growler4 said:
thanks for replying
it is only the front that keeps getting flats...i went to the local shop and they sold me a rubber band to use as rim tape....the problem continued after that. Not sure if i will try new rim tape or alltogether go and buy new rims.
Ok, that leads me to believe that it's something specific to that combination of tire and rim and not some global problem.
Well, you have nothing to lose by removing that "rubber band". I would pursue the "sharp edge" theory and see what you find. Sometimes this can be a burr that is right on the end of the spoke nipple. This can be caused by someone driving the nipple in aggressively and having the driver slip out of the screwdriver slot in the end. This can leave that burr. So, you have to check every nipple end, in addition to all of the surfaces on the rim. It's actually most likely that you have a sharp object embedded in your tire.
I did not say it before, but you can make your diagnosis much, much easier if you install the tire and tube on the wheel in the exact same position every time. Almost all (but the very cheapest) tires have a colored label on the sidewall. This label will usually have the manufacturers logo, the tire model name, and the tire size on it. When you install the tire on the rim, make sure you center this label over the tube valve. Alot of tires will only have the colored label on one side. Install this so that the colored label shows on the drive side of the bike. That is the way any pro would install your tire, and, as you will see, for a very good reason. Then when you get a flat you take out the tube, inflate the tube enough to find where it's leaking and lay the leaking tube over the tire and wheel in the same relative positions they are in when it's all put together. By observing where the leak in the tube is you should be able to relate this very closely to that same position on the tire and the rim. You should get in the habit of always installing the tire label centered on the tube valve.
If you get in that habit, you should be able to find the source of your puncture very quickly, every time.
But, this does not help you at the moment. I think it's very possible that you have some sharp object embedded in your tire. This would explain why your tires may puncture when you're not even on the bike. Tires/tubes under pressure may just take some random amount of time to get a "sharp" to make it's way through the tube and cause the puncture. Take a cotton ball and drag it around the inside surface of your tire and see if it snags on something sharp. Don't be tempted to do this with your finger or you may slice it open. When you find the sharp object, take a pair of pliers and pull/push it out. Almost every time you find the "sharp" you'll have some thought like "geez, no wonder I was getting flats". Until you remove the "sharp" you will get punctures (in the exact same position on every tube) over and over.
It's possible that your "sharp" is, indeed, on the rim. You can use that cotton ball on the rim, also. Then file, sandpaper, or deburr that "sharp". The rubber band rim strips work, but not near as well as quality rim tape. Get good rim tape from your bike shop and install it.
Learning the lesson of how to diagnose a puncture is something that every cyclist needs to learn eventually. Again, once you prepare your tire/tube/rim in a known relationship it's pretty easy to do the post mortem and find the cause of your tube's demise ;-) The fact that you were honest about your abilities make this a lot easier. Thanks for that ;-) I'll bet you will quickly find the cause of your flats.
Best luck!
