Rear Tire constant flats making me mad!

Jose Capco said:

Ever since I
change the metal rims of my rear wheel (I have a 28" standard city-
bike) which was also the time I started getting used to riding without
using the hands (therefore probably meaning more pressure on the rear
side, as you give more weight on the rear side when you are riding
without using the hands to steer), I get flats very often. I try to
hope that this is not the rims fault..

You have to find the source of the flats before you can solve the
problem. Are you checking the tire each time to make sure the glass or
whatever is not still embedded? Run your thumb around the inside of
the tire to make sure there are no sharp objects.

You say the problem started after changing the rims. Make sure the
spoke ends aren't extending past the nipples!

Art Harris

I bought tubes at least 3 times

Quoted message said:

already, and patched them a zillion times for all the flats I got.
Most of the flat are small punctures (from pebbles.. or glass I am
guessing), I only got twice pinch flat or snakebites... most of them
last only 2 days then flat again (unless I be super duper careful
where I bike and that I dont bump on any stones, sidewalk
blocks..etc. ... But honestly I am giving up, I really dont want to
spend a single penny anymore for the rear wheel.. with all the money I
spent for it I could have just gotten me a decent digital camera.

I suspect (my final attempt maybe? otherwise Ill just forget about
using a bike again..) that the rear tire has a problem. I havent
changed the tire itself, it has some cracks and small cuts (less than
half an inch.. at most 1/4".. which I patched with superglue and some
rubber I cut from old tubes).. personally, I do think it should be
fine.. I didnt see any big cuts and it surely has got less than
1500km. There is something that I noticed before the last flat
though... I had to pump and deflate at least 3 times to get it right,
the edge of the tire near the side where the valve is was trying to
come out of the rim, I havent experience that before.. I dont know if
I am going to buy a new tire.. I am skimping on bike costs now!

I would appreciate it very much if anyone could give me a hint here.
Its really frustrating trying to "guess" what is wrong and trying to
fix it after tube replacement you still get flats. I am really careful
in replacing tubes (sometimes I am not careful in placing the tube
correctly in the tire ..and get snakebites, but those are exceptional
cases) so I really doubt it has to do something with my tube
installation skills..

Thanks in advance.

Sincerely,
Jose Capco

Jose Capco said:

[tire saga]...

You might need to break down and spring some $$$ for a different tire. I
was having similar experiences during our rainy season and switched to
Continental Gatorskins and Specialized Armadillo tires on my bikes about
the time the weather dried up for the summer. They are not cheap but
neither one seems to pick up the rock and glass chips that were giving
me all the flats. Neither brand was very easy to mount, but I'm running
skinnier tires than you.

On Thu, 23 Aug 2007 11:35:30 -0000, Art Harris <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

You say the problem started after changing the rims. Make sure the
spoke ends aren't extending past the nipples!

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Jose Capco

and you did use rim tape?

Jose Capco said:

Dear NG,

Ok.. I guess the Subject of this post tells everything. Ever since I
change the metal rims of my rear wheel (I have a 28" standard city-
bike) which was also the time I started getting used to riding without
using the hands (therefore probably meaning more pressure on the rear
side, as you give more weight on the rear side when you are riding
without using the hands to steer), I get flats very often. I try to
hope that this is not the rims fault.. I bought tubes at least 3 times
already, and patched them a zillion times for all the flats I got.
Most of the flat are small punctures (from pebbles.. or glass I am
guessing), I only got twice pinch flat or snakebites... most of them
last only 2 days then flat again (unless I be super duper careful
where I bike and that I dont bump on any stones, sidewalk
blocks..etc. ... But honestly I am giving up, I really dont want to
spend a single penny anymore for the rear wheel.. with all the money I
spent for it I could have just gotten me a decent digital camera.

I suspect (my final attempt maybe? otherwise Ill just forget about
using a bike again..) that the rear tire has a problem. I havent
changed the tire itself, it has some cracks and small cuts (less than
half an inch.. at most 1/4".. which I patched with superglue and some
rubber I cut from old tubes).. personally, I do think it should be
fine.. I didnt see any big cuts and it surely has got less than
1500km. There is something that I noticed before the last flat
though... I had to pump and deflate at least 3 times to get it right,
the edge of the tire near the side where the valve is was trying to
come out of the rim, I havent experience that before.. I dont know if
I am going to buy a new tire.. I am skimping on bike costs now!

I would appreciate it very much if anyone could give me a hint here.
Its really frustrating trying to "guess" what is wrong and trying to
fix it after tube replacement you still get flats. I am really careful
in replacing tubes (sometimes I am not careful in placing the tube
correctly in the tire ..and get snakebites, but those are exceptional
cases) so I really doubt it has to do something with my tube
installation skills..

