Repaired my rear inner tube twice today and still have a slow puncture - when I say slow I mean a steady stream of bubbles coming out the valve stem hole.
First time, found the puncture, it was on a seem of my inner tube. Fine, patch it ( I though), put the tyre back on - still leaking....
Took tube out and instead this time I put a used (and patched) spare back in, all good I thought. Pumped the wheel back up to 48 psi to seat it...................., and I'm forever blowing bubbles, again.
Looked at the previous new'ish tube (now patched) and the leak isn't coming from the new patch but is in the same place on the ospposite side of the tube. I mean exactly the same place.
I either got confused and patched the wrong side or the opposite side has now failed. Very Strange....
And why is my good spare now also leaking...
Ran out of day light, patienence and back strength for today (old age creeping in) so I guess I'd better start again some other time, and this time actually take the tyre off the rim for a thorough inspection.
Nothing like wrestling with a rear knobbly twice with no reward to give you that warm feeling of satisfaction - JT must have cursed me!
(2 pints of San Migual are now actually giving me that feeling)
-- Edited by RichT4 on Sunday 18th of November 2012 04:43:06 PM
Are you checking for leaks with the tyre fitted? it can take a while for all the air to work its way out. Dan
I was wondering about this so I fitted my other rear wheel back on my bike and left the suspect wheel and tyre to sit in the garage - still bubbling an hour later.
I really don't think that much air would be just 'escaping'.
Typically I'll blow a tyre up to say 60 psi, next day (after the tyre has cooled over night & settled) it'll be at 58psi - I'll then tighten the rim lock and deflate to 16 psi.
Today it had lost about 2 psi in about 20 minutes (both times from 48 psi), I'll check again in the morning...
-- Edited by RichT4 on Sunday 11th of November 2012 07:23:34 PM
Yeh, I know it sounds like I did but I don't think I did. The hole would be in the side off the tyre.. I checked the outside of the tyre (both sides) either side (using tyre valve as a position market) - no tyre wall damage or thorn. I check the inside with my fingers - no sharp objects...
Next thing will be to remove the current tube and find the new slow puncture, if it's in the same place then it's fishy. If not then it was just bad luck.
Since last using the 'spare' inner tune it has been in Harty's WR250R so maybe it got damaged during the fitting in some way??
It is not uncommon for a long blackthorn to go right through a tube making two holes adjacent to each other on opposite sides of the tube.
This would be obvious when the tube was underwater in the sink with bubbles of air escaping in two places. When you locate the hole that way it is rare to be caught out by another hitherto undiscovered puncture. I have learned the hard way that it is well worth continuing all the way around the tube even if I find a hole straight away.
If you really unlucky, and leave the bike overnight to check to see if it goes down, you may leave the wheel with the hole at the bottom which would prevent deflation only to find it goes down straight away when you go for a ride, so put it on a stand.
My method for finding leaks is to spray a mixture of water & shampoo on the inner tube and smooth it round with my hand - that way I either feel the escaping air or the build up of bubbles betray it's position - that's how I found it the first time. I also did this for the replacement inner tube as I wanted to be sure I was fitting a good spare - it passed this test.
Either something is still in my tyre and this is making fresh punctures in each tube, or my checking method isn't satisfactory and I'll have to find a large bucket to fill with water.
Either-way, I'm sure I'll get to the bottom of it on my next attempt.
(That is if JT has now stopped sticking pins in his Voodoo DRZ model )
First repair I patched the wrong side of the tube - Dime Bar springs to mind!
On installing the next tube I was obviously a little too rough with the tyre levers and knicked the tube, twice.
Today...
Patched the orginal tube and re-installed it - didn't hold air.
Took it out again and I had taken a lovel big chunck out of it. Primarily because I was using an old HD tube as a liner and it was not allowing the standard tube to seat out of the way... so that hasn't been re-installed this time, and the orginal tube is back in and might be holding air.
I say might as I looked at it 30 minutes or so later and bubbles are still coming from the rim lock hole.
I do hope this one holds..., oh well. I guess I'll know for sure when I test the pressure in the morning.
