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Jinxed Punctures

m o b

Speeding Up
Jun 22, 2008
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PROBLEM:

My Cannondale Bad Boy Hybrid Bike [2005 version] has a nice set of heavy Mavic wheels with many, many spokes. The fork is quite massive and it also has disc brakes attached at the front and at the rear. But the tires are just like racing tires, 700 x 23C. The idea is too use them in the city and to have another set of wheels with thick tires for exchange when going out into the country side. Both wheel types should fit with the same fork.

I normally ride it only in the city for shorter distances. It is too heavy for the mountains and the sitting position and handle width is not comfortable for longer rides. But for the city it is fantastic. Good braking power, front fork with damper so it is easy to ride up and down the cobblestones.

I had no problem with the bike for almost four years. Then, about half year ago I changed both tires as they were pretty much run down. The front wheel is still doing fine, but I have one flat tire after the other on the rear wheel. Normally I ride with app. 6 bars. When I check the tubes they are all pinch flats, sometimes even in more than one location.

I bought another tire for the rear wheel. I exchanged the rim tape inside the rear wheel and checked for sharp edges at the rims. I exchange many tubes. Still, more punctures.

Why is that?

Is there any logical explanation, accept that I hate Mavic in return their wheels hate me? That the bike is jinxed? That I am just plain unlucky?
 
Pinch flats as in "snake bite" holes, or crescent-shaped cuts from the rim holes?

If the latter, my recommendation is always to use cloth/cotton rim tape rather than the plastic strips. The latter just doesn't work nearly as well. If that doesn't solve your problems, then I don't know what else to suggest... :(
 
Mob,

Great to read your blog and hear that you are on the mend and riding again. I'm looking forward to more tales of adventure!

Some ideas for your flats:

If they're caused by rim contact, you can always put on another rim tape. I have two layers of the green panaracer ones on my rims.

If they are snake bites, check the tube is not pinched between the rim and the tyre after fitting it. I'm sure you do this already.

Another special trick is to line the inside of the tube with talcum (baby) powder. Likewise, coat the inner tube with the powder. This ensures a nice fit of the tube inside the tyre.

Hope these ideas help!

Andy
 
Easy

0


Cheers,

Philip
 
Not sure if it may help or not, but I often inflate a tire I've fixed about 3/4 or more of what it should be, and then let the air out. Then kind of run around the tire and wiggle things around. Then reinflate to just over 8 bars.

Obviously, this isn't an option with a cartridge, unless you've got two on hand.
 
Not sure if it may help or not, but I often inflate a tire I've fixed about 3/4 or more of what it should be, and then let the air out. Then kind of run around the tire and wiggle things around. Then reinflate to just over 8 bars.

Obviously, this isn't an option with a cartridge, unless you've got two on hand.

Me 3.
Inflate twice or more... first with the hand pump and if need be with a cartridge on the last fill.
After deflating, I go around the rim 3 times... once both sides at once I pull on the tire..then I bend the tire back to visually see if I can see the tube poking out under the tire and pinching...if it is, I softly pull back on the tire till the tube falls back in place. Then do the same on the other side. I'll do this again quickly when the tube is half full, and 3/4s full....
Often the tube tries to bulge out around the valve and this is where you probably get most of your pinch punks.

If there is still a slight pinch when you inflate to max you will sometimes hear it pop from between the tire and rim. This happens when you didn't do the previous steps correctly.

Haven't had a puncture in ages now and a bit worried about the state of my wheels for the Hitachinaka race.... almost due to change tires but don't want new ones in a race and the risk of a puncture over the next month or so is increasing with every ride.
 
Thanks

Thanks for all the good advice. I think I will give it a try with another rim tape and ask Nagai-san from Positivo what he has in store and what he would recommend.
See you in Hitachi Naka at the end of the month.
 
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