Puncture demons...
David Baldwin
I hope this isn't a sign of things to come...
On Monday I was just grabbing my bike to go out for an early morning
interval session, when I noticed the rear tyre was flat. No big deal -
whipped out the tube (first time I'd taken the Conti GPs off my new
CXP30s and I didn't even need levers :-). Grabbed the pump and found the
hole - right by the valve stem - whacked on a glueless patch, back on
the rim, hook on the floor pump and up to 150psi. All over in 10 minutes
and off to the session. Fairly happy with the whole deal.
Grabbed the bike at work this arvo to head off to the pool and the back
wheel is flat again. Ho hum... This time I'll just change the tube. Whip
off the tyre again, out with the tube. Nothing to be found inside the
tyre, so put it all back together again and pump like a maniac with the
frame pump against the floor. Tyre feels pretty solid, so I flip the
lever on the pump to release it. BANG!!! The valve flies off never to be
seen again. I wonder if I can replace it? Lucky I bought two new tubes
yesterday...
Well at least I've still got the old tube, even if it's already been
patched once. Pump it up and find a pinprick about a quarter of the way
around. Quick rub with the sandpaper and whack on another glueless
patch. Don't pump too much into the tyre this time - hopefully someone
at the pool will have a floor pump, it's only a couple of Ks away. Pack
everything up and head off.
Two minutes later... Kabumpkabumpkabump over some brick paving. Another
flat :-( This is getting grim. Maybe I can pump it up and get to the
pool. It's dark, but I whip the pump off the frame and lie the bike down
on the ground. Pump pump pump pump SNAP! The valve stem has sheared off
at the rim! Now I have no functional tubes to even repair anymore :-(
Walk back to my office with my tail between my legs feeling mighty
pissed off. Luckily I can bludge a lift home with Jason who's working
late.
Only 10 days now till the Australian Ironman at Forster. If this
continues my race is going to be misery...
Dontcha hate it!
David.
--
=======================================================================+
David Baldwin mailto:David....@anu.edu.au |
Head, Teaching and Learning URL: http://tltsu.anu.edu.au/~dgb900 |
Technology Support Unit phone: {intl+61+6+ | (06)} 249 5026 |
Australian National University FAX: {intl+61+6+ | (06)} 249 3992 |
Canberra ACT 0200, AUSTRALIA *========================================+
Dan Baker
David Baldwin wrote:
>
> frame pump against the floor. Tyre feels pretty solid, so I flip the
> lever on the pump to release it. BANG!!! The valve flies off never to be
> flat :-( This is getting grim. Maybe I can pump it up and get to the
> pool. It's dark, but I whip the pump off the frame and lie the bike down
> on the ground. Pump pump pump pump SNAP! The valve stem has sheared off
> at the rim!
*========================================+
sounds like a BAD day! One thing you might want to check is that you
have the little retaining ring tight on the valve stem before pumping,
and try not to put pressure sideways on the stem while pumping. It's
especially hard to do with hand/frame pumps on the road. I've found that
you are less likely to bend valves if you pump with the tire OFF the
bike so it can wiggle around as you pump. You probably know all that,
but I thought I'd mention it....
Dan
Ron Urman
In the first 4 rides on my new CXP-30s I have gotten 6 flats! I
finally traced it to the rim strip. The strip wasn't quite
covering the spoke holes and the sharp edges would eventually
cause a small cut in the tube. Now that I am using 17mm
Velox no more flats.
Ron Urman
ur...@filenet.com
Peter Gordon
Try another brand of tube. i had this prolem with IRC tubes
made in Indonesia. Tiwanese made tubes solved the problem.
Peter Gordon
Grant Schofield
David Baldwin wrote:
>
> I hope this isn't a sign of things to come...
>
> On Monday I was just grabbing my bike to go out for an early morning
> interval session, when I noticed the rear tyre was flat. No big deal -
> whipped out the tube (first time I'd taken the Conti GPs off my new
> CXP30s and I didn't even need levers :-). Grabbed the pump and found the
> hole - right by the valve stem - whacked on a glueless patch, back on
> the rim, hook on the floor pump and up to 150psi. All over in 10 minutes
> and off to the session. Fairly happy with the whole deal.
>
> Grabbed the bike at work this arvo to head off to the pool and the back
> wheel is flat again. Ho hum... This time I'll just change the tube. Whip
> off the tyre again, out with the tube. Nothing to be found inside the
> tyre, so put it all back together again and pump like a maniac with the
> lever on the pump to release it. BANG!!! The valve flies off never to be
> yesterday...
>
> Well at least I've still got the old tube, even if it's already been
> patched once. Pump it up and find a pinprick about a quarter of the way
> around. Quick rub with the sandpaper and whack on another glueless
> patch. Don't pump too much into the tyre this time - hopefully someone
> at the pool will have a floor pump, it's only a couple of Ks away. Pack
> everything up and head off.
