I finished my ride Saturday and left the bike in the car so that I can catch the World Cup game. Later that afternoon I take it out and the front tire is flat. I think to myself "Self, the tire seemed to be OK when I finished the ride so it was either a very slow leak or it got hot in the car and temperature rise cause a pressure rise (highly doubtful, but others claim it has happened)". Anyway, Tube 1 is a goner.

I check the tire inside and out and find nothing. I put a new tube on and pump it up to 100 psi. Five minutes later, BAM, Tube 2 gone.

This time I recheck the tires very carefully and use tweezers to extract very small embedded rocks and glass. New tube, 100 psi and BAM. Tube 3 gone.

I give up on the old tire and put on a new one with a new tube. Pump to 100 psi and BAM. Tube 4 gone.

OK, it must be the wheel. Actually, it wasn't. It turns out that the rubber/plastic rim strip had blown a hole at one of the spoke holes. At each of the other spoke holes, a very nice cup had formed. My hypothesis is that the increased temperature of the car really did increase the temperature enough to raise the pressure enough to burst the rim strip. There ain't no pressure rating on rim strips.

I went down to the LBS the next day and the mechanic says that they never use rim strips, they just use rim tape. So there's your lesson learned - Don't Use Rim Strips.

I spent yesterday afternoon patching tubes.

Actually, I feel fortunate that it didn't pop on a ride.

Cliff

I thought everyone already knew to use the cloth velox rim tape...? One of the first things I was told to replace on my bike.

Some of us didn't get the memo.

Velox FTW! My MTB tires have rim tape but they're max 60 psi. Velox goes on so easily and bullet-proof...well...maybe not bullet-proof but pretty dang tuff.

Good rim strips function well, but obviously they can also wear, as we see here. Some people like Veloplugs. I prefer the velox tape, but do use the rim strips on the Easton wheels I have.

beat me too it. Velox is time tested, and is about the least likely thing to let you down. Not the place to save 5 grams, or $2.00. Just use Velox.

Has anyone ever had their velox tape fail?

Interesting. This got me thinking (an amazing feat in itself). There are a few things on my bike that once purchased, I never really considered the possibility that they'd fail. Velox is one of them. My Thomson seatpost is another.

Velox is great but lately I have been using those red FSA rim strips and I like them alot.

The heat could have just melted the plastic rim strip or let it expand more than it would have otherwise.

Next time, check the tube's hole.

A pinhole: Glass or thorns stuck in the tire. (and these deflate with a hiss, not a bang)

One or two slits toward the inside?: A pinch flat where the tube is mashed against the rim. (a louder hiss, and you recently hit a pothole or big rock)

A bigger hole on the inside (a bang or a hiss): A rim strip problem.

A long split in the tube( and a bang!): The tire's bead came off the rim, usually due to the tube caught under the bead when the tire was mounted. Or the tire itself split.

You can see how far around the hole is from the valve, and check the tire or rim at that point. That's also why it's a good idea to align the tire label with the valve, so you can match up the hole and the tire.

A guy that works at the LBS here just broke a Thompson Stem. I couldn't believe it. They are warranting it though, so it's cool I guess, but still kinda scary.

I had the same thing happen to me. It turned out there was a little tear in the sidewall of the tire. I went through four tubes before going to the shop to figure it out. I mean the tear was so small the only way you noticed it was by inflating the tire and you could see the tube coming through. Crappy ass Hutchinson Kevlar 2's/

I've read about their stems failing, but I hypothesize that the torque was uneven or such. I haven't heard of many post failures.