WonderMonkey

It turns out that I had an off-site meeting from 3-5 today so I need to ride home at lunch, get ready, and then go to my meeting. I take off from work and about 100 yards into the ride I had my first blowout of my life. *BLAM!* Crap! I call the LBS and the guy agreed to get me a new tube (I know I need to have one, that's for later in this thread). I carry my bike to the LBS and he puts a new tube in telling me I need to be more careful when I put air in the tires so I don't pinch the tube. I told him that I usually just put 3lbs or less in when it is needed (I check each day, most days I don't put any in). I pay the bill *fix* and off I go still having enough time to get home, get ready and off to my meeting.

About 1/8 of a mile into the ride I notice a small sound (*zzziitt zziitt*) and when I look down at the front wheel I notice a bulge in the front tire. Curse words start to escape my mouth but they never make it.

*BLAM!* The rear tire blows. And I notice that I'm not on my bike anymore. I'm flying through the air towards the curb, sidewalk, yard, house, and township. Luck has it that I mostly miss the sidewalk and land on my chest and forearm. When I hit the ground I am sure I made a few sounds (*hungh!*).

As I had my backpack on, sunglasses on, etc. on I had a few belongings that had exited their respective resting places and continued on the path physics told them they should go. I rolled around a bit to ensure I wasn't dead, got up, and gathered my stuff.

I then carried my bike (again) back to work and now I'm getting a ride home to get ready.

WonderMonkey

I also broke my toe cage strap. Sucks.

Picture to follow.

jmeissner

Beautiful illustration of Murphy's Law - On the bright side I don't think your next ride could be worse?

ill.clyde

so wait ... the rear tire blew the second time? or the front?

WonderMonkey

perspiration

so the LPS worker, who told you to be careful, improperly installed tubes? suckerrrrr

Mr. Beanz

He doesn't specify whether the first blow out was in the rear or front, so we don't know.

But if it was the rear, it could be a bad tire and or bead. The front has a bulge as well. I'd bet you need better quality tires. Cheapo stock tires are known problem seekers. If you don't already have decent tires, get some or you'll suffer the same no matter how many new tubes you install.

Many riders don't want to spend the $25 but as you found out it's much cheaper than a trip to the hospital. Could have been much worse!

Brutal.Roadrnr

My guess is...

On the way to work the front tire had the blowout. The LBS guy replaced the tube but did nothing to address a structural defect in the tire...that would later be noticed just before the rear tire blew out.

Sounds like the LBS guy should be more careful himself...

WonderMonkey

Rear tire blew a second time. About 1/8 of a mile after the first one was fixed.

WonderMonkey

Unknown. There could be a problem with the rim, etc. which caused both issues. However the front tire was bulging so why all this all of a sudden on both wheels?

WonderMonkey

I'm thinking this as well. My previous mtn bike had nice after-markets and I never had a blowout or a leak. I can't expect that all the time but this is insane.

WonderMonkey

Sort of exactly. Rear tire blew on the way home, I walked to LBS carrying the bike. Rear tube replaced. 1/8 of a mile later noticed FRONT tire had a bulge and two seconds later rear tire blew again.

jethro56 

I continue to be underwelmed by LBS's.

WonderMonkey

I feel quite lucky that I wasn't half way home on a bike path that is near nothing.

WonderMonkey

I bought my bike from there and get two years service thrown in so I'll go back there for that. Beyond that I've not found this guy (the owner of the store) to be very helpful. It is like I need to know what I'm talking about to get a good response. He isn't mean, just non-helpful. Offer some suggestions... anything. At the mid-point of my full commute is another bike store that I recently stopped into. The people there were very helpful and they seemed to actually be part of the biking community. I've since purchased a few things from there and if the LBS that I bought the bike from doesn't leap all over this issue I'll just take my bike and money elsewhere.

WonderMonkey

Also I need to get some items to take care of flats while on the path. I'm an idiot for not having this taken care of already.

