Not my best day out

steve_sordy

I started today with a rear brake lever that pulled to the bar. To be fair it had been slowly deteriorating for a while. I would have fixed it but the brake is the new design SRAM Guide and the bleed point in the caliper has been "improved" so that I can't use it; need a special tool. I managed to persuade the LBS to bump me up the queue and do it while I waited (50 mins).

Once rolling, all was well for 4 miles and then my rear tubeless tyre started feeling a bit squirmy. What! It had plenty of sealant, so it should not lose pressure, but it had. I removed the tyre and valve and fitted a tube. The sealant got everywhere and stuck the grit from the tyre onto my hands, wrists and clothing. The flies were on to a good thing too, hmmm fresh sweat! Once the tube was in and the tyre bead engaged, a minute of furious pumping yielded exactly 7psi. Yes, I had either pinched the tube with my levers, or the tube had been pierced at some point in the last few years of storage in my backpack. So, off with the tyre again, out with the tube to locate the hole. Ah yes, a simple 2mm slit, where are my tube patches? Aaaarghh! Every single one of my "Zefal glueless patches" had no glue! The adhesive had turned to brown sugar and was useless. In desperation I had another look in my pack and I found some Lezyne ones that I didn't know I had that were still OK. Tube fixed, tyre back on, wheel reinstalled, ready to go - but only after a clean up. I wiped my hands in the wet grass and got nettled on my wrists!

One mile later, I was nearly blown off my bike by the loudest bang I'd heard for a while. I had put a few extra psi in to the rear tyre to prevent snakebite punctures, but obviously not enough. I only had the one spare tube, so I was setting myself up for another tube repair when two riders came along. Without any prompting from me, one gave me a spare tube (I was sooooo grateful). They left and I started the fix. Got the wheel out and discovered that it wasn't a snakebite puncture at all, the tyre wall had blown at the bead and was torn for about three inches. No fixing that! Put the tube in my pack.

The 1.8 mile walk was actually quite pleasant as the weather was favourable. I received a bonus when I found the bike computer sender unit that I lost last year. It was just there, right by the side of the trail. When I got back to my car, by chance the two riders were cleaning up nearby so I could return the tube with grateful thanks. Nice guys.

The failed tyre was a "Continental Trail King 27.5 x 2.2 Protection + Apex". It had failed after 391 miles. Worse, it was the second successive tyre to have failed on me in the same manner. That one too was the same type of Conti TK Protection and that one had failed after 600 miles. I got that one refunded without question when I sent a photograph. It would appear that Conti have a problem with their TK Protection tyre walls. I won't be replacing it with another.

billycool

Sorry to hear you had a rubbish day out Steve.

I've just bought a couple more TK's from CRC on offer, so I hope they don't have any issues.

They are 26" though and the TK's on the Norco are still going well. Rear is getting a bit ragged but it worked perfectly well in Wales a couple of weeks ago, and it had a good thrashing.

Maybe it's a bad batch or your aggresive riding style!

What's going to replace it?

steve_sordy

BillyCool wrote:

...............

Maybe it's a bad batch or your aggresive riding style!

What's going to replace it?

I can assure you it was not my aggressive riding! 8)

It will be a Conti TK with bcc of some kind, probably a tubeless one. The TK bcc work really well for me. It's just a bad batch of the Protection version that I'll avoid. I'm waiting to hear from Alpine Trek who supplied the tyre. I don't blame them, but it's them I expect to sort me out.

billycool

steve_sordy wrote:

BillyCool wrote:

...............

Maybe it's a bad batch or your aggresive riding style!

What's going to replace it?

I can assure you it was not my aggressive riding! 8)

It will be a Conti TK with bcc of some kind, probably a tubeless one. The TK bcc work really well for me. It's just a bad batch of the Protection version that I'll avoid. I'm waiting to hear from Alpine Trek who supplied the tyre. I don't blame them, but it's them I expect to sort me out.

LOL - no more gap jumps for you!

Alpine Trek should sort you out as your contract is with them and not Conti. Time will tell.

