YonathanZ

Hi,

So a week ago I had a 2" nail go straight into my tire, hit the rim and bend inwards. It was a pain to remove, and it was obvious then that no tire or tube would have a chance against such a nail. The tube was goo-filled, but the hole the nail made was huge so the goo just spilled out of the tire, making the wheel a sticky mess.

So I visited the local mechanic and had the tube replaced and filled with the same goo. Now I had another puncture, and I can't find the culprit, which means it was probably something very thin. I was riding on gravel. Anyway, I'd expect the goo to block some a tiny hole. It took the wheel 10 minute to completely inflate (with me riding the bike home...), so it definitely isn't a big hole.

My point is, I feel clue-less as to what can be done to prevent these weekly punctures. The goo seems to be useless, at least the ones they used in these 2 tubes. I have a Joe's tube in the front wheel for a few months now, and it's perfect, but the bike shop who has Joe's tubes won't touch my bike's rear wheel because it has a hub motor, and the shop that do, doesn't have the supposedly better Joe's tube.

The tires I use are Schwalbe Big Ben (20" by 2.15").

SkyDog75

For puncture #1 , don't ride over nails. It doesn't matter what tires or tubes you use. If you run over a nail just right, it's gonna make a hole.

For puncture #2 , figure out what caused the hole. If it's something avoidable, learn from it. Like if it's a pinch flat due to underinflation, simply remember to keep your tires inflated properly. But if it's one of those times where it's just a matter of bad luck and you ran over some impossible-to-see road hazard that hit your tire juuust right, well, those are gonna happen sometimes.

I think the best advice I can give is to learn how to fix your own flats. Every one of us gets flats from time to time and it's a whole lot better to be able to fix it yourself in a few minutes and get back in the saddle than to take your bike to a shop, wait 'til they can get to it, and pay them for something you're perfectly capable of doing.

As for sealants or "goo", I personally avoid them. Sealants don't always work, they can clog valve stems, and leaking sealant can make it more difficult to patch a tube. But there are plenty of people whose opinion differs, so make your own informed decision.

CliffordK

You should be able to follow the leaking goo to the hole pretty quickly.

When walking, I often pick up nails and screws from the road. And, have occasionally snagged a few on my bike. A week or so I passed a short chunk of wood with a long nail sticking straight up. Fortunately it was garbage day, so it went into the garbage can sitting next to it. Anyway, pick up the nails/screws/etc, and save yourself and others the troubles of running over them.

You're riding some pretty heavy duty tires, so flats should be kept to a minimum, but I second the advice of watching where you ride. There is a lot less protection in my skinny road tires, but I can go quite a while without flats.

I also periodically pick out all of the glass from the tires.

elessar007

Your best bet is to be conscious of where you are riding and do your best to avoid debris. But you will still get flats if you spend enough time in the saddle. If it was a pinch flat from under inflation then there is probably two holes that look like a snake bit the tube. Maintain proper tire pressure to avoid that problem.

Tire sealants can help with punctures but don't do well with when you run over something very large. They just can't seal quickly enough and the pressure will blow the sealant out into the tire casing.

Each time I get a flat, I will note the location on the tube and check that spot on the tire. This is easy to do by installing the tube so that the valve lines up with something on the sidewall like a logo or something.
From the outside of the tire, check for something stuck in the treads. Then check the inside of the tire by running a piece of steel wool or a cotton ball along the inside of the tire. Anything sticking from the tire will catch on the steel wool or cotton. Don't run your bare fingers because you can easily get cut if there is something stuck there.
You can use tire liners as another layer of protection. A layer or two of duct tape to the inside of the casing is also a cheap and quick fix.
Lastly, learning to patch your tubes really will save you money and downtime from riding. It's fairly simple and a patch kit doesn't add much to your seatbag.

sickz

i avg a flat a year (about 4k miles) because i avoid anything i pressume to be hazardous.... if unavoidable (e.g. freshly shattered glass covering two lanes).... i will wipe tires down via my glove while moving, or ill immediately stop riding, to find some grass to spin my wheels in.

jyl

Can't you buy the tube from shop 1 and bring it to shop 2?

YonathanZ

Can I patch a tube without removing the wheel? Because first and last time I removed the rear wheel, I couldn't get it back into the dropouts. The shop was able to rather easily on the first time, but last time, a week ago (when I had a puncture), they just hit the axle with a wrench a few times, and I don't want to have to do that to the hub motor...

As for where I ride, I just like riding off road, which is why I bought these wide tires that provide decent grip and suspension (I had 1.5" tires before).

CliffordK

Technically you should be able to patch the tube on the bike, although I've never done it. Perhaps if you get your Joe's slime tube (heavy duty) put back in, you won't need to patch the tube very frequently.

The Gaadi bicycle tube by Rubena is a split tube that theoretically allows removing and installing the tube without removing the tire from the bike. And, it has a cute video!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iopje6ZFVv4

However, I don't see any 20" tubes listed

I think I'd practice a bit more with tire removal and installation. It can't be too complex, although I understand the motorized bike is a bit more complex than the standard bikes. If you have brake calipers, they can get in the way unless you install the tire flat.

