Repeat puncture - what am I missing? Help

The Chingford Skinhead

This is driving me crazy.

I've had a repeat puncture in the same tyre 3 times in the last week (four if you include my failed attempt to patch a tube) costing me three tubes. I've checked the tyre and rim thoroughly and removed a tiny bit of fliint (didn't find it on first inspection costing me original tube and first replacement). The flint was only located by really pressing the outside wall of the tyre and checking on the inside - it was only marginally proud.

I havent' had the heart to check it tonight - and besides I'm all out of tubes.

So, my questions

1 Is there more I should be doing? Is there a better way to check the tyre than simply looking and feeling with fingers numb from the cold? The 2nd puncture was real slow so I couldn't tell what part of the tyre it came from

2 Should I just take the expensive option and go to the LBS and get them to check and replace the tyre if need be?

3 If I go for the new tyre option should I replace both at the same time?

4 If yes to Q3, can I go to a thinner tyre on the same rims. It's a 700 wheel running on 700x35 - I'd like something a bit faster like a 28. Is that going to cause a problem?

5 Is there a way that I can get my employer to pay my salary direct to my LBS?????

Thanks for reading and any help., support or counselling you can offer.

[You should note, however, that even with a flat tyre at work tonight, I decided 11 miles with as many hand pumped refills as required was still a better option than getting changed and going on the tube - and a million times better than not getting changed and going on the tube in bib-tights :shock: ]

linsen

For a start you can save yourself some dosh and replace your own tyres - if I can do it, I'm sure you can!
How old are they? I have just replaced mine befor ethe puncture fairy came a-visiting and I am glad I have - th eold ones were like cloth compared to the new ones.

Total job £36

batch78

Have you checked the rim tape?

Is it puncturing in the same place each time?

If yes you've probably got something in the tyre or an exposed spoke, if no is it a pinch flat puncture?

Unfortunately the easiest way to get answers to these questions is to find where the puncture is and fix it, stop buying new tubes!!!!!

Very small shards of glass can penetrate without any visible entry wound aswell so be careful running your fingers round.

We'd need to know more info on the rim before advising on tyre sizing, but I doubt a 28mm would be a problem.

As for bibtights on the tube :shock: good decision to pump

The Chingford Skinhead

linsen wrote:

For a start you can save yourself some dosh and replace your own tyres - if I can do it, I'm sure you can!
How old are they? I have just replaced mine befor ethe puncture fairy came a-visiting and I am glad I have - th eold ones were like cloth compared to the new ones.

Total job £36

I can change the tyre ok - had plenty of practice in the last week :roll: Just wondering if I should get the LBS to find the problem for me.

The Chingford Skinhead

batch78 wrote:

Have you checked the rim tape?

Is it puncturing in the same place each time?

If yes you've probably got something in the tyre or an exposed spoke, if no is it a pinch flat puncture?

Unfortunately the easiest way to get answers to these questions is to find where the puncture is and fix it, stop buying new tubes!!!!!

Very small shards of glass can penetrate without any visible entry wound aswell so be careful running your fingers round.

We'd need to know more info on the rim before advising on tyre sizing, but I doubt a 28mm would be a problem.

As for bibtights on the tube :shock: good decision to pump

I checked the rim tape. Seems sound. The first two punctures were in the same place - and that was how I eventually found the flint. But I can't find the latest by simply blowing the tyre up and feeling for it. Doesn't appear to exist but clearly it does (unless the valve is gone)

What infor do you need on the rim? I'll have to look (tomorrow) as it's now in the shed sulking after I swore at it :evil: (I'll apologise in the morning)

My LBS are very good but they must think I'm a complete moron (or perhaps that's just how I'm feeling about my general manual incompetence - partly why it took me so long to get to know them. They seemed so knowledgeable and a bit cocky with it - but as I say, they've been pretty good. Mind you, they've done quite well out of me the last few months.

STEFANOS4784

The Chingford Skinhead wrote:

[You should note, however, that even with a flat tyre at work tonight, I decided 11 miles with as many hand pumped refills as required was still a better option than getting changed and going on the tube - and a million times better than not getting changed and going on the tube in bib-tights :shock: ]

Chapeu, or whatever it is, anyhoo hats off to you mate

I recently had exploding tube syndrome but it was due to a small split in the tyre and me being to stinjy to fork out the 30 quid :oops:

an rothar mor

You don't mention the age/general condition of the tyres as they could be worn out and frayed so as per the answers above and also, tt sounds like you may have been doing a road side inspection of the exterior only and it may be that while you are home, you need to take the tyre off the rim, turn it inside out and visually inspect the inside of the tyre completely, and very carefully as whatever caused the original problem may have been become further embedded within the tyre itself and might not be found by a visual inspection of the exterior.
I think sheldon brown website has a section on rim sizes/conversion charts etc., but I think that I have myself changed from 700x35 to 700x 28 on my hybrid without any problems.
It may not be necessary to change your exisiing tyres but if you are going to change just to go to a thinner tyre then consider marathon plus or armadillos, I have both on my road and hybrid bikes and they are excellent for p***t**e resistance - probably just put the kiss of death on them now....

best of luck and don't despair.. remember you will save money while cycling (repeat ten times every night and eventually you will come to believe it)

batch78

http://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html Have a read there and see if it helps with tyre sizing.