I thought you were dumping the TK's altogether so good to know you're sticking with them. I love mine.

steve_sordy

BillyCool wrote:

.............
Alpine Trek should sort you out as your contract is with them and not Conti. Time will tell.

I thought you were dumping the TK's altogether so good to know you're sticking with them. I love mine.

Nope, happy with the TKs. I'm pretty sure that this was a one off problem with a batch. Both Protection versions failed in the same way at the same place and after similar distances. I'll probably go back to the tubeless version. For the time being, until this is resolved, I have refitted the Crossmark II that the bike came with originally. They were not good in the winter months, but they'll be OK now it's drier.

From their website and their documentation, Alpine Trek seem customer focused. They give me a good feeling, but we'll see. I know it is their job to sort me out, but this is not their fault and I'll be helping them point the finger at Continental. I have photos etc.

You ought to see the state of the tube! The hole looks like a physical expression of the sound BANG! It's a star-shaped jagged hole, a big one. The tear in the tyre wall is enough to get all four fingers through it without forcing them!

billycool

That's not good.

I'm lucky that so far I've not had any major tyre trauma.

steve_sordy

Alpine Trek are promising a refund by the end of the week.

In the meantime I have been doing some research. I have been on the Conti website and it appears that if I want a tyre that I can use tubeless, not wire bead, with bcc; then it has to be the "Protection with Apex" variety. So I will just have to hope that this tyre comes form a different batch! :roll:

"Protection" has a tread with improved puncture resistance.
"Apex" provides stiffer side walls.
That tyre comes with bcc (black chilli compound) and is TLR (tubeless ready).

For the avoidance of doubt, the Conti code number for the 27.5 x 2.2 is 010117

The cheapest place I could get one including delivery is, would you believe, Alpine Trek! £28.57 + £3.99 del = £32.56

Yes, I know Google says there are lots of Conti TKs for less than that, but look more closely. They are either "Puregrip" (not bcc, wire bead, 2.4" not the 2.2 I'm wanting, or they are Racesport versions). Some sellers don't make it easy by just not providing enough info for me to make a buying decision. Fawkes looked good until I cross referenced with another seller and realised they were selling a Puregrip, despite saying it was bcc. Puregrip is not as grippy.

kirkymtb

Trail Kings came as standard on my Boardman FS Pro. The rear gat a split which my son saw the tube poking out of. I replaced it with a protection version in 2.4" and have had no problem since. I bought 2 26" versions for tenner each from Winstanleys in Wigan. They seem to be a much thicker construction and are still in tact.
I think they are a great tyre with the right balance between grip and drag. They cope with most conditions except for deep mud. I'll give all mine a close inspection before I ride again.

steve_sordy

Alpine Trek paid out on time, in fact a day earlier than they said. Well done AT!

As I said earlier, I had to get another Trail King with "Protection" and "Apex". Because if I wanted black chilli compound (a must) and also tubeless ready (another must), then I had no choice. Conti must have pruned their offerings in recent years. Lets hope this one is from a different batch to either of the other two!

The new tyre came this morning so I fitted it straight away. I used the new tubeless tyre sealant from Slime. Its claim to fame is that it is not latex, therefore it won't go off after six months or less. The tyre went straight up and then I added the sealant through the valve hole (core removed first). I gave the wheel a good spin once it was mounted, then I went out to ride. But while the bike was laid flat in the car for 40 mins, the tyre went flat! I pumped it up again and gave it a spin and immediately rode it. No further problems whilst riding, but the tyre went flat again during the journey home. I suspect it is the tubeless valve leaking where it sits into the rim. I confess to not putting my usual three layers of ptfe tape around the valve base before inserting into the rim. Tomorrow, I'll dunk the wheel into the water butt to locate the leak. It won't take long to fix. Why the sealant doesn't seal the valve seat I have no idea, but it isn't solely the fault of Slime, none of the latex sealants did either.

steve_sordy

Hmm, it wasn't the valve seat. The water-butt test showed that air was leaking from the rim/tyre bead interface. A very slow stream of pinprick bubbles from various points around the rim, both sides.

