古強者死神

We all dread the day the time comes that we get a trail side flat and have to use that little mini frame pump (unless you a satomasicist) Well my day came rather early, The bike is about a month old and has been ridden maybe 18 times.

On my first real bike ride with a group of people my rear tire was flat before we even started riding, sombody had a floor pump we pumped it up and it lasted all 30 miles and then held air for about a day, then was low (not flat) I inpsected the tire and had not ridden the bike yet so I knew it was a defective tube (probably valve stem) so I had to take it back to the LBS and hassle them abit and they put a new tube in for me.

Ok now for todays story, an after work 40 mile paved adventure, halfway thru at the very end of the trail I notice my handling felt very strange like I was fishtailing, after awhile I had it nailed as a flat tire (even tho the tire did not look flat) I pulled over and inspected the tire from side to side all the way round, not one piece of debris. So I started to get upset at the LBS because they had installed that replacement tube without the locknut that holds the valve in place so I figured I had another bad valve... But just like last time I figured it would hold air for me till I got home... So the torture session begins! 10-15 minutes later I have the tire at 45psi and Im ready to go home.

Not but 1/2 a mile down the trail its flat again!!! OMG so I knew I had to replace the tire, I am lucky enough to bike with a full backpack of gear including my spare tube. Its a rear tire flat too btw, so I have to take the rear tire off and go thru the whole process of chainging the tube. After all is said and done the torture fest begins again! This time I got it up to 50PSI nearly killing me as I was already tired from the first time, just before I got ready to mount the tire I relized that the tire bead didnt quite set in on the opposite side of the valve stem!!!! I was like OMG I debated that it would not matter and it would sink in while riding but I didnt take a chance and had to deflate the tire... loosten the locknut on the valve stem and fully seat the tire bead.

Now for the Third time I have to inflate the freakin tire... I got it up to 45psi taking several small breaks as my arm feels like its about to fall off and finaly I am ready to go, I learned 2 things 1 that its easier to remove/replace the rear tire with the bike upside down, 2 that I really hate frame pumps ^^

I had sombody finaly stop by and offer there CO2 pump for me on that final fill up but I turned them down as I feel bad using a consumable product when I have a pump already.

I think I may very well invest in one of those and a patch kit next.


Now that I am home I filled up the bath tub and pumped up the bad tube, I had to make it really big and put it under water to find a super small hole (like needle sized) just near the very center of the tube (as in the outside of the tube where it would touch the ground if it were the tire) So my best guess is that its from a spoke, now I am afriad my new tube might get a flat in the same place or it could have been horrible luck.

With the bike so new, if a flat is caused by a bad spoke should that be covered by the LBS or is that on me to worry about?

Thanks for reading my little story and the feedback.

stapfam

Problem with most bikes is that the manufacturers cut corners to make money. Rim Tape you cannot see so a cheap one goes on. If it is just a pin hole- It was not a spoke- but if I was you I would get a quality tape on both wheels in any case. On the frame pump- Any quality pump will work. By quality I mean a topeak or blackburn. If you have any senese you then get a pump that gives the largest volume per stroke and make certain it can get to your Pressure. I use the Blackburn Mammoth and is one of the recomendations you will get. I have one on the Road bike and the Mountain bike- but On the Tandem- I use a mini floor pump but that does require High pressures.

古強者死神

Well I just got back from the lbs, they inspected it for me, they said it was probably from a sandspur or somthing that all the spokes are fine, my rim tape looks to be a pretty high quality so thats not an issue at this moment.

I went ahead and got a nice U-Lock and a C02 pump and a new tube while I was there. I guess I can never go to the LBS without spending somthing :/

DavidLee

Buy a Topeak Road or Mountain Morph pump w/in-line gauge. I can easily get to 110 PSI in a few minutes.

Dusk

Sounds like your new to biking. When you get a flat you must also check the tire for whatever caused the flat. Run your fingers on the inside of the tire and feel for something sharp. Remove the item before you put in a new tube. If you flat and don't check the tire and you just put in a new tube it most likely will go flat also.

If you can't find anything in the tire. Even if you not going to patch the flat, pump up the bad tube (just a few psi and listen feel for the air leak. If you keep your tire label by the valve you can line up the leak you find with the tire and look for the hole in the tire.

I have a full size frame pump and get 120 psi without a problem. Even with my mini pump I can get 120 psi but it takes a heck of lot more work and time.

I know more guys stranded a CO2 that they didn't get on fully. Also you have to carry at least a couple of gas carts. so you can fix the second flat.
Cheers,

BlazingPedals

You can find the offending sharp thing with your finger by telling when the blood starts! (ouch!) Or you can snag it with your glove or a paper towel, etc. If the pinhole was on the outer circumference of the tube where, as you put it, it would contact the ground if not for the tire, then something must have come through the tire to cause the hole. Spoke pokes are on the inside circumference of the tube, where the tube is pressing against the inside of the rim. I agree with DavidLee, get a Topeak Morph - the kind with a small hose. It'll get your tire up to 65psi or more in no time. Still not a replacement for a real floor pump, but much easier to carry on a ride!

jeff-o

Yes, this is the solution. Road Morph all the way! It ROCKS.

