Dear Forum, Your advice if I may?

I wandered out to the garage last night expecting to ride to find the road bike with a flay front. No problem I thought I removed the old tube, checked the rim and the tyre thoroughly, installed a new tube and bang it went again. I cursed myself for not finding the offending item so went through the process again. Each time bang the tube went. I have looked at the wheel and tyre for a number of hours now and can not for the life of me find the problem. I have checked the rim tape and can not see and spokes protruding. I have checked for sharp edges on the rim, I have checked the inside of the tyre for ages, but cant solve the problem. The gash in the inner tube is always quite big and the tube bursts very early in the inflation process. Any advice will be greatly received

ND

try it with the rear tyre on the front rim?

could be technique – are you using tyre levers to fit the tyre and pinching the tube or is the tube getting trapped under the bead when fitting?

You’re trapping the tube under the tyre bead, or puncturing it with the levers.
When you fit the tyre,start pushing the bead in opposite the valve then work round so you finish at the valve. Helps prevent trapping the tube.

I had a similar issue – the rim tape looked fine with no spokes or sharp edges. In the end I wrapped a couple of layers of electrical tape on top of the rim tape and this fixed it – must have been some small imperfection somewhere which was puncturing it.

The gash in the inner tube is always quite big

Is the gash always in the same place? If it is have you checked that location for something causing the puncture?

Sounds like your catching the tube between the tyre and rim though, but you’d be unlucky to keep doing that.

Are you using a tyre lever to get the tyre on?

partially inflating the tube can help avoid pinching it during fitting.

Yes, using levers and a couple of them have some rough edges so maybe I am trapping them or tearing them, I have changed more tubes than had hot dinners, can’t understand why I made such a pigs ear of it yesterday!

First of all, is the ‘gash’ always in the same place? Compare the failed tubes and then check in that area specifically for something that might cause this damage.

But it sounds like you are trapping the tube between the tyre & rim or tearing it with a tyre lever while putting the tyre back on.

partially inflating the tube can help avoid pinching it during fitting.

Also fit the tube, put a bit of air in then let it down and then check the tube isn’t trapped under the tyre bead.

stumpy01 you pretty much typed my post word for word

Trapping the tube under the bead, if you were puncturing them with the levers then they’d likely not inflate at all.

There is a theme developing here. I think I need to put myself in the dog house as this is bike repair 101!!

Thanks for all the advice. I suspect a trip to be bike shop to by myself a virgin tube and then a lot of care and attention when I fit the damn thing. I know now why I run tubeless on the MTB now!!

Cheers

ND

DONT use levers!
I find when fitting road tyres & tubes to my MTB its very tight for space and using levers would almost certainly snag on the tube.

Technique, I’m afraid. Blow into the tube to partially inflate and then insert tube under the tyre, work your way around from both sides mounting the bead on the rim to finish at the valve. Then let out the small amount of air and pop the remaining bead over the rim. If it is tight, work the tyre bead into the centre of the rim opposite the valve to free up more at the top. You should not require levers to mount a road tyre.

Then partially inflate, work your way around the tyre looking between tyre and rim on both sides to see if any inner tube can be seen. If it can, unseat the tyre slightly so the tube moves underneath the tyre.

ONLY THEN, when you cannot see any inner tube, should you inflate the tyre to maximum pressure.

Sounds easy? Well, latex inner tubes are so flexible that even when apparently mounted OK, they can squeeze their way out occasionally and puncture. Had two do this, one when inflated from 120 to 140 PSI for a Time Trial. The other was definitely my error. The bang and subsequent large hole is always impressive.

On some tyres the rim depth isn’t enough to put the tyres on by hand and you have to resort to a flat and thin tyre lever. The last bit always goes on by hand but the previous 30cm or so can be a bitch.

All so check the tyre isn’t blowing off.

Had a similar scenario last week. I threw the tube away in disgust and fitted a new one. Job done.

Maybe sometimes tubes simply need to be retired (pun intended)

Gary_M – Member

stumpy01 you pretty much typed my post word for word

Oh yeah. Positive reinforcement, or something…… 😉

bigyinn – Member
DONT use levers!
I find when fitting road tyres & tubes to my MTB its very tight for space and using levers would almost certainly snag on the tube.

I must have really weak, girlie hands (no disrespect meant to girls with powerful hands!) because I can’t get my road tyres on without a lever. Weirdly, I can get the last little bit on, but as mentioned above by The Artist Formerly Known As sq225917 once it gets to about a foot of tyre length to lever over, no chance by hand for me until the last little bit.

It really is down to technique. Have a look at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XUFVrl0UT4 (skip the first 3 minutes)