Catastrophic tube/tire failure



C

Claire Petersky

Guest
Here's the story:

I was sick for a week, and then on vacation for a week. When I got back, my
back tire was very low, having about 20 lbs of pressure. Front was fine.
Before I took off for work, I pumped the tires up.

About three miles into the ride, I heard a loud bang, and found that the
tire had a one inch split, on the tread. Same with the tube. I am unaware of
riding over anything, but it's certainly possible.

Question:

Do you think there a relationship between the back tire being very low and
it spliting later? In other words, were these two events unrelated, or was
the tire being so low symptomatic of something going wrong that caused the
big bang 15 minute later?


--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
Sponsor me for the Big Climb! See: www.active.com/donate/cpetersky06
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky
 
On Tue, 28 Feb 2006 15:32:09 GMT, "Claire Petersky"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Here's the story:
>
>I was sick for a week, and then on vacation for a week. When I got back, my
>back tire was very low, having about 20 lbs of pressure. Front was fine.
>Before I took off for work, I pumped the tires up.
>
>About three miles into the ride, I heard a loud bang, and found that the
>tire had a one inch split, on the tread. Same with the tube. I am unaware of
>riding over anything, but it's certainly possible.
>
>Question:
>
>Do you think there a relationship between the back tire being very low and
>it spliting later? In other words, were these two events unrelated, or was
>the tire being so low symptomatic of something going wrong that caused the
>big bang 15 minute later?

Observations:

If the tire splits to that degree due to age or previously unsuspected
damage, the tube will fail regardless of condition.

The tire's condition has no bearing on air loss unless it fails in a
manner that causes the tube to blow out, as happened here.

You didn't say what the age of the failed tire was. If you've been
following accepted good practice, the best tire was on the front,
which makes the rear more likely to be the one that will fail.

Without further information, it's hard to come up with a definitive
explanation, but my running guess is that the rear tire was getting
ready to fail. Coincidentally, the tube had a slow leak. Perhaps,
upon discovering the very low tire, you may have overinflated it
slightly; in most cases, this would not present any hazard. In any
event, as you noted, the rear tire blew out. I'd write it off to a
random failure.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.
 
Claire Petersky writes:

> I was sick for a week, and then on vacation for a week. When I got
> back, my back tire was very low, having about 20 lbs of pressure.
> Front was fine. Before I took off for work, I pumped the tires up.

> About three miles into the ride, I heard a loud bang, and found that
> the tire had a one inch split, on the tread. Same with the tube. I
> am unaware of riding over anything, but it's certainly possible.

> Do you think there a relationship between the back tire being very
> low and it splitting later? In other words, were these two events
> unrelated, or was the tire being so low symptomatic of something
> going wrong that caused the big bang 15 minute later?

I don't think there is enough information to make any assessment of
the event. Did you look at the casing failure and see whether it was
a cut or a rupture? This is usually easy to see. If it was a failure
in progress then the low pressure could have been caused by the
developing rupture nibbling on the tube. In that event, the tube will
show nibble abrasions adjacent to the slash and the casing will have a
frazzled break in its cords with no sign of a slice.

Reconstructing such an event requires inspecting the failed elements.
It can most likely not be done from what you have told here.

Jobst Brandt
 
Claire Petersky wrote:

> Here's the story:
>
> I was sick for a week, and then on vacation for a week. When I got back, my
> back tire was very low, having about 20 lbs of pressure. Front was fine.
> Before I took off for work, I pumped the tires up.
>
> About three miles into the ride, I heard a loud bang, and found that the
> tire had a one inch split, on the tread. Same with the tube. I am unaware of
> riding over anything, but it's certainly possible.
>
> Question:
>
> Do you think there a relationship between the back tire being very low and
> it spliting later? In other words, were these two events unrelated, or was
> the tire being so low symptomatic of something going wrong that caused the
> big bang 15 minute later?

Sort of. If the tyre was old and perished, letting it go flat and
reinflating could have subjected it to an extra stress cycle it didn't
need. However, tyres aren't just rubber and I'm not sure that the
cotton/silk/nylon would have deteriorated in this way.

