WTF? Ever see a tire/tube do this before?
05-28-09, 10:12 PM
#1
i ride a bicycle
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WTF? Ever see a tire/tube do this before?
I mounted this brand new Conti Gatorskin tonight. As I was pumping it up, I heard faint "popping" or "snapping" sounds, like a bowl of Rice Krispies. At first I thought it was maybe the tire bead seating very slowly instead of the "snap" into place I'm used to. When I looked closer, here's what I saw:
The little "boils" are in fact the inner tube protruding out of the sidewall of the tire, from little holes that are so small as to be virtually invisible in the tire itself (I even held the tire up to a bright backlight and couldn't see light spots through it, that's how small they are). I picked at one with my fingernail wondering if if the bubbles were in the tube or the tire itself. When I popped it, air started hissing and the tire went flat in a couple minutes, so it was definitely the tube. This boggles my mind that a tube could "herniate" though such small holes, or that the tire would have such holes (manufacturing defect?).
No, I did not have it pumped up to 200psi. The "Rice Krispie" noises started at about 50-60psi, and I stopped filling at my usual 110psi.
Mac
edit: Shimagnolo determined what was happening in post #36. I had a leaky tube (though I didn't know it, and an airtight rim (no spoke holes). The tube was leaking into the tire which was holding the pressure itself. It was pure freaky coincidence that the hole I found in the tube was at the same spot as the spot I picked at and popped on the tire casing.
The little "boils" are in fact the inner tube protruding out of the sidewall of the tire, from little holes that are so small as to be virtually invisible in the tire itself (I even held the tire up to a bright backlight and couldn't see light spots through it, that's how small they are). I picked at one with my fingernail wondering if if the bubbles were in the tube or the tire itself. When I popped it, air started hissing and the tire went flat in a couple minutes, so it was definitely the tube. This boggles my mind that a tube could "herniate" though such small holes, or that the tire would have such holes (manufacturing defect?).
No, I did not have it pumped up to 200psi. The "Rice Krispie" noises started at about 50-60psi, and I stopped filling at my usual 110psi.
Mac
edit: Shimagnolo determined what was happening in post #36. I had a leaky tube (though I didn't know it, and an airtight rim (no spoke holes). The tube was leaking into the tire which was holding the pressure itself. It was pure freaky coincidence that the hole I found in the tube was at the same spot as the spot I picked at and popped on the tire casing.
Last edited by sac02; 05-29-09 at 02:24 PM.
05-28-09, 10:24 PM
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No. Never. This is odd.
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05-28-09, 10:25 PM
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Wow, well that's the first time I ever seen/heard of this. Can you take the tire back. Better yet, contact Conti and show them this picture!
05-28-09, 10:29 PM
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i ride a bicycle
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Mac
05-28-09, 10:31 PM
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Wow! Bizarre!
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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
05-28-09, 10:39 PM
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Jumpin' Jeebus! that's at a reasonable PSI?!?!
05-28-09, 10:49 PM
#9
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It might be the tubes. I had a similarly funky thing going on with skinwall MTB tires and latex tubes. I replaced with regular butyl tubes and all was fine.
05-28-09, 10:52 PM
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Talk to Conti.
I just got a new set of Krylions from Michelin after my set started cracking at the sidewalls. I suspect conti would do the same for you, and give you a new tube as well.
On that note, I hate that I always bust atleast 1 tube when I swap tires. Blah.
I just got a new set of Krylions from Michelin after my set started cracking at the sidewalls. I suspect conti would do the same for you, and give you a new tube as well.
On that note, I hate that I always bust atleast 1 tube when I swap tires. Blah.
05-28-09, 10:53 PM
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I had a kind of strange flat on my Gatorskins purchased from PBK 2 months ago, but I'm not sure there was anything faulty. The hole was at the sidewall, but I'm going to keep riding and see what happens before jumping to conclusions for my situation.
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05-28-09, 10:56 PM
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I'm at a loss. I think I may contact Conti and see what they think is going on.
Mac
05-28-09, 10:59 PM
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Over the years I've noticed that Conti tends to have spotty QC. When they get it right their tires are great, but I've had more than one tire that was defective out of the box. I wish they'd get their act together as I really like their tires.
05-28-09, 11:27 PM
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That is really crazy. I have actually had a lot of trouble with gator skins in the past (nothing bizarre, just general trouble) but all other Conti tires have been fantastic (I run GP4000s in three different sizes on several bikes). I wonder if they have been playing around with the gator skin design or quality control or something and just have seriously screwed it up.
They are a major global industrial company, 999,000 out of a million issues of a tire should behave exactly the same way.
congrats, you are the millionth customer, ask them for your prize
They are a major global industrial company, 999,000 out of a million issues of a tire should behave exactly the same way.
congrats, you are the millionth customer, ask them for your prize
05-29-09, 01:55 AM
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05-29-09, 02:42 AM
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I have had that happen on a Vittoria tubular. The bubble actually got rather large too. It eventually went away and I don't worry about it.
05-29-09, 03:43 AM
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I handle warranty for Continental (in another market) and I have never seen anything like that.
Send that picture here:
info@highwaytwo.com
Send that picture here:
info@highwaytwo.com
05-29-09, 04:33 AM
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Conti's new design - helps keep the inner tube cool...
FWIW, I had an UGS blow out the side wall at 110 PSI a couple of weeks ago. The tire had maybe 300 miles on it.
FWIW, I had an UGS blow out the side wall at 110 PSI a couple of weeks ago. The tire had maybe 300 miles on it.
05-29-09, 04:57 AM
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certainly looks like your tire contracted the pox.
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