Hello all, possibly overlooking the obvious..


Another flat**********???


My rear rim has rubber rim tape, I noticed that on the tube at each spoke hole the tube was deformed causing a little bump. Looks like when under pressure the tube is pushing slightly into the spoke holes even with rim tape. I noticed that is where I am getting little tears in the tube. This is twice now...

Is this as simple as better rim tape?

Thanks in advance.

Very likely.


Many folks recommend Velox cloth tape, but I prefer Continental Easy Tape which is thinner and make tire mounting easier. Both should work (or even a couple of layers of filament-reinforced packing tape) to help prevent the kind of tears you are getting.

Almost anything is better than the rubber rim strips. I also use the cloth Velox strips and have never had a problem in both high and low pressure tires.

Are the ends of the spokes protruding? (Take a look with the rim strip removed). A little protrusion is ok but just about any rim strip should prevent the spokes from puncturing your tube. However, you can use a double layer for extra protection if they are protruding a little.

Appreciate the feed back,

Spokes are where they should be, really seems like the tubes are filling in the spoke holes a bit and I got two pinch flats around there.

Going to try the higher quality rim tape and take extra care when installing the tires/tubes

Yes and Yes.

If you have hollow double wall rims, you need to cover the spoke wells with a tape that won't stretch and blow down into the holes.

keep in mind that the rim is part of the tire's structure and the air in the tube pushes equally in all directions, so you have 90psi pushing down on whatever is covering the spoke wells.

Use cloth tape, or one of the rim bands made for the job and your problem is solved.

Yea the tape has to resist the inflation pressure if a double wall rim..

Fused loop Plastic rim tapes are good, Adhesive backed Velox rim tape has a long history of working well.
Single wall rim make sure the spoke is not so long it sticks up inside the nip,

I have placed a rubber rim strip under a more rigid rim strip to stop interior punctures on my Brompton,

with those plastic loop strips..



//..

reminds me when I bought a hybrid with double walled aero rims there were access holes in the wall that the tube made contact with. as bought, w low pressure, wide, hybrid tires, standard rim tape was fine. when I switched to high pressure narrow road tires I had two flats one right after the other, due to the tube pushing thru the access holes. after the 2nd flat, figured out what was happening & I added the rim tape I had been carrying & I was all set. the front didn't flat I guess cuz most of my weight was in the rear. I think I eventually added better rim tape up front too