The Unsolved Case of the Mysterious Punctures

hello_yoshi
hello_yoshi Posts: 39
edited May 2011 in MTB workshop & tech
I am running a Chameleon with Mavic EN521 rims on XT hubs. The wheels were built by Merlin a year ago and have been faultless, until now.

Over the last 3 weeks I have had 5 punctures, front and rear. All of them caused seemingly by the inner tube herniating into the rim, although when I check the rim I cant see how this could happen. Is it possible that the Velox rim tape has deteriorated? There are spots of oil (from when the wheels were made) is it possible for the oil to weaken the tape?

I havent had chance to swap out for new rim tape (any suggestions welcome) yet to see if this really is the problem. Does anyone have any other ideas why the puncture gremlins are sniffing me out?

Thanks for you help.

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    where are the holes appearing?
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • hello_yoshi
    hello_yoshi Posts: 39
    The holes are appearing as small slits on the rim side of the inner tube. I am fairly sure its the spokes causing the punctures but what I don't understand is why all of a sudden.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    yes but where. same place? different places. is it exactly over a hole in the rim?

    if the same and over a hole then yes it may be the tape. pull it up and see how close the spoke is.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • benpinnick
    benpinnick Posts: 4,148
    Small slits? Sounds like Pinch flats to me. DO they come in pairs by any chance?
    A Flock of Birds
    + some other bikes.
  • hello_yoshi
    hello_yoshi Posts: 39
    nicklouse: The punctures happened in different place, and on both wheels. I have removed the rim and the spokes do look kind of close in places, but honestly I am not sure what is the norm here. But anyway the spokes would have grown in length, and up until this recent spate of punctures i hadn't received a single one.

    benpinniick: They do look like pinch flats, but they are not in pairs. I was running normal pressures and one puncture was even on the road and I was running about 45psi, flat smooth road and pop, there it goes again, the puncture weasel!

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