-- Edited by RichT4 on Sunday 18th of November 2012 04:54:02 PM
Sounds like the changing technique is faulty Rich. Once I'm home come round and I will demo the safe method, mt 43,10 mins max on and off and no pinches using two small levers and a bit of fairy
Still those sore knuckles are good for the soul
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Riding with enthusiasm upon the ragged precipice of disaster
Rats! Just checked it again and it's still leaking... Oh well, only 4 tube removal & refits so far. Maybe there was another nick in that tube I hadn't seen, or I put another in while re-fitting.
Sounds like the changing technique is faulty Rich. Once I'm home come round and I will demo the safe method, mt 43,10 mins max on and off and no pinches using two small levers and a bit of fairy Still those sore knuckles are good for the soul
Could I come around as well Tim?
I could do with learning a quicker (usually takes me half an hour ) way of tyre changing/puncture repairs.
Bring them all to me you amateurs !!! Steve i am sure you have been to Shared Knowledge have you forgottten already or where you not paying attention during my demo ?
-- Edited by doug9270 on Monday 19th of November 2012 09:14:44 AM
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Took the Queens Shilling and disappeared for 23 Years !!
Bring them all to me you amateurs !!! Steve i am sure you have been to Shared Knowledge have you forgottten already or where you not paying attention during my demo ?
-- Edited by doug9270 on Monday 19th of November 2012 09:14:44 AM
Sorry mate, I was having a blast around Haccadown testing my newly set up suspension by Lost at the time so missed the technique, I only saw a few others having a go.
Just ordered a new Mich Comp 4, and will be dropping the wheel off this Sat for them to fit it.
No cut knuckles, no dirty hands, no cold knees.
But they won't fix a puncture half way down a muddy lane.
I have fixed punctures a couple of times on rides. I know you don't have to take the tyre right off but you can check the inside for the nail/thorn etc easier with it off.
They also probably won't do it at 8am on a Sunday morning if you decide on a last minute change.
It may not be as bad as previously thought. At 50 psi it's only loosing a couple of psi per day. I have today let it down to 16 psi and will now see how quickly the air is escaping at this pressure. Even at a couple of psi a day I can live with that, I'll just check before riding and it'll be fine for 8 hours or so I'm out. Only about 2 more rides left in that tyre anyway so I'll try to finish it off without needing to mess with it again.
Taking a bike wheel to a garage to change a tyre is an insult to my manhood come on nick man up
Just makes you wonder how many members actually carry puncture repair kits,spare tubes or tools with them on a ride, or is left to the run leader to sort it out as I have had to do on a couple of occasions, as the only thing that the rider brought with them were their sarnies. However the last time I had a puncture, I could not get near the wheel quick enough as before I could get my tools and tube out of my bag, the tyre changing dream team of Capn Paul, Hamster,Noel, Big Brian, and Big Jim were on the case, wheel out, tyre off, tube changed, electric compressor running, pumped up back on and away in less than 10 minutes, why let a loss of wind cause even the smallest amount of riding time.
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Riding with enthusiasm upon the ragged precipice of disaster
gaschef wrote: the tyre changing dream team of Capn Paul, Hamster,Noel, Big Brian, and Big Jim were on the case, wheel out, tyre off, tube changed, electric compressor running, pumped up back on and away in less than 10 minutes,
Not sure I would get all them in my fender pack though
I always make sure I have a good selection of tools with me, Mogwai is the newest 'tool' I have taken on a run
gaschef wrote: the tyre changing dream team of Capn Paul, Hamster,Noel, Big Brian, and Big Jim were on the case, wheel out, tyre off, tube changed, electric compressor running, pumped up back on and away in less than 10 minutes,
Not sure I would get all them in my fender pack though
I always make sure I have a good selection of tools with me, Mogwai is the newest 'tool' I have taken on a run
So is he a Chai Waller, Bunger Waller or Pangi Waller or just an all purpose Waller, if however he is an Ayatollah Waller get rid quickly
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Riding with enthusiasm upon the ragged precipice of disaster
. Pumped the wheel back up to 48 psi to seat it...................., and I'm forever blowing bubbles, again.
Primarily because I was using an old HD tube as a liner and it was not allowing the standard tube to seat out of the way... so that hasn't been re-installed this time, and the orginal tube is back in and might be holding air.
