woodpusherghd

I recently mounted a new Continental Hard Shell on the rear wheel of my steel Bianchi. I always try to mount tires using no tools to avoid pinching the tube but the new Continental was so stiff I gave up and resorted to using tire irons. Being a Clyde, I pumped up the tire to 120 psi (max as per tire sidewall) and all was fine for several rides.

This past Sunday, when I rode over a newly paved and smooth as glass street (my usual route in Queens NY is rather rough and bumpy) I noticed a regular "bump" coming from my rear wheel, barely perceptible, but there. I stopped, looked at my rear wheel, everything seemed ok, the bead of the tire seemed seated in the rim, no loose or broken spokes, and rode on. When I finished my ride and dismounted, I noticed that a small portion of my rear tire had pulled away from the rim and suddenly, kaboom! the tube exploded. Dumb luck that it happened several days after I installed the tire and at the end of my ride.

Just wondering how the pinched tube lasted so long. In any event I wanted to share and caution against using tire irons to install tires on rims.

jsigone

return the tire to bike shop for another, factory defect in the sidewall caused the bubble. Conti is pretty good about warranty. **** happens, hope you can hear again soon

tyrion

Sounds like a bad tire, not any issue with the tube.

rm -rf

The tube was caught under the tire bead. It's not a defective tube. I always use tire levers -- I like the kind with wide, blunt tips, not thin, pointy tips. Pedros levers are great.

I had the same thing happen, with the bike in the house 30 minutes after inflating the new tire. The folded tube slowly pushes the tire bead above the edge of the rim. Then the exposed tube blows up like a balloon and pops -- with a long slit cut in the tube. Loud!

I normally take the time to:

1. push the valve all the way toward the tire until it bottoms out on the inside of the tire casing.
The thick tube surrounding the valve can get caught under the bead pretty easily, so this pushes it past the bead.

2. go around both sides before inflating, pushing the tire sidewall and bead toward the center of the rim. I look for the rim tape and no fold of tube showing. (that's what I forgot the day my tube exploded.)

3. inflate the tire. Now hold the axle and spin the wheel. Make sure the molded line in the tire is evenly above the edge of the rim. Check both sides.

jeromeoneil

^^^

I also inflate a bit at a time and inspect the tire before I add some more PSI. I'll pump it to 1/3, inspect, 2/3, inspect, and then finish it up.

Shadowx

Thats why I use this. Had a super stubborn tire, took it to the bike shop, they used this. Also once the tire is on the rim I roll it over from both sides and look in the gap to make sure all i see is rim, no tube. I then inflate to about 40psi and roll it again to make sure it seated before I fully inflate. its like a $13 tool and worth every penny, its a tire bead jack.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

snowman40

I had this happen. Just changed tube and turned corner to take a kid for a spin and pop. Had to walk the bike and trailer with a toddler in it home. That half mile walk was a lot longer with all that extra stuff.

Vampire bite marks on the rim side of the tube...oh well.

ChuckD6421 

Doesn't anyone use talc anymore?

FBinNY 

It's impossible to know the cause without knowing the details of the damage.

Was the tire itself OK afterward? If not, what EXACTLY did the damaged area look like?

If the tire is OK, then it's probably a classic case of poor seating. Prevent this by filling the tube until it's round before installing. After mounting fill to 15 psi or so (enough to fully shape the tire and make it firm to the touch), then spin the wheel watching the reference line for high and low areas. Both sides must run very true to the rim, otherwise you risk a repeat. When you're sure the reference line is OK, fill to full pressure.

If using CO2, it's often easier to use a mini pump to fill to the first stage and use the cartridge to fill to full pressure later.

woodpusherghd

Tire itself is fine. Human error is most likely the culprit. Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions.

ill.clyde

Had this happen to me once ... swapped in some new tires, put them on in a hurry, an hour or so later, chilling on the couch, watching TV, the dogs are lying around being lazy ...

BAM!

Scared all of us!

Slightspeed

The tube under bead blowout happened to me a few years ago. And now I very carefully check all around the circle for exposed tube. Usually. One day, I had a flat at the start of a club ride. Everyone was waiting so I hurried and got a new tube mounted, used the floor pump in my car, and was quickly away. Too quickly. Up a longish hill, 35 mph descent and I felt a thump thump thump. Stopped at the re-group, and found about 3 inches of bead outside the rim. My heart almost stopped. Let the air out, re-seated the bead. Wasted a Co2 ( I carry a mini pump now), and got going again. I have no idea how the tire, tube or I survived the 35 mph descent. Haste makes waste - always check your gear! The tire was a Continental Gatorskin, rigid bead, on a carbon rim.

drewguy

Yes - I have found this to be a critical step.

faulker479

I put baby powder on the tube and rub it all around. Before putting my tubes in a saddle bag, i place them in a ziploc bag and put baby powder in it. This and putting some air in the tube to give it shape out of the tire helps the tire slide into the right place.

i then follow that up with making sure the tube is inside the bead of tire before inflating.

work4bike

I always mount my tire without tools -- I don't think that was a factor.

I agree with FBinNY, "It's impossible to know the cause without knowing the details of the damage".

However, I was riding with someone that experienced this very same thing, luckily we were near a bike shop and able to get a new tire. His problem was from using a tire rated for 50 psi, but he liked to pump his tires up to near 80 psi. He just didn't realize he bought a tire rated for low pressure.

Sounds like you have a tire issue, not a tube issue. How much have you ridden it since? Probably just a faulty install, but if it happens again, I'd start suspecting a tire issue.

work4bike

I just re-read the OP's post and noticed I misread the part about tools and remounting tires.

I don't think having to use tire irons to re-install the tire was the problem, some tires are just tight, I've have had them before where I also had to use tire irons to re-install.

This does make me wonder (even more) if the OP has experienced any other problems since the original problem.

FlamsteadHill

Every day on my baby's bottom.

Well, I would, if my kids were still babies, anyways.

ChuckD6421 

Hey don't knock it for personal use! After a long ride and a hot shower, does wonders on those personal parts too.
Just remember to put it back in the garage where you found it!

srestrepo

at the expense of sounding dumb, what again is the talc for?

ChuckD6421 

As a dry lube for slipping the tire and tube on. The idea is you sprinkle it around inside the tire before pushing the tube in and prying the whole affair onto the rim. Works great for me.

woodpusherghd

Everything has been fine since I remounted the tire on the rim. I made sure the tube wasn't pinched. I try not to use tire irons if at all possible.

Jon T

Corn meal works well too.
Jon

Drew Eckhardt 

Switch to thinner rim tape - two wraps of 1 mil Kapton totaling .005" versus .020" for Velox and .010" for thin strips like Rox. Start the second bead opposite the valve stem, and when you run out of slack milk it around finishing at the valve stem. That'll give you enough slack to comfortably mount new Continentals on tight rims that have you cussing at tools using Velox.