Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - tubes keep exploding followup

seriously, I recently moved to Austin, TX from Brooklyn, and I constantly get flats here. I bought new tires (supposedly good wrt to flats according to mtbr.com)

http://www.mtbr.com/cat/tires-and-wheels/Tire/maxxis/xenith/PRD_362956_151crx.aspx

replaced my rim tape, and bought new tubes, but I seem to get flats every other day! I think I spend more time changing flats that riding my bike.....

maybe I got a bunch of bad tubes?
maybe my donut fetish has overloaded the tubes?

any hints, clues, suggestions (besides lose weight, fatso!) is greatly appreciated....

Thanks in advance...

Move back to Brooklyn? I got IRC Metro slicks for my mtb and they held up fine for my NYC commute. Dunno how they'd do in Austin. Make sure to sweep around the inside of the tire and rim for the debris or metal burrs that could cause a puncture.

Figure out why you are getting them. Are they in the same spot every time? Maybe you aren't getting the debris out of the tire. Are they pinch flats? Maybe you need more air pressure.

maybe getting pinch flats, make sure you get the tube up into the tire even have one person resort to putting baby powder in tires to keep from getting pinch flats.

I had trouble once riding in Death Valley in the summer. How hot does it get in Texas? Over 105 F I have trouble getting stock Rema patches to work. Thicker tubes? Different brand?

I'm guessing pinch-flats too.

Are you riding the same trails or riding streets? Sometimes it can be the bushes/trees in the area of a trail that are releasing some of their barbs because of the time of year and it can be something as simple as a pinch flat, and you need to run a little more air pressure.

I ride mostly my road bike and have to keep my pressure around 120 to keep from getting pinch flats because of the frost heave problems on the highways that I ride.

What's the max pressure on your tires, what are you inflating to...and when in the day are you doing it? If you pump them up to the max in the (relative) cool of the evening, during the heat of the day the pressure is going to rise, and that could be a problem.

Have someone you trust change a tube for you. If it lasts, then you know it is technique.

+1 Pinch flats are probably your issue.

Where are you getting the puncture on the tube?
Did you ever check the tire for embedded debris?
Are you seating the tube correctly inside the tire?
Did you inflate the tires to the correct maximum pressure?
Are you screwing the nut back in (presta valve only)?

I had a chronic problem with flats from tiny thorns. Got these:
http://www.bontrager.com/model/00443/en
and never had another flat.

It's all Austin's fault, GO AGGIES!!!!!!!!

Now that is out of my system, make sure you have any offending debris out of your tires that may be causing the punctures. We have some notorious thorn species in Texas, and they are killers.

first off, thanks to everyone who answered my first plea for help, found here

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=439718


So, after further investigation, my constant flatting doesn't seem to be related to my love of donuts.

It seems that I have been getting tube punctures on the top of the tube, (i.e. the tire side of the tube, not the rim side). The first puncture was a small pinhole, and it seemed to be near a join on the tube, so I thought it might be a bad tube. I replaced the tube without checking the tire, and rode to work the next day, with no problems. On the way home (about a mile from my house), my tube suddenly blew out while I was waiting for a traffic light...I walked my bike home so I could check the inside of the tire. The second tube was really badly ruptured, i.e. not a regular puncture. So, I replaced the tube again, pumped it up etc, and it seemed fine. I haven't rode since, and the tube seemed to be fine for approx 36 hours or so. Then, when I was rummaging in my garage fridge (which holds my beer), I noticed my front tire was flat again. Fer crying out loud, I didn't even move the bike in my garage! This was a similar rupture to the previous one, and in a similar place to the previous rupture. Again, I checked the tire, and without riding I don't know why the tube would blow out after 36 hours!

So, I am at a bit of a loss. I don't know if I got a few bad tubes in a row, or if I am ripping the tube when I put it back on...However, if that was the case, wouldn't the tire go flat ASAP?

Thanks again folks, if you can think of anything else, please feel free to interject....