JT Burkard

When I read this part "*BLAM!* The rear tire blows. And I notice that I'm not on my bike anymore." I thought you were going to say "I wasn't even riding my bike. In my hurry top get home in time I grab the wrong bicycle." - LOL

Mr. Beanz

That's the crazy part! Had a friend buy one new tire, two tubes then paid a total of $80 to have them installed!...If he had asked me to do it or show him, he would have spent $35 max.

Do it yourself, tire levers $3, tube $4 and quality work!

WonderMonkey

This is true but if both tires are having issues right now there may be an issue with the rim, etc. I have no knowledge on how to check for those things and what to do about them. Doing it wrong and being 10 miles from home on a bike path on a commute to work or back isn't fun for anyone even if I have spares. They would just keep blowing until I got home, etc. This doesn't sound like your normal "keep a spare for the isolated incident" type of thing.

Mr. Beanz

Odds are if it's both rims, it's not the rims. Hardly doubt both rims could be damaged in the same way. I'm betting the stock tires are old. Even if they don't look worn, could be the bead is giving.

You can remove the tires to inspect the rim. Take a good look at the rim from the top while spinning the wheel. The metal on the edge form the top view should look straight and smooth around the entire wheel. If you see dings and big dents then maybe there is a problem, if not, again, I'm betting on the stock tires. I've had stock Bontrager tires both blow sidewalls within one week of each other.

If there are any flaws, I've taken fine sandpaper (Emory cloth) to smooth the rim bead a bit. But sightly or you will mis shape the rim wall/bead.

Who installed you front tire with the bulge? I know SEVERAL rides who suck at tire installation even though they don't know it. I've actually taken wheels away from ride partners to do it right. I don't want to see anybody fall on their face in the middle of a ride. It sucks having to wait for the ambulance.

While installing tire, be careful not to pinch the tube. After it is seated, I inflate the tube with about 15 psi. Enough to hold the tube up into the tire. I squeeze each sidewall to the center of the rim so that I can see the white of the rim strip verifying the tube is seat IN THE TIRE and not pinched between the rim and tire.

At that point, I also push the valve stem up into the tire. This is a stubborn section of the tire as the tube is stiff in this section. Push it into to tire to verify it is not pinched. If should go in easily, if not, it was pinched.

Then I verify the bead is seated fairly even along the rim by spinning the wheel and watching the line of the bead roll fairly even around next to the rim. If it's not even or moves up and down, the something is wrong.

If it's fairly even, then I inflate to proper psi then check again to verify nothing has gone wrong.

Too many people think because the tube is in a tire that it is correct. You need to verify it's even along the bead vs the rim.

sstorkel

For me, a tire that deflates with a bang has always been caused by one of two things: a tear in the sidewall or a pinched tube. Sounds to me like the LBS guy didn't install the replacement tube properly. Either he pinched the tube or he failed to remove whatever foreign object caused the first flat. I'd look for a new LBS and upgraded tires. I'd also buy a pair of Pedro's tire levers, a Topeak Road Morph or Turbo Morph pump, a patch kit, a spare tube, and an under-seat bag to hold it all. Owning a multi-tool wouldn't hurt, either.

WonderMonkey

This is a brand new cannondale bike, a Quick 5, around four weeks old.

WonderMonkey

Thanks for the encouragement, all. Here is what I'll do. I think I'll go to the LBS I think I'll like and ask them to help me put together a kit to help me on the road. Hopefully along the way they will give me advice, etc.

I did notice on the rear tire that what I think is the bead is starting to string off. Like there is a long thick thread coming off it. The bike is at work or I'd take a picture and post it. ... and tomorrow I'll do just that.

What I am trying to avoid is having to buy tubes, tires, etc. and I could have gotten it taken care of by "warranty" or whatever. I won't know that until I take the bike to the original LBS that I bought it from and see what he says. If he refuses to take care of it I'll call Cannondale and ask what sort of product they are selling these days.

WonderMonkey

When the LBS dude was changing the tube he talked about this. So it must be a very common thing.

WonderMonkey

Also the front tire has a bulge in the tire itself. Does this mean there is a problem with the tube that is bulging out the front tire? I figure I may have to take the front tire off to know for sure but are there any "common" reasons for that?