CycloneZ

hi all,
i Had this brilliant idea to replace my tyre & tube myself rather than a specialist so after struggling to apply the tyre onto the Rim, I shoved it onto the Rim using those tyre plastic tools.

I pumped it to 55 PSI and then I took the wheel and inspected it to check for any abnormalities. Wheel was literally in my hands for 2s fully inflated,before a heard a soft pop and before I knew it, the tyre completely flat in under 5s.

I did check the Rim beforehand, the safety tape thing was on. Nothing was looking out of place (though I have to say, I could see the imprints of the spokes, which pushed slightly into the tape. I wasn't sure if this was normal or not?)

I'm a little nervous now if I should get another tube and what exactly I can do to avoid this again? Was it spokes pushing in,into the tape on the Rim? Or was I applying the tube wrong (I think you call it pinch?)

thanks in advance ☺️

ratell

It's probably a pinch flat. I bit of the tube was stuck under the tire and then ripped. I've been in shops when it happens to the mechanic (very loud), so no need to feel too bad...

zandoval 

Got it... Allot of things can go wrong when replacing a tube and tire. I would suggest first viewing some of the Youtube vids to get an idea of what went wrong.

Also, don't be surprised, because every now and then ya get humbled by a popped tube no matter how much experience ya have...

79pmooney

Where is the damage to the tube and what doe sit look like? That can tell you a lot about the "why". I make sure to 1) see to it the tube lays untwisted on the rim tape and 2) align the tire label to the valve. Both make troubleshooting much easier.

A lengthwise slit on the side of the tube (assuming it was not twisted) usually is a sign of a pinch flat. (And the sound effects you've reported are consistent with a pinch flat.) Spokes rarely damage tubes unless they actually protrude through the tape. That hole will be on the inside and quite small.

gpburdell

Sounds like a pinch flat as mentioned. Helps to very slightly inflate the tube before putting the tire fully on.

Also - if you were changing the tube due to a flat - best to carefully run your fingers around the inside of the tire to ensure whatever caused the flat isn't still there.

Trakhak

Watch some videos about installing a new tube. Occam's razor guess: chances are high that you pinched the tube when you used the levers to install it. Use of levers to install a tube is usually a bad idea.

Joe Bikerider

When I worked in the shop. There was one absolute and simple rule. Never use any tool when installing a tire. Roll it on with your bare hands. Sometimes it seems difficult but otherwise you get this result.

Iride01 

If you had to use levers to put the tire back on it's very possible that you damaged the tube with them. I know it seems impossible, but so far I've never had a tire and rim combo that I couldn't get on without levers. Though even then if you aren't careful the tube will get caught between the tire and edge of the rim as you roll the bead over the rim. And with all my 700C wheels and tires I haven't even used a lever to remove them in the last 3 or 4 years except for times when on the road and had sweaty hands that won't allow me to get a grip on the sidewall.

All I can really tell you is that you need to pay more attention and look closely at everything you do till you figure it out.

It also helps when you realize that only the bead of the side you are putting on needs to be in the spoke channel to allow you to slip the entire thing on the rim without levers or cussing. So don't pinch the opposite side of the tire together to try and move it in the channel. Push the side you are installing into the channel and while doing so push the other side out of the channel.

When the bead won't go over the rim any more, then go back several times from where you started and again push the bead into the channel. If you start to get frustrated, go have a cup'a or a pint then come back after you are less stressed.

bruce19

Tube? What's a tube?

BlazingPedals

When you're installing a new tube, it's a good idea to only add enough air to give the tire some shape - maybe 5 psi. Then go all the way around both sides, pushing the tire away from the rim wall and making sure you can't see the tube. Only after verifying that the tube isn't caught anywhere and is in fact where it belongs (up inside the tire) do you add more air.

frogman

BlazingPedals speaks the truth.
I bought some cheap talcum powder at the dollar store and after adding a little air to give it some shape I run the tube through my hand full of talcum powder before putting it in the tire. I helps it slide and prevent scrunching (technical bike terminology )

TPL

'blowouts' are NOT the fault of the tube, rather, a 'blowout' is entirely the result of a poor tire mounting process where the tire 'beads' are not fully / properly set within the rim ....a tube that becomes 'trapped' between the tire sidewall and the rim can easily 'blowout', this is quite obviously a 'incorrect' installation = ( the tube must be fully inside the tire all the way around BOTH interior sides of the tire )....additionally, 'blowouts' can also be caused by a defective tire where the tire has a defect in it that allows the tube to protrude through the sidewall or tread of the tire, or, a broken / faulty tire 'bead' that allows a portion of the tire to come off the rim ....these 'faults' can readily result in a blowout, NONE of these 'faults' are caused by the tube ....50+ years in the professional cycling industry speaking here ....'nuf said ....!

frogman

It is the fault of the tube if it was damaged during assembly duh !!
Now that damage is the fault of any number of things as discusssed.
It isn't a simple question and requires some detective work to find out.
Why the big bold font ? You don't need to yell.

TPL

If the tube was damaged by the mechanic ( you ) during assembly ....HOW CAN THAT BE THE FAULT OF THE TUBE ?