So I pumped the tyre up to 45 psi and gave the wheel a bloody good shake and laid it on a bucket to let the sealant get to grips with the leakage area. 30 mins later, another good shake and I laid the wheel down the other way up on the bucket.

Despite several repeats of this process, and eventually adding more sealant and again repeating, the problem remained. I never had this problem with any other sealant, even the other non-latex ones I've used.

So I went for a ride. I started with 28 psi in the rear and after 4-5 miles it was down to 21 psi. I pumped it up to 24, which was my usual and did another 4-5 miles. It was down to 21 psi again. But now I was starting to see green sealant at the rim/tyre interface, which I took to be a good sign. I pumped it back up to 24 psi and finished the ride without further problems, or checking. More green sealant in evidence.

I'm irritated at the slow progress, but I'll be patient. I sure don't want to strip the tyre off and start again, not just yet anyway. I don't believe that I'll be buying any more Slime tubeless sealant.

I'll check the pressure tomorrow morning.

steve_sordy

Several rides since and the rear tyre with the Slime tubeless sealant in is still not sealing the rim/tyre bead! It is improving however. I'm losing 3psi over three hours, which is liveable with (just). I am reluctant to remove the tyre and start again in case I have to go through this process all over again. I'll give it another week.

But there is no way that I would ever recommend Slime Pro Tubeless Sealant. It does not seal the rim/tyre bead interface very well at all.

FishFish

I've read this thread - ruined a perfectly good day with boredom.

steve_sordy

FishFish wrote:

I've read this thread - ruined a perfectly good day with boredom.

With an attention span like that, I'm surprised you got to the end.

sniper68

Tubes are the way forward

angry_bird

This story is lacking in blow and hookers, ergo it doesn't belong in the CC.

Sounds like a rubbish day though. My deepest condolences for the death of your tyre.

steve_sordy

Angry Bird wrote:

This story is lacking in blow and hookers, ergo it doesn't belong in the CC. .............

My apologies for posting in the wrong place. I'm new here and still finding my way around. :oops:

I would appreciate your advice as to which sub forum this thread should be located? With your help I'll do better next time.

sniper68

steve_sordy wrote:

Angry Bird wrote:

This story is lacking in blow and hookers, ergo it doesn't belong in the CC. .............

My apologies for posting in the wrong place. I'm new here and still finding my way around. :oops:

I would appreciate your advice as to which sub forum this thread should be located? With your help I'll do better next time.

The Hub Steve.
The Crudcatcher is reserved for less serious things like Booze,Hookers and leaving peoples bodies in ditches with their heads turned backwards

...and don't even mention your wife...although it's perfectly acceptable to mention someone elses wife...or mum

veronese68

steve_sordy wrote:

I would appreciate your advice as to which sub forum this thread should be located? With your help I'll do better next time.

Leave it here just embellish it with tales of hookers and blow, or hookers that blow. Generally this bit is more about spouting bollox than riding bikes, but you are more than welcome to join in. As for Fish² he's just a bit special but is under the impression he's better than everyone else.
Sniper beat me to it but forgot to mention lime and string.

steve_sordy

Alles Klar!

bg13

Veronese68 wrote:

steve_sordy wrote:

I would appreciate your advice as to which sub forum this thread should be located? With your help I'll do better next time.

Leave it here just embellish it with tales of hookers and blow, or hookers that blow. Generally this bit is more about spouting bollox than riding bikes, but you are more than welcome to join in. As for Fish² he's just a bit special but is under the impression he's better than everyone else.
Sniper beat me to it but forgot to mention lime and string.

I think we need more of your chum double fish on here.

sniper68

bg13 wrote:

I think we need more of your chum double fish on here.

I'd double fish his mum...sideways

bg13

Sniper68 wrote:

bg13 wrote:

I think we need more of your chum double fish on here.

I'd double fish his mum...sideways

You haven't got a decent double fish in you!