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Old 06-05-16 | 03:49 PM
  #5  
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canklecat
Me duelen las nalgas
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Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 13,520
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From: Texas

Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel

Check the tire to rim fit. If it's loose enough that you don't need tire levers to dismount/remount, it might be possible for the tube to sneak through between the tire and rim and fail.

I had that problem with the original Specialized Hemisphere tires that came with my bike and its Alex Z1000 rims. The Hemispheres fit so loosely they'd flop right off the rims when uninflated -- no levers needed. I couldn't even roll the bike a few feet on a flat tire without damaging the tube and rim strip.

Last September I had four flats in one month, three of those in one weekend, mostly from grass burrs, tiny shard of metal in the road, etc. After one of the flat repairs the tube sneaked through the gap between the tire and rim and burst -- loudly. I was sure I'd settled the bead properly, but I neglected to pump in around 10 psi at a time, recheck and repeat until reaching full pressure. So after replacing the tube I did just that: pump in a little air, check the bead fit, pump a little more air, recheck, over and over until I reached 90 psi. Everything seemed okay. A few hours later the new tube failed just sitting in the apartment -- more of a mild pop and spewing sound than a loud burst. Same thing again.

I replaced those tires pronto with snug fitting Michelins that *could* be mounted/dismounted by someone with gorilla hands and vise grip fingers, but really need levers. So far, so good, several months later.

Next bike I buy, first thing I'm gonna do is check the tire/rim fit after deflating the tire. If it's loose but I like the bike otherwise, next thing I'm gonna do is replace those tires with rubber than has a snugger fitting bead.
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