Rim side tube puncture: No spoke poking through or removed tape

EZ_Rider_22

So, I'm trying to get some insight here and avoid going through hassle of spending $ needlessly, simply trusting a bike shop to fix it--may try it myself but most likely, want to go to a LBS with some good ideas in mind:

1.) I've four flats since early August. I had another flat in May. Of important note, I had new rim tape installed in mid-May 2018. It came undone in late August and caused a flat, lining up with the spoke (according to LBS). Why that came undone, I can only guess what the main factor was. More on this in the second post below.

2.)September 9, 2018 flat: Rim-side, NO lifted tape or spoke cutting through tape: This is the most recent and based on input I've gotten and read, it seems it may be due to two key factors (a)Inadequate Rim tape that is not quite up to standard and (b)Small tube: using a tube for 20-25mm width tires in a 28mm width tire (a bike shop did this).

Here are some pictures related to wheel and tube Of importance is that the puncture does NOT line up with any wheel spoke holes: http://s1246.photobucket.com/user/DTown ... m%209-9-18

Here are some pictures of rear tire wall: http://s1246.photobucket.com/user/DTown ... 20sidewall

I've some more thoughts in second post below if you care to read them that may answer questions you have. I just prefer to put most of my thoughts out initially so I don't have to keep scanning as to whether I included points A, B, or C already.

EZ_Rider_22

Inadequate rim tape: Thinking about this more, there are some complicating factors that makes me ask, “Just what was the cause of the rim tape coming undone in late August?” Was it from getting a flat back in early August (and riding however long with well below recommended PSI before I noticed “Oh, I have a flat” as it became obvious): Was it not very good/not good enough for type of wheels (as suggested by someone else on another forum) and starting to come undone? I may have been using a tube with a small, non-easily detectable leak, for 3 months. I was told low PSI in a tube can contribute to rim tape coming undone, especially considering tape that was quite new before coming undone.

What I also ask is how much a tube can shift: How much can a tube shift one way or another? Nearest spoke hole is about 1.5-2 inches or even more on either side of puncture. As was told to me, a small tube can allow for more shifting ability, as the tube puncture was NOT lined up with any spoke holes on the wheel. That’s the one sticking point here for me, is how far the puncture is and not allowing me to say, as a novice: "Ah..yeah..that's probably it."

Small tube: I didn’t go back to LBS yet, but am disappointed they did this, given this can cause such an issue.

Rear tire: Rear tire has no major signs of riding-surface wear, however, the threads (what specifically those are for) that appear to be sewn into the sidewalls, have started to come undone in early August.

One last point is rear wheel is subtly out of true (I believe laterally) to where it lightly rubs on one part of wheel I believe.

Ultimately, would prefer not to have to spend $ on a new tire and my admitted anxiety and lack of expendable income and recent experience with my (perhaps former) LBS, makes me want to have more of an idea as to what’s going on before I simply trust a bike shop again to say “I have his problem, please fix it.” I’d like to learn a little bit more about what’s likely going on.

cougie

Someone's been playing in the font drawer.


If you think it's rim tape run an extra couple of loops of insulation tape round the rim over the top of it.

Vino'sGhost

I had this issue years ago,

I had cloth rim tape at the time and couldnt feel anything in it, the tyre was likewise clean.

The answer for me at least was a bit more tyre pressure. The problem went away.

Good luck!

EZ_Rider_22

cougie wrote:

Someone's been playing in the font drawer.


If you think it's rim tape run an extra couple of loops of insulation tape round the rim over the top of it.

Windows 10 monitor settings for night time makes proper color detection quite difficult. Most colors looked like shades of black or grey when I posted.

I'm of course not familiar with all of this, but do you mind me asking what this is based on? For example: Only your own experience? Advice from a trusted mechanic? Seems plausible but doesn't seem typical and I would think using one quality loop of tape would be better. Not getting tape aligned properly (two loops of tape on 1 wheel) in the first try would be potentially costly; tape on tape would be not be seemingly easy to undo in order to attempt again.