one4smoke

So I bought my new Roam 2. Rode it fine for about a week. Yesterday, the front tire goes flat. The single hole is on the inside of the tube, opposite side of the valve stem. I check out the wheel and can't find any reason for the puncture. For precautionary measures, I also check the inside of the tire as well, even though the hole is on the inside of the tube. I put another tube in, ride about 5 miles, then bam! Same thing, same location on the tube.

There is a very slight hairline separation at the seam of the wheel on the sides. There is absolutely nothing that is sharp to the touch though. The punctures are happening in the exact middle of the tube, not the side. The strip around the wheel is a very good one, not cheap rubber, and is stationary. It does not move or slide around at all.

I'm perplexed at what's going on. Any ideas??

redben

You say that the rim tape is a good one, but it sure does sound like a flat from spoke eyelets.

The hairline seam you are seeing is normal, but you could cover that on the inside with some tape to make sure that isn't the cause.

Andrew R Stewart 

It's actually hard to say what the rim strip is doing after the tube and tire are mounted, as the rim strip is then out of sight. Andy.

FIVE ONE SIX

considering you can purchase a pair of new FSA rim strips for about $5, i would buy them and change both, it's not like you're going to break the bank and it eliminates one things it could be if for some reason it happens again. maybe the ones on your wheels are just not that good, new or not...

Bill Kapaun

Did the rim actually have a rim strip/tape?

The hairline crack is where they joint the ends of the rim.
They don't pump them out in a big donut machine.

one4smoke

It certainly is out of sight with the wheel on, but with the wheel off, the rim strip has everything covered well and is adhesive, so it does not move regardless if there's a tire covering it or not.

one4smoke

Yes, it did, as I mentioned in the first post.

Are you absolutely sure??? They certainly look like a donut, ...even though they don't taste like one.

one4smoke

I'll check into it tomorrow. Although, you'd think a $700 bike would have adequate rim strips included on a Giant brand bike from a LBS ...not Walmart or target, for goodness sakes!!! (Sarcasm... Have a Schwinn I bought from Target t6 years ago, and has been an awesome bike!)

CliffordK

If the flat is in the same place every time. Are you mounting the tire randomly, or in the same orientation?

I think I'd cover the seam with a few pieces of electrical tape. It can't hurt anything. And, of course, carefully check the tire.

79pmooney

Consider that auto tires now shed fine steel wires that can imbed in a bike tire, the strand being shorter than the distance from inside of casing to outside of thread, so there is nothing to see. That wire will keep causing flats until you remove it. (The holes from that wire in the tread and casing can be so small as to be basically invisible.)

You could try buying and mounting another tire. If the flats still happen, it isn't the tire and you can focus your search on the rimtape and rim. If they stop, you know it is the tire and you now have a good one on the bike and at your leisure you can track down that pesky piece of glass or wire.

Ben