Boogs

My Blackburn frame pump gets me to 120psi no probs, and fast.

DieselDan

Always check the tube for where the puncture is before replacing it.

The stupid little nut is worthless. Heck, wait until you try using untreaded valves.

Good rim tape, or rim strip, is a must. You may want to check the spoke nipples for flash and burrs inside the rim.

Get an inflator and CO2 cartridges. Use the mini pump to seat the tire and tube, then finish the job with the CO2.

Road hazards are not the fault of who you bought the tube from.

genec

You should have gotten a decent frame pump. I have never had the problems you described and have easily been able to pump my tires up to their full needed pressure.

I have typically used Zefal pumps over 30+ years, and the only failures I have had occured when using the pumps as a weapon against dogs (rarely)

I still don't see the attraction of the CO2 inflaters. Air is free, the good frame pumps are easy to use, and take really very little effort.

DieselDan

Try pumping to 125psi in 90+ heat.

Nachoman

I've got a blackburn frame pump and a topek road morph and there is NO comparison. I CANNOT get my blackburn to pump close to 100 psi, but no prob with the road morph.

zonatandem

Topeak Mt. Morph: fits on the bike and converts to a mini-floor pump. 100 pump strokes gives me 100 lbs of air in 700x25mm tire.
A mini-pump takes up to 300 pumps strokes to get sufficient air.
As someone stated: air is free (but the pump ain't)!

ceridwen

Topeak road morph here. No problems getting to 95psi (in 90+ degree heat and 80%+ humidity no less!), haven't had a need to go higher than that.

Boogs

Well, we have different models then. Mine took very little effort to get there, and is actually supposed to get up to 160psi. Never tested their claim for 160psi, but certainly 120 takes little effort.

I like the fact that it fits on both of my roadies, and I don't have to use mounts for either. Plenty of good pumps out there, just sayin'...

gear

When I remove a flat tube; I place it on top of the wheel in the same position it was in whan it was inside the tire. Then I reinflate it and find the hole. I then inspect the area of the tire that corasponds to the hole in the tube. Usually that is where the object is to be found that punctured the tire and tube. For safe measure I turn the wheel upright and see if anything is floating inside the tire (like glass shards) finally I inspect the rim tape before installing a new tube. You really want to make sure your not going to just get another flat right away because the source of the first flat is still in the tire somewhere.

shokhead

The attraction is its easier,faster and just a lot less hassle and no big ugly pump hanging on your bike.

古強者死神

Mine is the crank brothers alloy, its a good pump but its just too small to really be efficant, and it has the dual settings. one for volume one for pressure. the volume setting puts out alot of air but soon as the tube is full its too hard to raise the psi, the pressure setting just puts out too little air per pump and unlike the morth where you can push down and use both hands your holding it on one side trying not to move the valve stem and the other arm is pumping away, so it really kills your energy out fast. I say close to 400-500 pumps for a full tire.

shokhead

Thats why you go with the combo mini-pump/co2.

TheRCF

Uh, wouldn't it be helpful to get some details. For example, what model!!!

And maybe even something more than "very little effort" because that is a personal issue. What is easy for one person may seem harder for another.

Someone posted about, I think, the Mountain Morph and said 100 strokes got them 100 lbs. Can't tell how hard it was to push for each stroke, but it gave some useful info for comparison.

古強者死神

I like the idea of the morph, floor pumps are way better than hand held ones, and you dont have to worry about putting stress on the valve stem, I think it was 25$ for the road morph at nashbar thats pretty reasonable it was 20$ for the crankbrothers pump. If size/weight was the issue the my pump is great, but I ride with a full backpack so its not too big a deal with me.

Now that I have the C02 I dont really think a pump upgrade is needed at this time.

I just got done messing with a way to mount my U-Lock with no luck no where to put it :/ so guess thats going in the backpack too if I know im going somwhere I need to lock up my bike.

Mr. Beanz

If I had a dollar for every time a mini pump/ CO2 fan borrowed my frame pump, I'd have two! Yup!

Mr. Beanz

Never had problems reaching proper pressure with any of my Blackburns. Actually doesn't look bad on the bike. Matches the seat post and fork carbon. Very noticeable in the pic cause I want it to be. But on the road, I forget it's there!Yup!

shokhead

It must be the operaters because the few times i've had a flat i've had no problems with co2,none.

shokhead

Sorry,i just cant have that hanging on my bike. Now if i'm riding x country,i'd be all over it.