rim. Such as results from being too vigorous when removing a tyre with a metal spoon.

Then check for a spoke protruding higher than others, or a sharp edge on a spoke hole.

el jefe's suggestion re. cloth rim-tape sounds good, I just use a roll of electrical insulating tape, at least two layers around the inside of the rim.

wantan's suggestion is spot-on. Sometimes entire batches of tubes are stoofed 'coz something goes wrong in the manufacturing plant.

Another way to invite vexatious, pestilential punctures is to use a tube of insufficient size (eg. 26 x 1.5" tube inside 26 x 2.25" tyre).

I would not worry about wheel wobble (unless your V-brakes are actually rubbing on the tyre sidewall... yes this dopey prick inflicted puncture on himself once in such a fashion). My current rear wheel comprises a 36-hole rim laced to a 32-spoke rim (by afore-mentioned dopey p....) and thus some stellar non-lateral buckle. Yet despite moderate usage (say 100km/week), I only get ~ 4 punctures/year, mostly (~ 80%) due to invidious, skanky wire shards that work their way towards the healthy tube. Also, ~60% of punctures affect rear wheel.

Since I am on the podium, let me suggest further puncture avoidance techniques. Switch to presta-valve tubes and get a standup pump, which will result in sustained tyre pressures, less damage to the valve base, and less pain in your lower back (a puncture is already a sufficient pain in the A....). Rebirth your old irreparable tubes as tyre liners. Unseem them from the knave to the chops, and insert between tube and tyre. This will not stop all punctures (due to those shiny skanky shards), but will delay the onset of puncture, perhaps allowing you time to search and eliminate. Some cyclists like those snazzy teflon/kevlar tyre liners, but in my experience they will puncture your tube (unless repositioned) after a year or so.

But the god of bicycle punctures delivers justice in mysterious ways. My worst experience was cycling the east coast of Malaysia, 1pm, adjacent to Petronas oil-refinery (and the heat of the gas flares), very (stone-cold is inappropriate here) sober. A nail jumped up from the road, penetrating tyre, outer rim of tuber, inner rim of tube, and (just for good measure) the wheel. Need less to say the repairs took more than one hour (baking my white-boy flesh under the sun, and flares) and entailed an inordinate amount of the utterance of profanities.

Keep on ped'lin', AA

[phutoie2]

I had a puncture today while out on a road run, about 20 mins from leaving the house. I have a good knowledge of where the local repair guys are. Well this place I found fixed it and 10 Baht cost. It was a mo-cy shop, but the guy was good. I had some Maxxis inner tubes in & he told me I was a mug for buying them.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[billd766]

I never had problems that in the old days.

[Thot]

I too had frequent "Blowouts". Finally asked someone to check the valve in the stem thng. It was loose. When tighten up no more blowouts. The tube had always cracked near the stem.

[fdimike]

Punctures espcially on the inner side of the tube can be a real mystery. Check your rims and make sure they have recessed spoke nipples. This type of rim is a bit more expensive but a whole lot stronger. Next I would coat the inner tube with talcum powder (like Johnson & Johnson baby powder). The talc will act as a dry lube to allow the tube to move a bit without chaffing. Repace cheap tubes with quality ones such as Schwalbe. Replace the rim tape with a new quality product.

If the puncture is on the outside (part against the tire). Take the tire off and turn it inside out. Bend the tire in half as you run your fingers slowly along the inside of the tire keeping the tire bent as you proceed with the inspection. This should allow you to locate any small objects which may be causing the problem. Repacing a cheap tire with a quality one like Schwalbe will not guarantee puncture free riding but will help prevent the problem.

Lastly I would steer clear of tire sealants which propose to seal punctures etc. They are worthless in my experience.