The Chingford Skinhead

an rothar mor wrote:

You don't mention the age/general condition of the tyres as they could be worn out and frayed so as per the answers above and also, tt sounds like you may have been doing a road side inspection of the exterior only and it may be that while you are home, you need to take the tyre off the rim, turn it inside out and visually inspect the inside of the tyre completely, and very carefully as whatever caused the original problem may have been become further embedded within the tyre itself and might not be found by a visual inspection of the exterior.
I think sheldon brown website has a section on rim sizes/conversion charts etc., but I think that I have myself changed from 700x35 to 700x 28 on my hybrid without any problems.
It may not be necessary to change your exisiing tyres but if you are going to change just to go to a thinner tyre then consider marathon plus or armadillos, I have both on my road and hybrid bikes and they are excellent for p***t**e resistance - probably just put the kiss of death on them now....

best of luck and don't despair.. remember you will save money while cycling (repeat ten times every night and eventually you will come to believe it)

Cheers for that. Helpful advice and you've cheered me up - even if recent experience says it costs more!.

Truth is the tyres are as old as the bike, so about 2003/4 though it wasn't heavily used until quite recently. Tyres have kelvar and good thread (and I'm a bit tight ) but they did feel a tad soft when I checked them. I did check the inside of they tyre but in pretty poor light outside my front door. I guess I need to do a proper indoor inspection in good light but Mrs TCS won't approve so will have to wait until she is asleep :twisted:

I've heard lots of good things about Marathon plus and I like the scotchgaurd on the inner walls so they'll be my tyre of choice. I'm on a hybrid too (hard to tell if the hiss sound I occassionally here is the tyre or roadies disapproving of my choice of bike .

I guess I'm at the point that simply buying new tubes is a false economy - it will be cheaper in the long run to get those new tyres. (I've also decided that patching tyres is a false economy esp as I'm so bad at it and end up looking like Popeye after regular stop and pump stops!)

The Chingford Skinhead

batch78 wrote:

http://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html Have a read there and see if it helps with tyre sizing.

Cheers, will check when I look at the rims tomorrow. Btw, what is a tire... I take it with a name like Sheldon he's american 8)

cjcp

TCS - are you changing your tyres with levers? If so, just wondering if you nicked the tube slightly during fitting. I just bought new tyres when that started happening to me.

jonginge

I use my fingertips when checking the inside of the tyre. They can usually pick up very small sharps (or nicks if the sharps aren't protuding). Not so pleasant in the cold weather, though

As to the slow puncture. Once you get home fill a sink with water, pump up the tube, submerge sections of tube until you see bubbles.

simon_ramsey

If after checking the inside of the tyre, rim tape etc, have a good look at the outside as well. I kept getting p**ct*r*s on one of my MTB's and there was a split in the tyre that was only visible when the tread was compressed - i.e my weight whilst I was riding.

The Chingford Skinhead

cjcp wrote:

TCS - are you changing your tyres with levers? If so, just wondering if you nicked the tube slightly during fitting. I just bought new tyres when that started happening to me.

Hi CJ, I use levers to get the flat tyre off but genrally refit said tyre using my bare hands and a manly roar I've set my heart on new thinner tyres now - damn the expense

The Chingford Skinhead

JonGinge wrote:

I use my fingertips when checking the inside of the tyre. They can usually pick up very small sharps (or nicks if the sharps aren't protuding). Not so pleasant in the cold weather, though

As to the slow puncture. Once you get home fill a sink with water, pump up the tube, submerge sections of tube until you see bubbles.

Had to tube it today due to staff meeting and then party (few too many sherberts). and wil have to tube it tomorrow as a) alcohol will still be in system and b) ran out of spare tubes. But I'll do the bath test tomorrow.

In my youth I used to fix small punctures with a hot knife :shock: I'm guessing that is a bit old hat these days

itboffin

If it's a road bike I can recommend the Michelin lithion's which you can get for £10 each, tough as nails, easy to fit - i've been riding on and off road on mine recently, stop buying so many tubes just repair your punctures with park tools pre glued patches.

As already mentioned make sure there's no objects in the tyres or rims which you put it all back together, stay away from the curbs of the road, at the end of the day some tyres just suck.