catastrophic innertube failure

Parkey

I've recently been suffering from sudden and rapid punctures on my front wheel caused by a failure of the tube at the base of the valve.

I have presta valves, but I've not been tightening the nut around the valve particularly hard. As best I've been able to tell, the rim tape has been rotating around the wheel and is pushing on the valve causing the rubber around it to tear. I tried replacing the rim tape and this has delayed the puncture time from mere days to a month or so, but annoyingly it's still happening.

Has anybody else experienced this or got pointers as to how I can stop it happening?

Need to sort this out. It's costing me a fortune in innertubes as there's no way I can repair them!

Thanks!

Larok

any burs on the rim around the valve hole?

Wappygixer

Are you running the correct tyre pressure?

If your pressures are ok check with another pressure gauge.You'd be surprised how many are out.

Also if the lock ring is loose then it gives the valve room to move, so try running it a little tighter.

artillerydave

I would also add check what inner tubes you are using as some cheap / nasty ones are more prone to failure.

or for a complete solution go tubeless!! you'll never look back.

Don't get me started.

Parkey

Thanks for the responses guys.

There are no burrs on the valve hole and the little plastic collar is in place. In any case these failures don't look like something's been cutting into the tube, more like it's been pulled apart.

I've been tightening the lock ring to the point where it's tight and can't rattle, but I've been consious of not tighten it too much in case it makes this worse.

I have to confess that I've not been using anything as precise as a pressure gauge. I've literally been pumping the tyres until they feel hard enough.

I don't think it's the tube type that's causing the problem as I've had this happen on three different makes of tube so far.

Every time a tube has failed I've found the rim tape has moved around the rim and is bunched up underneath the point of failure. I have replaced the rim tape with a different typre and yet the same has happened again. I have no idea what would cause this to happen. I have identical parts on the rear wheel and I don't have this problem there.

kegs

have you tried putting talc inside your tyres, I sounds as if the innertube is sticking to the tyre and rotating, taking the rimtape with it.

That will pull on the valve until it fails.

Father Faff

Are tyres supposed to move round the rim as that sounds like what is happening and pulling everything else with it until it rips at the valve? Have you tried using a different tyre?