Bicycle Mechanics - Flat Fest

Hi,

Recently I got 25' tires for my touring bike. I like them because the they support up to 120 psi quite a different riding experience. However, I have had flats after flats. My front tires keps getting flat again even though I change the tube. I inspected my tire very carefully. I did find a little glass shaft stuck in the tire but what caused the flat is the wheel. It turns out that when the tire is inflacted that to 120psi (which is ok according to the tire), the tube gets dammage by the spoke nipples (I think that's how they are called) on the rim. Even though these are protected by some rubber stuff. I noticed my rear tire is not much better (I went down from 120 to 40psi overnight and I noticed the same marks on the tire).

I moved back to my earlier tires in the meantime but does anybody have advice on this. Is it too much pressure full stop?

Yes take out the rubber rim strips and get some Velox rim tape.

Also, make sure that the spokes aren't too long for the wheel! I've seen this before!:(

Both of the above just to reiterate. Those flimsy rubber liners just don't stay put. The Velox tape is the way to go.

velox rim tape?! I had no idea such thing even existed.

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/gear-west/veloxrimtape.html

if anybody else is interested

If you have a spoke or a burr stickin up, file it off.
Velox good.
Try a little less pressure- smoother ride, better cornering.
"Rub-off" your tires with your hands or feet after going through glass, if you knock of the bits that your tire picks up before they work in, you'll have less flats.

Ride flatless
Pat

Velox is just a brand name. There are many out there that are the same.

Basicly all you need to do is inspect the niples make sure the spokes are not past the nipples. If so, the wheel may need to be rebuilt.

Either way try changing the rim strip.

Another great one is a plastic one sold mainly by Michelin in the USA. These are very hard unlike the cloth ones that tend to break if the spokes are too long.

Velox is a cloth tape with one sticky side. Its much better than any other kind of rim tape. Those rubber ones keep sliding around.
Check the edge of the valve hole for sharpness, and if neccessary, smoothe off it with some emery cloth.

Is your inner tube rated for 25mm tyres. Its an in-between size, so most tubes will work.