After a spate of punctures I have just started using Armadillo Nimbus tyres on my Giant Boulder. Today (holidays here) I did my first longer ride on fairly new bike (3 months now) and at the mid way bakery (34 km) as I was about to leave my front tube gave way with a very quick loud woosh.

"Bugger" I thought, and probably said, my nice new tyres didnt stop the punctures. But did wonder what had happened, as I was still in the bakery grounds.

When I pulled the tyre off the puncutre was on the inside of the tube. After a bit of sniffing around I found the problem. The rim liner was off to the side, allowing the tube to push the edge of it down the spoke holes. It went deep enough to be able to burst the tube in that well.

Now the rim liner will have to be replaced, and I will have a look at the back one as well.

I was wondering if there are little inserts that can be put in these wells, or if a good quality rim liner, well placed, is all I need?

Made it back home, but was very aware of a potential repeat especially when moving at > 50 kph down some of the hills.

a

replace your rim tape with velox.

Excuse my ignorance, but what is velox?

a

Allow me to provide the American (or Canadian in this case) to Aussie translation. Your rim probably has a plastic or rubber liner, that has inconveniently slipped off center. Go to your local bike shop, where the kind proprietor will relieve you of about AU$16 and provide you with two rolls of sticky-backed cloth rim tape. Carefully replace whatever is on your rims now with the aforementioned tape. Not only will it not move once in place, but it will protect your tube from future damage. Got it?

Cheers,

Brian

The cheap but effective work-around is nylon reinforced strapping tape. Rip it so that it's width exactly matches the inside of your rim from flange to flange. Two layers and you're good to go.

The only drawback I've found to nylon strapping tape comes if you ever have to do some work on the wheel. You'll spend about 1/2 hour with an exacto knife digging it out of the rim.

Was it Ned Overend or John Tomac that found out what a bad idea that was?

Don't know. Neither of those guys talk to me. I can tell you that in my less economically secure days I rode an awful lot of bicycle wheels an awful lot of miles using strapping tape rim strips and I never had a failure.

Some guy lost the World Champion Downhill title or something like that because he used packing tape to save a few grams. As for me, I bought a couple of 100 yard rolls of the good stuff, so I'm set for a few more wheelsets.

AU$16? Velox costs about 3 bucks a roll here in SoCal. What's the rate of exchange these days?!

Replace your rim tape with 2-3 layers of duct tape. Works for me, and doesn't slide around...

Taking it out is not bad, I recently had to do it. You just find the ends and peel...

That's not for Velox, that's for no-name brand rim tape. AU$8/roll. You know, the stuff they sell for US$.89 in the states? Have sympathy on us down under. ODI lock on grips are $50, LIN socks are $25. That's why my wife and I import so much gear.

I always had sympathy for the way you guys talk. Now I feel really bad for you...
;)

The way they talk? Dude, I can't understand half the guys here. But the women all love to hear my Yankee accent.

There ARE little plugs you can put in the holes. Not surprisingly, they are called Veloplugs.
http://www.superspokes.com/pages/784526/index.htm

However, I think rim tape is less expensive, lighter, and less trouble.

Ah, "Expatriate"; of course... (duh).

Who cares what the guys are saying when you've got the women's attention?

:beer:

I would think that would be pretty effective at keeping the country drug-free because all of the smugglers would concentrate on bike parts.

Use corks from the hardware store. Cut them horizontally & stick a cork plug in each hole. Then apply the tape. This will keep the tape itself from being pushed into the well by the tube's pneumatic pressure. This isn't necessary if you have heavy-duty rim tape, but it is an alternative.

Cheers guys, off to lbs, and maybe the hardware shop, that cork sounds like a good idea.

a

Small piece of duct tape over each spoke hole . . . tedious job, but it works fine.

Advantage of Velox (or other rim strip tape) is that it does come of cleaner when desired. Duct tape or strapping tape can leave residue that is difficult to remove.

An alternative is cloth athletic or first aid tape - not necessarily cheaper but can be obtained more places when needed on short notice.

From the descriptions it sounds like good ol' gaffa tape is the go...

You can get pot here as readily as you can get beer in the states. We live in a little suburb that feels like Opie should be walking down the street whistling, but with at least 4 pubs within 5 minutes walking distance. The pot they grow here is potent hydroponic stuff, which quite frankly scares me.

"I say, No-no-no-no, I don't smoke it no more; I'm tired of waking up on the floor..."

(w/ apologies to Ringo Starr)