60 years working on bicycles and you come up with "safety tape" ?

Rim tape or rim strip .... now you know

"Safety tape" ....huh .... what ?

bblair

Pinched the tube using tire levers. But that said, I have run across defecting tubes, mostlly house brand from Performance. Others have told me of similar experiences, and always where the valve stem attaches to the tube.

But yea, you probably pinched it. Experience is what you get when things to wrong because you don't have experience.

Homebrew01

Yes, indeed

GlennR

^^^^^^^^
THIS

My rims have white rim tape. I make sure that the tube it not pinched under the bead on both sides before inflating.

RayHenry

Picked up a pair of these a while back, in case I find myself in a position where I couldn't get a tire on by hand. Haven't needed them yet, so not sure how well they work.

veganbikes

Always figure out why you had a flat in the first place. Check your tire, rim strip and rim and make sure there is no damage or anything stuck in it or anything like that. You had an initial flat for a reason and if you don't know what that reason was it is easy to repeat. Also be careful installing a new tube, make sure you have a little bit of air in the tube first and be careful using tools, The Kool Stop Tire Bead Jack is acceptable as needed but sometimes a little practice and a little extra knowledge will come into handy. Plenty of great videos on how to do it but Park Tool probably has one of the better one's I have seen but just take your time and don't feel you need to rush and in the end you will have a more positive result.

BlazingPedals

If you pinch the tube with your tire levers, you may have a hole in your tube and the air will come out in a whoosh or a psst, but not a bang.

majmt 

Good summary. So important to check the inside of the tire for some small embedded pokey thing that worked it’s way through the tread. I have some wheels with very tight fitting tires so I carry a Kool Stop anymore (you only need one and maybe a couple of good levers) and no more crying. I also thumb my nose at Rule 60 and actually use the small washer nut to help make sure the valve stem stays straight and fixed in position against the rim when fussing around seating the tire.

frogman

I stand corrected. It cant be the fault of the tube. It is the fault of that flat thingy.

Calsun

You pinched the tube when you put on the tire. I avoid this by not using tire levers at all when putting a new tube on a wheel. No need to take the tire off completely and easier to inflate the tube just enough for it to keep its shape while you insert it into the tire and onto the rim. Then gently move the other bead of the tire over the rim by hand. Plenty of youtube videos showing how this is done. Some tires are more difficult than others but I have not needed levers for any of my road or mountain bike tires and I have avoided pinched tubes blowing up. For awhile I was doing the final fill to 100 PSI with ear protectors on to protect my hearing.

dabac

I have no trouble admitting that I have pinched a tube or two over the years.
And that user error is by far the most common cause of tubes failing right after installation.
But I have ALSO encountered tubes with production errors.
I had a batch of Geax tubes that would rupture during, or immediately following inflation.
A close examination showed that they had a thin streak runnin the length of the tube.
When inflated, this part of the circumference would do ”all” the stretching and stretch to failure.
A previous member here theorized that rim/tire combos making a kind of keyhole shape could also create the conditions for localized stretching and thereby thinning the rubber to failure.

50PlusCycling

Welcome to the world of do-it-yourselfers. Anyone who has replaced their own tubes and tires has popped a tube, many (including myself) have done it a few times. There are many reasons this happens. Your rim tape (keeps the tube off the spoke nipples) might be bad or have shifted, you might have pinched the tube under the tire, a piece of glass or metal might be stuck in the tire, and cut the tube as it was inflated.

Here is how to change a tube.

Remove the wheel, with tire levers remove the tire and pull out the old tube.

If you are installing a new tire, its a good idea to replace the rim tape, which shrinks and/or deteriorates over time. If you don't want to change it, make sure the tape covers all the spoke nipples are covered, and that the stem hole is centered in the hole in the rim tape.

Put on one bead of the tire. Open the valve stem to let in a little air into the tube, this will make it easier to fit into the tire. Insert the stem in the stem hole in the rim, put on the nut on the stem if you are using a Presta valve.

Tuck the tube into the tire all the way around, making sure the tube is not twisted or kinked. Then push the tire bead onto the rim. Start on the side opposite of the stem, and work toward the stem. When you get near the valve, loosen the nut until it is near the end of the threads and push the stem into the rim so the bead has more room to squeeze around the rim and stem.

Check to make sure the tube is not stuck anywhere under the tire bead. Check to make sure the stem is straight, if it is coming out of the rim at an angle, pull the tire one way or the other until it is straight. Screw in the nut, but not all the way, leave about 1/4 of an inch or so between the nut and rim.

Inflate the tire enough to make the tube fill the tire. then look at the tire where it is close to the edge of the rim, there is a small line which goes all the way around the tire. Pull on the tire to make sure this line has the same clearance (around 2 -3 mm) from the rim all the way around.

Inflate the tire to full pressure, slowly. Check the tire for high or low spots, make sure the line around the bead is uniformly spaced from the edge of the rim. Tighten the nut on the stem a little snugly, but not too tight.

Reinstall the wheel, check and adjust your brake pads/calipers as necessary.

Go out and ride.