Mystery Tire Problem...Your Theory?
04-27-08, 12:00 PM
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Mystery Tire Problem...Your Theory?
I've got this strange tire problem that I have never encountered before
Equipment:
Conti Sprinter tubular mounted to deep aero rim with valve extender.
Problem: Tire seems to go flat randomly then stays full for days and days
Yesterday, for example, the tire had been holding air fine for awhile, so I fill the tire up just to top it off to 100psi (from about 80 psi), then go get dressed to ride and when I come back to ride, the tire is almost out of air????
So, I fill it up again and go for my group ride. After 1.5 hrs, we stop and the tire is still all full. I go inside a restaurant and eat and when I come back the tire is a little soft--I would say about 70psi. But I decide to leave it as is to finish my ride (because I didn't want to hold the group up while I did a tire change), hoping I could make it back home.
Well after about 30 minutes, the tire probably has 30psi, so I stop and fill it up to 100psi with my CO2 pump, being pretty sure that would get me home. I get home and the tire is still full. I check this morning and the tire is still full.
Whats going on???
Equipment:
Conti Sprinter tubular mounted to deep aero rim with valve extender.
Problem: Tire seems to go flat randomly then stays full for days and days
Yesterday, for example, the tire had been holding air fine for awhile, so I fill the tire up just to top it off to 100psi (from about 80 psi), then go get dressed to ride and when I come back to ride, the tire is almost out of air????
So, I fill it up again and go for my group ride. After 1.5 hrs, we stop and the tire is still all full. I go inside a restaurant and eat and when I come back the tire is a little soft--I would say about 70psi. But I decide to leave it as is to finish my ride (because I didn't want to hold the group up while I did a tire change), hoping I could make it back home.
Well after about 30 minutes, the tire probably has 30psi, so I stop and fill it up to 100psi with my CO2 pump, being pretty sure that would get me home. I get home and the tire is still full. I check this morning and the tire is still full.
Whats going on???
04-27-08, 12:57 PM
#2
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check your valve and the valve extender . one of them have a slow leak . if it does try tighten it. Try some soapy water and look for bubbles .
04-27-08, 02:46 PM
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04-27-08, 05:15 PM
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use the soapy water test, easiest way to find a leak...as to why it seems to occur randomly, i cannot really say
04-29-08, 02:29 PM
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Air-eating bacteria colonies inside the tube. They eat, get full and lay off for a while. Then they get hungry again. I think Continental had a problem with these back in the 90's as well.
04-29-08, 03:01 PM
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Do you have a roommate/spouse/child who likes to play pranks?
04-30-08, 09:43 PM
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Mystery solved.
The tire started to lose air all the time now.
I removed it and there was a small tear where the valve enters the tire. Just a slight movement in the valve determined whether it leaked or not.
The tire started to lose air all the time now.
I removed it and there was a small tear where the valve enters the tire. Just a slight movement in the valve determined whether it leaked or not.
