RFC

I was heading out on an evening ride tonight with some new 700 x 37 Pasela tires. Within a block of my house, the tire/tube blew, ripped out the sidewall of the tire, sent me down to the rims, no controlled stop, roll to the right and take the hit on the usual three points -- calf, hip and shoulder.

The tire rolled off the rim and the rim cracked. (Too bad, it was a Mavic Open Pro) First time in 35 years this has happened to me.

BTW, I have done the to the right roll so many times over the years that it is a wonder I am still symmetrical. And, I have come home from various adventures so many times bloody that my family really shows very little concern. I guess there are some advantages in being built like a Terrier (German Pincher is the closet analogy. So, because I couldn't get the 3 hour ride I planned, my son and I went to the gym, despite my various hematoma. As a father, it's important to demonstrate the ability to get hit and stand up again, although it hurts like hell.

degan

Sorry to hear that. I'm surprised a new tire blew out like that. Overinflation? A friend of mine pumped her tires up to way too much pressure (the gauge on the pump wasn't working properly) and as soon as she tried to ride it one blew out. Luckily she was going pretty slow still. We checked the pressure on the back tire (that didn't blow) and it was over 150 PSI on a tire rated to 75 PSI!

RFC

Thanks, but I was within the limits. My hypothesis is that the Open Pro rims were probably to narrow for such a wide tire.

Doohickie

That, and maybe the bead wasn't properly seated. I've done the same thing except luckily I blew the tire off the rim before the ride.

ThermionicScott 

Yeah, OPs are really only meant for tires up to 28mm or so. After getting the second bead on, did you go around the rim to make sure the tube wasn't pinched anywhere?

Hope you heal up soon!

Drillium Dude 

Wow, sorry to hear about this! But glad to hear you're relatively okay

I must say I've been lucky with blowouts - or surviving the avoidance of them. Once coming down the backside of Mt. Rainier I hit a small stone with my front wheel at around 45mph. Front of the bike came up at least a foot off the ground and slammed back down before I knew what was happening. Was just feet away from braking for a hairpin when this occured; didn't puncture and the rim didn't even go out of true/round.

To this day, I'm convinced my Guardian Angel had extra speed to keep up with me on that descent...

Heal up fast! Glad you will live to fight another day

DD

RFC

Thanks all. I'm good to go tomorrow. The Rainier story is a good one. Once, on a very hot Midwestern day, on a long decline I had a double blowout. I managed a controlled stop, but it did require a call for backup.

WNG

Ouch! Sorry about your mishap. Glad that your injuries aren't serious, only to flesh and pride. Parts are replaceable. Hope you make a speedy recovery.
I believe your hypothesis is correct...a wide tire's bead can't seat in a narrow rim.

RobbieTunes

Glad you're OK, that's the main thing.

Odd that the item took a while to manifest the problem; mine usually happen a few minutes after I mount the tire, or 5 seconds after I tell my riding partner I haven't had a flat in a while.

auchencrow

Ouch!
Sorry for the mishap RFC, but "attaboy" for getting back up and dusting yourself off.

DavidW56

Glad you're in one piece. I haven't fallen off a bike in awhile, two summers ago, and I don't know that I could pop back up again as quickly as you did.

Bikedued

I had a 27 x1 Pasela come off of the rim on the Fuji Ace. Weird thing was that it had survived sitting overnight, then a three mile ride to work. I was mile into the ride home when it finally rolled off. I finally came to the realization that I was going to have to run less than 115 in it so it would stay on, especially wih a flat bead Weinmann rim. I lowered the pressure to 95-100 on those rims, and they never blew off again. I agree with a 37 on a road rim scenario not being a good idea. Heal up quick. The scabs only hurt the first few times you ride, hehe.,,,,BD

kiwigem

Sorry that happened, but glad you're not too bad off. HUGE props to you for going to gym with your son after. Awesome.

T-Mar

The only time I ever tacoed a wheel was when I hit a chihuahua on one of my runs to the border.

Seriously, I'm glad to hear the injuries to the OP were relatively minor. A 37mm tire really is too wide for reliable seating on a rim that measures 14mm betrween flanges. However, if the sidewall actually blew out, as opposed to the tire blowing off the rim, it is almost certainly a manufacturing defect, given that it is a new tire. The OP may have a case for a warranty replacement.

bradtx

+1 I can understand the tire blowing off due to the mismatch, a hole in the tube, but not a failed sidewall.

Brad

RFC

Thank you all. I am fine this morning. A couple of bourbons last night greatly contributed to pain relief and healing. My hematoma are clearly my fault. I looked at the tire this morning and the slit appears to be from the outside in. The rim was too narrow. I assume the order of failure was tube blows, tire deflates, rim cuts the tire, tire rolls off rim, rim fails. I haven't done anything this stupid for a while. So much for my roadiness.

I need to get a set of touring rims. Any suggestions? Also, with this big tires, would I be better off with a wire bead rather than a folder?

Bikedued

Sun CR18's? Double wall, and a sturdy rim. Kind of a 700 version of the Rhyno Lite's. There's also some Salsa rim I was told but have yet to see. It supposedly has an X pattern double wall. More of a cyclocross rim, but if it can hold up to CX abuse?,,,,BD

ThermionicScott 

I was going to suggest that CR18s would be a much better choice if you want to run 700x37s.

toytech

Salsa Delgado's

Bikedued

Delgado!! That's the rim I was thinking of. They might be overkill for anything less than heavy loaded touring or cyclocross, but fortunately I am a big fan of overkill.,,,,BD

jonsan

What pressure were you running? I have used 35m Paselas on Open Pros and similarly sized rims without issues at 50-55 PSI but maybe I am pushing my luck. I have seen pics of 29er MTBs running huge looking knobbies on Open Pros.
Hope the healing is quick.

bloom87

Arghs. In similar technical failures, I've encountered 2 rearwheel Quick Release Skewer SLIPPAGE... (even though they were securely locked)....

Curiously it only happens with modern wheels (2 mavic, one COSMOS, one COSMIC.....)

Your rear wheel locks, because the tire hits the chainstays...

I don't know what to do now...

cooperryder

Hope you heal up quick. Have had a handful of similar encounters with the pavement over the years
but not one from a tire blow off or blowout yet.


However this week I guess that could have happened. On my previous ride I heard a squeak coming from my saddle area so b4 I rode the next day I turned the Voyageur
upside down and added a few drops of lube around the seat post clamp area (which solved the squeak issue).

While the bike was upside down I saw this badly worn area on the rear tire and the tube was bulging against it. It looked like it could have easily popped. Would hate for that to have happened sailing along at 25 mph down a hill.

I swapped out that rear tire and went on my ride. Lesson learned...inspect tires often. Even Kevlar belted tires eventually will wear out with enough miles.

Do many of you inspect your tires b4 each ride?

RFC

That's interesting because I check the specs for my 2000 Litespeed Appalachian, which include Mavic Open Pros and 38mm cyclocross tires.

Doohickie

I built up my FG wheel with one of those. So far (since October) it's been rock solid.