Bad Tubes
07-23-21, 07:00 PM
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Bad Tubes
I just tossed some Teravail tubes (27.5 x 1.5-1.95) in the trash. I installed one in a Panaracer 650b x 42 tire (53 psi) but within hours the tube split on a seam and left me flat. It was not ridden, it just went flat in the garage. Repaired the tube and in a few hours it went flat with the same seam splitting. I tossed that tube and a new in the box Teravail tube, into the trash. These were bought in May 2021.
I don't think I can trust the off brands. These were made in Taiwan which seemed a better bet than the Chinese ones.
Have others experienced this problem with off brand or name brand tubes? I can't remember this happening before no matter where they are manufactured.
I don't think I can trust the off brands. These were made in Taiwan which seemed a better bet than the Chinese ones.
Have others experienced this problem with off brand or name brand tubes? I can't remember this happening before no matter where they are manufactured.
07-23-21, 07:39 PM
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We sell and install many hundreds of tubes each year and sell more. During this last 18 months the pandemic has meant that we, like much of the LBS segment of the bike industry, has had to try to source parts where they can. For us and tubes this means "brands" that we would normally avoid. Given that we are pleased that we haven't seen a greater % of bad tubes then we usually do (a few a year out of several thousand is typical). It's very possibly that you got a few bad ones. But other reasons are also possible that you suffered flats in a short time. Too bad we'll never be able to really know what was the cause. Andy
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AndrewRStewart
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07-23-21, 10:08 PM
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Teravail is Quality Bike Products house brand for tubes & tires. Quality stands behind their products but are sticklers for following their procedures. I would contact them and see if they will replace them.
07-23-21, 10:14 PM
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I haven't really had issues with Q-tubes (now Teravail) would love to have seen the split seams that is a rare occurrence and especially on multiple tubes. Luckily QBP does support their stuff so you might check in with them and see what they say as RGMN mentioned.
I am pretty sure that the Q-Tubes were at one point Kenda but these days I generally have been using Continental or Specialized as I happen to have a small back stock of them.
I am pretty sure that the Q-Tubes were at one point Kenda but these days I generally have been using Continental or Specialized as I happen to have a small back stock of them.
07-24-21, 01:44 PM
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When I had a rash of issues with tubes, I eventually found out it was my faulty installation of them. But not till later after I'd changed brands several times.
07-24-21, 02:22 PM
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I've used quite a few of the Q Tubes (now Teravail?) and never had any bad ones so could just be bad luck. I noticed on their website they changed the Q logo. Maybe didn't want to be associated with Q-Anon? Must be some sort of worldwide tube conspiracy.
07-24-21, 03:08 PM
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What I posted in the original thread, and still relevant:
If you're riding 650b wheels, you almost certainly know what you're doing, but any mention of a "split seam" in a recently installed tube supposedly being responsible for failure of the tube raises a warning flag---especially with an oversized tube such as you were using. It's extremely easy to trap part of an oversized tube between the tire bead and the rim, leading to an eventual explosion, immediate or delayed.
After you install your next tube, inflate it to just a few pounds of pressure and then check around both sides of the rim. If and when you find a section where the tube is visible, pinched under the tire bead, work the tube back into the tire such that it is no longer visible. Once you're sure that the tube is entirely within the tire and not pinched under the bead at any point, inflate cautiously, 10 pounds at a time, checking after every round of inflation that the witness line above the tire bead is visible all the way around the wheel, without any high spots or low spots.
tl;dr: chances are that the tubes aren't defective; you might just need to be more careful installing them.
If you're riding 650b wheels, you almost certainly know what you're doing, but any mention of a "split seam" in a recently installed tube supposedly being responsible for failure of the tube raises a warning flag---especially with an oversized tube such as you were using. It's extremely easy to trap part of an oversized tube between the tire bead and the rim, leading to an eventual explosion, immediate or delayed.
After you install your next tube, inflate it to just a few pounds of pressure and then check around both sides of the rim. If and when you find a section where the tube is visible, pinched under the tire bead, work the tube back into the tire such that it is no longer visible. Once you're sure that the tube is entirely within the tire and not pinched under the bead at any point, inflate cautiously, 10 pounds at a time, checking after every round of inflation that the witness line above the tire bead is visible all the way around the wheel, without any high spots or low spots.
tl;dr: chances are that the tubes aren't defective; you might just need to be more careful installing them.
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07-26-21, 08:40 AM
#11
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Just as a general comment on tube quality...
This year I have repaired a number of wheels that had blowouts of tubes. Not just cheapies either, even Continental! The new Tervail branding has yet to have a good record but the previous Q tubes and now Tervail have not been problematic. They are made by Kenda which is OK, but the Chinese Kendas seem to be trouble while the Taiwan Kendas arent.
They all still leak down way too much over time. I fond most are 10 psi/week.
-SP
This year I have repaired a number of wheels that had blowouts of tubes. Not just cheapies either, even Continental! The new Tervail branding has yet to have a good record but the previous Q tubes and now Tervail have not been problematic. They are made by Kenda which is OK, but the Chinese Kendas seem to be trouble while the Taiwan Kendas arent.
They all still leak down way too much over time. I fond most are 10 psi/week.
-SP
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