Also possible that it blew off the rim first and suffered the damage in
its passing over the rim wall.
 
Per Claire Petersky:
>In other words, were these two events unrelated, or was
>the tire being so low symptomatic of something going wrong that caused the
>big bang 15 minute later?

One (very unlikely...but stuff does happen...) thing to check: are the brakes
aligned properly?

Only surprise blowout I had was after a minor crash in which one of the brake
pads got realigned so it was touching the sidewall - and wore through it after a
little braking.
--
PeteCresswell
 
<[email protected]> wrote: (clip) It can most likely not be
done from what you have told here.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
IOW, hindsight is not always 20/20. So what? If you could somehow know the
exact sequence which led to this failure, would you do anything different?
 
Claire Petersky wrote:
> Here's the story:
>
> I was sick for a week, and then on vacation for a week. When I got back, my
> back tire was very low, having about 20 lbs of pressure. Front was fine.
> Before I took off for work, I pumped the tires up.
>
> About three miles into the ride, I heard a loud bang,

Either brakes but more likely a small sidewall tear or even UV
degradation. Is the tire papery feeling?
 
On 28 Feb 2006 11:22:54 -0800, "landotter" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>
>Claire Petersky wrote:
>> Here's the story:
>>
>> I was sick for a week, and then on vacation for a week. When I got back, my
>> back tire was very low, having about 20 lbs of pressure. Front was fine.
>> Before I took off for work, I pumped the tires up.
>>
>> About three miles into the ride, I heard a loud bang,
>
>Either brakes but more likely a small sidewall tear or even UV
>degradation. Is the tire papery feeling?

OP noted that the one inch split was "on the tread"; the brakes don't
seem likely as a culprit in that area.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.
 
Werehatrack wrote:
> On 28 Feb 2006 11:22:54 -0800, "landotter" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >
> >Claire Petersky wrote:
> >> Here's the story:
> >>
> >> I was sick for a week, and then on vacation for a week. When I got back, my
> >> back tire was very low, having about 20 lbs of pressure. Front was fine.
> >> Before I took off for work, I pumped the tires up.
> >>
> >> About three miles into the ride, I heard a loud bang,
> >
> >Either brakes but more likely a small sidewall tear or even UV
> >degradation. Is the tire papery feeling?
>
> OP noted that the one inch split was "on the tread"; the brakes don't
> seem likely as a culprit in that area.
> --
> Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
> Some gardening required to reply via email.
> Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

One thing to consider is that Claire is from Seattle where it's wet on
the ground most of the time. It's very possible that she got a cut in
her tire (easy to do in the wet) that was almost deep enough to cause a
flat. After riding it a bit, the rotation of the tire under load might
have taken that deep point in the cut and blown out, extending the cut
along its length.

As far as a relation to the slow leak...maybe. 20psi is about what I
get to on my tires when I have a pin-hole sort of pucture. Eventually
the pressure gets low enough that the rubber is not at stretched, and
therefore able to temporarily "seal" the hole.
 
Werehatrack wrote:
> On 28 Feb 2006 11:22:54 -0800, "landotter" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >
> >Claire Petersky wrote:
> >> Here's the story:
> >>
> >> I was sick for a week, and then on vacation for a week. When I got back, my
> >> back tire was very low, having about 20 lbs of pressure. Front was fine.
> >> Before I took off for work, I pumped the tires up.
> >>
> >> About three miles into the ride, I heard a loud bang,
> >
> >Either brakes but more likely a small sidewall tear or even UV
> >degradation. Is the tire papery feeling?
>
> OP noted that the one inch split was "on the tread"; the brakes don't
> seem likely as a culprit in that area.
> --
> Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
> Some gardening required to reply via email.
> Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

One thing to consider is that Claire is from Seattle where it's wet on
the ground most of the time. It's very possible that she got a cut in
her tire (easy to do in the wet) that was almost deep enough to cause a
flat. After riding it a bit, the rotation of the tire under load might
have taken that deep point in the cut and blown out, extending the cut
along its length.

