I'm pretty sure I know the answer but I'll ask here for advice anyway. I got a flat Sunday after running over a shell or piece of glass (riding at the beach). I replaced the tube and checked the tire for pieces of what popped my tube but found nothing. I finished the rest of my ride (28 miles) without incident. Today, I'm putting air in my tires for my ride tomorrow. I pumped them up to 130 psi as always (max pressure listed on my tires) then went about adjusting my brakes a bit. As I'm leaning over my rear wheel, the gunshot-like sound of a tube blowing out goes off in my left ear (which is still ringing an hour later). I pulled the tire back off and found the spot where the tire was punctured (which was right where the blowout happened) but did not find any pieces of anything that might have popped the tube. So my question is (finally) did the punctured tire itself cause this blowout (some strands were poking through on the inside) or was it probably a piece of whatever popped my tube in the first place and all the extra pressure put more force on it? In either case, do you think the tire is still useable? Should I apply a patch over the punctured area or should I toss it and install a pair of Armadillos?

My first reaction is toss the tire but if I can save it, I'd certainly like to as it looks like it's got a lot more life left in it. Thanks for any advice.

G'day,

when trying to locate the reason for a puncture, run your fingers all around the inside of the tyre. Your fingers will pick up any 'irregularities' that you may miss just by looking at the tyre. This should locate the source of your problem!. If not, is the puncture on the 'inside' of the tube?..ie the rim side?...you may like to check the rim as well for any problem, again...run your fingers around it. Small holes in tyres can be patched quite well with a normal puncture patch (or 2 to be safe) on the inside of the tyre.In many cases this will be 'thicker' than the rest of the tyre anyway. I probably wouldn't race on it, but training or commuting should be ok,

cheers,

Hitchy

Thanks for the reponse. I'd really like to get in a ride tomorrow morning but hate the idea of another blowout, possibly on a 40 mph downhill. I think I'll patch it for now but the next time I'm out or ordering, I'll get some new tires.

Take a small screwdriver, (a jewlery driver is ideal) and probe around in the puncture hole from the tread side of the tire. If you feel something hard, it's probably a piece of glass embedded inside the tire that may only stick through when the tube pushes hard against the casing. Dig it out and all may be well again.

Id put a patch on the inside of the tyre to be sure.

Whatever punctured your tire may have made a cut in the casing. If the cut is large enough, some of the tube may have expanded into the cut (remember 130 psi is HIGH pressure) and caused something like a pinch flat.
If the cut really is as large as I described you'll have to patch the tire on the inside or trash the tire.

The patch on the inside worked, so far at least for my 20 mile morning ride. The puncture left a hole through the tire but it's not like you can see light through it. I could see how the tube may have expanded into that area though due to it being weaker than the rest of the tire. I'll feel better once I have a new tire installed but this will get me through until then.

If you have a minor cut in the tire itself, it can be 'bridged' while you are on the road with a dollar bill. Fold the bill a couple times and put it inside the tire (between tube and tire). We usually carry a small piece of nylon cloth in the patchkit for such rare occasions. A regular glue on patch will also do the trick.
Suspect your blowout while standing still was due to a small cut in tire itself and innertube 'pinched' at that spot. If your tire otherwise is still in good shape, it is re-usable if bridged or patched from inside the tire.

check your rim tape too. i once had a bike that was just sitting in my room and alla sudden the tire went flat wooosh.. might wanna replace hte rim tape.

sd

Rim tape looked fine all around. Here's hoping that tube patch holds up on the tire.