Click here:
http://draco.acs.uci.edu/rbfaq/FAQ/index.html

read "8B Tech Tires".
All will be revealed

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On Thu, 23 Aug 2007 18:15:21 -0500, A Muzi <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Jose Capco said:

Dear NG,

Ok.. I guess the Subject of this post tells everything. Ever since I
change the metal rims of my rear wheel (I have a 28" standard city-
bike) which was also the time I started getting used to riding without
using the hands (therefore probably meaning more pressure on the rear
side, as you give more weight on the rear side when you are riding
without using the hands to steer), I get flats very often. I try to
hope that this is not the rims fault.. I bought tubes at least 3 times
already, and patched them a zillion times for all the flats I got.
Most of the flat are small punctures (from pebbles.. or glass I am
guessing), I only got twice pinch flat or snakebites... most of them
last only 2 days then flat again (unless I be super duper careful
where I bike and that I dont bump on any stones, sidewalk
blocks..etc. ... But honestly I am giving up, I really dont want to
spend a single penny anymore for the rear wheel.. with all the money I
spent for it I could have just gotten me a decent digital camera.

I suspect (my final attempt maybe? otherwise Ill just forget about
using a bike again..) that the rear tire has a problem. I havent
changed the tire itself, it has some cracks and small cuts (less than
half an inch.. at most 1/4".. which I patched with superglue and some
rubber I cut from old tubes).. personally, I do think it should be
fine.. I didnt see any big cuts and it surely has got less than
1500km. There is something that I noticed before the last flat
though... I had to pump and deflate at least 3 times to get it right,
the edge of the tire near the side where the valve is was trying to
come out of the rim, I havent experience that before.. I dont know if
I am going to buy a new tire.. I am skimping on bike costs now!

I would appreciate it very much if anyone could give me a hint here.
Its really frustrating trying to "guess" what is wrong and trying to
fix it after tube replacement you still get flats. I am really careful
in replacing tubes (sometimes I am not careful in placing the tube
correctly in the tire ..and get snakebites, but those are exceptional
cases) so I really doubt it has to do something with my tube
installation skills..

Click here:
http://draco.acs.uci.edu/rbfaq/FAQ/index.html

read "8B Tech Tires".
All will be revealed

RePLACE THE TIRE CARCASS. any BREAK IN THE CARCAS WILL ALAW CRUD IN,
AND TUBES WILL NOT LAST AT ALL. tIRES ARE CHEAP (RELATIVELY).

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Aeek said:

On Thu, 23 Aug 2007 11:35:30 -0000, Art Harris <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

You say the problem started after changing the rims. Make sure the
spoke ends aren't extending past the nipples!

Quoted message said:

Jose Capco

and you did use rim tape?

The rim tape was provided by the shop that changed my rims. It is a
PVC (I think) rim tape and it isnt stuck to the rim so it slides
around the rim and you need to adjust so the hole will match the valve
hole of the rim before inserting the tube... I'll check the spoke ends
though, thanks.

clare at snyder.on.ca said:

...
RePLACE THE TIRE CARCASS. any BREAK IN THE CARCAS WILL ALAW CRUD IN,
AND TUBES WILL NOT LAST AT ALL. tIRES ARE CHEAP (RELATIVELY).

gene's long lost twin brother?

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

catzz66 said:

Jose Capco wrote:

[tire saga]...

You might need to break down and spring some $$$ for a different tire. I
was having similar experiences during our rainy season and switched to
Continental Gatorskins and Specialized Armadillo tires on my bikes about
the time the weather dried up for the summer. They are not cheap but

As far as I can tell "Armadillo" is identical to "Flak Jacket" but is
just use as a marketing gimmick to charge more. The dealers
try to sell Armadillo, but if you request "flak jacket" they trot it
out.

You can get Specialized Fatboy Tire (which have flak jacket)
for about $20. The specialized tires ended my problems with
flats.

I agree that the tire is Jose's most likely problem.

Quoted message said:

neither one seems to pick up the rock and glass chips that were giving
me all the flats. Neither brand was very easy to mount, but I'm running
skinnier tires than you.

Friar Broccoli
Robert Keith Elias, Quebec, Canada Email: EliasRK (of) gmail * com
Best programmer's & all purpose text editor: http://www.semware.com

--------- I consider ALL arguments in support of my views ---------

Friar Broccoli said:

As far as I can tell "Armadillo" is identical to "Flak Jacket" but is
just use as a marketing gimmick to charge more. The dealers
try to sell Armadillo, but if you request "flak jacket" they trot it
out.

You can get Specialized Fatboy Tire (which have flak jacket)
for about $20. The specialized tires ended my problems with
flats.

I agree that the tire is Jose's most likely problem.

Thanks, I will remember it next time. I imagine the same thing is true
with the Conti Gator skins. I looked at a big tire display and there
are some cheaper priced Continental tires that seem to have the puncture
resistant lining. I just replaced four tires so I won't be needing them
for a while. Have about 500 miles on the Armadillos and 150 on the
Gatorskins. No problems with either set. I know they are not magic,
but at least I am not having the glass and rock chip flats anymore. It
was driving me crazy. Couldn't go 100 miles without a flat.