>
> Two minutes later... Kabumpkabumpkabump over some brick paving. Another
> pool. It's dark, but I whip the pump off the frame and lie the bike down
> on the ground. Pump pump pump pump SNAP! The valve stem has sheared off
> Walk back to my office with my tail between my legs feeling mighty
> pissed off. Luckily I can bludge a lift home with Jason who's working
> late.
>
> Only 10 days now till the Australian Ironman at Forster. If this
> continues my race is going to be misery...
>
> Dontcha hate it!
>
> David.
> --
> =======================================================================+> David Baldwin mailto:David....@anu.edu.au |
> Head, Teaching and Learning URL: http://tltsu.anu.edu.au/~dgb900 |
> Technology Support Unit phone: {intl+61+6+ | (06)} 249 5026 |
> Australian National University FAX: {intl+61+6+ | (06)} 249 3992 |
> Canberra ACT 0200, AUSTRALIA *========================================+
At least it happening in training - I got my two flats in the ironman at
New Zealand. So, hopefully your bad luck is over now..
Grant Schofield
David Baldwin
Dan,
> sounds like a BAD day! One thing you might want to check is that you
> have the little retaining ring tight on the valve stem before pumping,
> and try not to put pressure sideways on the stem while pumping. It's
> especially hard to do with hand/frame pumps on the road. I've found that
> you are less likely to bend valves if you pump with the tire OFF the
> bike so it can wiggle around as you pump. You probably know all that,
> but I thought I'd mention it....
I don't have the retaining rings on - they weren't fitted by the shop so
I assumed that you don't use them with deep aero rims like CXP30s. Maybe
I should give it a try - I just had a quick look and the stem does move
around a bit in the hole. The tubes I'm using have brass valve stems -
maybe steel would be better if I can find them to reduce the risk of
bending and shearing.
Thanks for the advice.
Paul Burnham
Ron Urman <rur...@nyx.cs.du.edu> wrote in article
<5i10hh$l...@nyx.cs.du.edu>...
Ron is absolutely right. I bought a new Norco road bike with
CXP-30s. I had 5 flats in my first week and I was getting a
tad upset at the amount of tyre changing practice I was getting.
The flats were happening on both tyres and in different locations
around the rim.
I took the bike back to the shop and they changed the pathetic
rim strip over to a more durable one. Haven't had a flat since
<touch wood>. I would definitely change the rim tape over prior
to the OZ Ironman.
Paul
Richard Green
David Baldwin wrote:
> CXP30s and I didn't even need levers :-). Grabbed the pump and found the
> hole - right by the valve stem - whacked on a glueless patch, back on
- snip -
Glueless patches? Those things suck. They work for a day or two then
sooner ot later the air pressure will force the patch off the tyre. And
then there is nothing you can do but throw the tube away, as you can't
get the patch off without ruining the tube. So you may as well use a new
tube in the first place, or use a proper repair kit.
R.
Dan Baker
Richard Green wrote:
>
> David Baldwin wrote:
>
> > CXP30s and I didn't even need levers :-). Grabbed the pump and found the
> > hole - right by the valve stem - whacked on a glueless patch, back on
>
> - snip -
>
> Glueless patches? Those things suck. They work for a day or two
I've had *mixed* luck with the glueless patches too... Has anyone found
a brand that seems to work every time? I've found that if you don't
sandpaper the heck out of the tube, the glueless patches don't stick
well, and if the hole is near a seam you can't get a good seal unless
you sand the seam flush which takes longer than using regular glue...
The only thing I never liked about regular glue is that once you open a
tube, they always dry out before you need to use'm again. Has anyone
seen glue in separate little one-patch tublets or goo packets to get
around this?
Dan
Stephen Hoard
SNIP
> The only thing I never liked about regular glue is that once you open a
> tube, they always dry out before you need to use'm again. Has anyone
> seen glue in separate little one-patch tublets or goo packets to get
> around this?
>
> Dan
Dan, I use the Rema tip top touring puncture repair kit, and that tube of
glue is about 1 1/2 yrs old and still works great. I bought the kit at
REI in Seattle. The Rema patch kit is made in Germany.
Steve
trio...@aol.com
Two suggestions:
1) Buy some decent training tires that are durable and will last. I have been training on the same pair of Conti Super Sport 700 X 25 tires for almost three years. Number of flats = 1.
2) Forget the patchs. The rare time that you get a flat(read pt# 1) replace it with a tube.
Steve Fleck
trio...@aol.com
Rick Denney
Yes, but sometimes s___ happens. I always use quality tires, and
likewise I rarely have flats. Sometimes, though, the law of averages
catches you up, and you'll have five in a week. Then you'll be thinking
about patches!