The winner gets a free dozen (virtual) krispy kreme's :-)

I would check the rim around the stem hole. Do your rims use rim tape? is it seated correctly? Sounds like a burr from the hole is catching the tube somewhere. I had that issue some time ago. I use the velo plugs now and don't have the sliding rim tape issues like I did before.

I am also going to merge these thread since it is on the same subject.

Not to sound Romper room but how are you installing your tube?
If you don't partially inflate it before getting it in there you will get a fold that over time and friction will rupture.
So give it a pump or two before installing your tube. And try not to use any tools.
It can go with just your hands.

You're getting the tube wedged between the tire and the rim.

I would check the rim around the stem hole. Do your rims use rim tape? is it seated correctly? Sounds like a burr from the hole is catching the tube somewhere. I had that issue some time ago. I use the velo plugs now and don't have the sliding rim tape issues like I did before.

I am also going to merge these thread since it is on the same subject.

Brian, I replaced the rim tape and it looks to be seated correctly. As far as a burr catching the tube somewhere, would this happen while I am installing the tube?

Thanks for helping play detective....

I'll look in to those velo plugs, but my bike is just a hybrid type thing, and those velo plugs look like they are made for road bikes, no?

Also, "Large Filipino" in a followup post asked about my tube installation method. I am pumping the tube partially and then installing it, and using only my hands to install (using a speed lever to remove, but I can get the tire back on with just my hands)...

Lastly, I have been replacing tubes as needed, and have not had this problem before, it seems to be something new happening....

Oh well, thanks to everyone for your advice! If I figure out what is wrong I will be sure to post back, this is really annoying....

The rim tape comes in sever sizes, did you verify the right size tape? Was this happening before you replaced the rim tape? I got some one time that was too wide for my rims and did not notice it until I got home. Had to go back and get the right width. Velo plugs will work on any rim with a 7.5-8mm spoke hole. Designed for Velocity Wheels, but my Mavic wheels on my hybrid just happen to have 8mm holes. If you have some, run a section of old panty hose or nylons around the inside of the rim and inside the tire to check if there is something there that you don't see or feel. I had a few flats recently, :notamused:, and I still had a small chard of glass in the tire that I did not feel and ended up flatting again about 2 miles down the road. When I finally got home, the panty hose snagged it and pulled it out. I put a $1 bill in that section of my tire so I could get home making sure I did not flat again.

Also, as DD said, you could be getting a small section of the stuck between the rim and the tire on the install as well. I've done that before and did not notice it until it popped while I was pumping up the tire.

The rim tape comes in sever sizes, did you verify the right size tape? Was this happening before you replaced the rim tape?

I bought rim tape for atb/mtb tires, and the tape seems like it fits perfectly. FYI-before replacing the rim tape, I was getting a lot of flats, but no outright ruptures

I got some one time that was too wide for my rims and did not notice it until I got home. Had to go back and get the right width. Velo plugs will work on any rim with a 7.5-8mm spoke hole. Designed for Velocity Wheels, but my Mavic wheels on my hybrid just happen to have 8mm holes.

I'm not sure what size spoke hole my rims are, I'll have to check...


If you have some, run a section of old panty hose or nylons around the inside of the rim and inside the tire to check if there is something there that you don't see or feel. I had a few flats recently, :notamused:, and I still had a small chard of glass in the tire that I did not feel and ended up flatting again about 2 miles down the road. When I finally got home, the panty hose snagged it and pulled it out. I put a $1 bill in that section of my tire so I could get home making sure I did not flat again.

Also, as DD said, you could be getting a small section of the stuck between the rim and the tire on the install as well. I've done that before and did not notice it until it popped while I was pumping up the tire.


I check to see if the tube is getting stuck between the rim and tire when I am filling up the tube, so I don't think that's the problem...However, that being said, I don't know what the problem is, so all suggestions are taken seriously :-)

Thanks again everyone, if I can't figure this out I might have to pay to have my tube changed. I don't mind paying for a service, but I feel I should be able to do this myself, and I have done it myself in the past, which is what makes it so frustrating....