YonathanZ

Actually, the hub motor doesn't make things any more complicated. It's its axle which I was unable to insert into the dropouts that scares me. I don't want to just hit it with a wrench like the bike mechanic did. The bike has no disc brakes, btw.

I'm perfectly capable of removing and reinstalling the front wheel, but that rear hub axle is just a pain to deal with.

10 Wheels

Most flats occur on the Rear Tire.

Practice until you master it.

Took me seven times to learn how to install my rear wheel.

YonathanZ

Back when I was trying to install the rear wheel, I opened a thread here on BikeForums, asking for help. I tried all the suggestion and none seemed to help. I'm pretty sure if I try it again I'll end up with a dismantled bike. I think I recall my father patching my bike's tube a few years back. It's less convenient than having the wheel removed, but it's much less risky with this d*** axle.

CliffordK

I assume for many of your flats, you can re-inflate and ride home, but I wouldn't want to be in a situation where I couldn't fix a flat.

This must be your other thread.
https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-me...oth-sides.html

As I understand it, you can either install the right side or the left side of the rear axle, but not both.

Why don't you buy your Joe tube that you want, install it, then practice a bit.

A few things come to mind.

• The axle is twisted. This seems unlikely, but is remotely possible.
  - Find two square flat tables or similar that you can balance the tire between, and see if the flats are level on both sides.
• The dropouts aren't aligned perfectly, or the derailleur hanger is getting in the way.
  - Perhaps put a ruler or straight-edge between the dropouts and observe for twist or other imperfections.
• The dropout spacing is too narrow. The locknuts hit the dropouts on both sides.
  - Are there spacers/washers that can be removed? Be careful about cone adjustment.

You can make some careful adjustments to the dropouts with a file, but the square axle is needed for your motor, so you can't take too much off, otherwise you could ruin the bike. A removable derailleur hanger, however, would be something to target for "adjusting".

Retro Grouch 

First flat was a great big nail. Second flat was something tiny.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar and sometimes having 2 flats in a week on the same wheel is just a coincidence.

YonathanZ

Here's what I tried:

Got the tube out of the tire without removing the wheel. Checked all of it inside water to see where the hole is. No bubbles.
Inflated it with a hand pump, and it inflated alright. Deflated, installed back into the wheel, tried to inflate - no joy. No pressure felt when pumping. Tried a compressor - didn't help, PSI was stuck at 0.
Once again exposed the tube, and it inflated just fine. Back into the tire, pumped a bit, felt a bit resistance, then heard this "pssssssss" sound of escaping air. This begs the question, wth is wrong with this wheel?

CliffordK

You need to figure out what caused the hole.

Were you using any tools to remove and install the tire? Screwdrivers?

A small hole may be difficult to find without careful examination. But, then you won't hear a "psst" unless it is a big enough hole that you could normally locate it without resorting to water.

I suppose your slime could temporarily plug a hole to make it more difficult to find. In the "field", I tend to use a combination of inspecting the tube, and inspecting the tire.

noglider 

In theory, you get punctures and the goo fills it and you don't even know it, so if you think goo is ineffective, you might be wrong.

In practice, I'd bet it rarely ever helps. I don't believe it's worth the trouble or expense.

YonathanZ

Yes, I was using screwdrivers and was careful not to touch the tube with the end of them. If there's a hole though, how come I am able inflate the tube when it's outside the tire, without there being any hissing sound. Maybe the culprit for the puncture is still inside the tire and I am puncturing it again and again whenever I reinstall the tube... I'll give it another try tomorrow and I'll definitely check the tire this time.

CliffordK

I've used screwdrivers and a Swiss Army knife at times to change the tires, but BE VERY CAREFUL. It is easy to damage your tube. There are plastic tools if you wish. Kitchen Spoons?

99% of the time I am able to mount the tires without tools, and can often get them off with tools either.

Sometimes a pump head, or the attachment to the valve will leak, so keep that in mind. Otherwise, either the tube leaks, or it doesn't.

YonathanZ

Fixed! Checked the tire, found nothing stuck inside it. Checked tube again, and after inflating it for a bit, the air started escaping rather quickly. I found the goo leak and patched it. Now it holds air just fine.

YonathanZ

Hello again. Unfortunately, today the front tire got punctured. I was riding on gravel for like 20 seconds overall during my 30 minute fun ride, and the rest of the time was on the roads, on smooth asphalt. I got home just fine, didn't notice anything different. It's been one hours since I got home, and I just took a look at the bike and noticed the front tire is flat. I checked it externally and there's nothing stuck that I can see. I have inflated both tires to 45 PSI last night. The tires are rated 35-55, so 45 should be a good compromise between grip / smoothness of ride and speed.

I think this will be the last time I fix a puncture with these tires before I throw them out the window. I've only had them for like a month and they've been a real PITA. The cheaper Kenda Kwest I got with the bike experienced the exact same road conditions for far longer, and only got punctured once, and that was actually on a sidewalk, when a very sharp and relatively big piece of wood punctured its sidewall.