As far as a relation to the slow leak...maybe. 20psi is about what I
get to on my tires when I have a pin-hole sort of pucture. Eventually
the pressure gets low enough that the rubber is not at stretched, and
therefore able to temporarily "seal" the hole.
 
Dans le message de news:[email protected],
Claire Petersky <[email protected]> a réfléchi, et puis a déclaré :
> Here's the story:
>
> I was sick for a week, and then on vacation for a week. When I got
> back, my back tire was very low, having about 20 lbs of pressure.
> Front was fine. Before I took off for work, I pumped the tires up.
>
> About three miles into the ride, I heard a loud bang, and found that
> the tire had a one inch split, on the tread. Same with the tube. I am
> unaware of riding over anything, but it's certainly possible.
>
> Question:
>
> Do you think there a relationship between the back tire being very
> low and it spliting later? In other words, were these two events
> unrelated, or was the tire being so low symptomatic of something
> going wrong that caused the big bang 15 minute later?

Typically, the failure to invoke positive tire guru surveillance allows the
diabolical tire gremlins to take aggressive steps. Did you chant the
necessary mantra ? Often enough, especially before abandoning your bike ?
Has to be the right chant, too.
--
Bonne route !

Sandy
Verneuil-sur-Seine FR
 
Andrew F Martin wrote:
> Werehatrack wrote:
>
>>On 28 Feb 2006 11:22:54 -0800, "landotter" <[email protected]>
>>wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Claire Petersky wrote:
>>>
>>>>Here's the story:
>>>>
>>>>I was sick for a week, and then on vacation for a week. When I got back, my
>>>>back tire was very low, having about 20 lbs of pressure. Front was fine.
>>>>Before I took off for work, I pumped the tires up.
>>>>
>>>>About three miles into the ride, I heard a loud bang,
>>>
>>>Either brakes but more likely a small sidewall tear or even UV
>>>degradation. Is the tire papery feeling?
>>
>>OP noted that the one inch split was "on the tread"; the brakes don't
>>seem likely as a culprit in that area.
>>--
>>Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
>>Some gardening required to reply via email.
>>Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.
>
>
> One thing to consider is that Claire is from Seattle where it's wet on
> the ground most of the time. It's very possible that she got a cut in
> her tire (easy to do in the wet) that was almost deep enough to cause a
> flat. After riding it a bit, the rotation of the tire under load might
> have taken that deep point in the cut and blown out, extending the cut
> along its length.
>
> As far as a relation to the slow leak...maybe. 20psi is about what I
> get to on my tires when I have a pin-hole sort of pucture. Eventually
> the pressure gets low enough that the rubber is not at stretched, and
> therefore able to temporarily "seal" the hole.
>

My gosh, not only was I unable deduce what caused the blow-out... I
wasn't even able to figure out where the OP lived :) Next time the
Powerball gets above $200 million I'll be in touch...
 
David wrote:
> Andrew F Martin wrote:
> > Werehatrack wrote:
> >
> >>On 28 Feb 2006 11:22:54 -0800, "landotter" <[email protected]>
> >>wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>Claire Petersky wrote:
> My gosh, not only was I unable deduce what caused the blow-out... I
> wasn't even able to figure out where the OP lived :) Next time the
> Powerball gets above $200 million I'll be in touch...

There aren't a lot of Claire Petersky's that I know...and I live in
Seattle and know her to be an active member of the Cascade Bicycle Club
- so I cheated.
 
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...


> I don't think there is enough information to make any assessment of
> the event. Did you look at the casing failure and see whether it was
> a cut or a rupture?

I don't have it any more, so I couldn't tell you if it ruptured or was cut.

Leo Lichtman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...>

> IOW, hindsight is not always 20/20. So what? If you could somehow know
> the
> exact sequence which led to this failure, would you do anything different?

If I had known that the tire was likely to fail in the near future, I might
have ridden another bike that morning, or replaced the tire with one lying
about here in the garage as a temporary fix.

"Werehatrack" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> OP noted that the one inch split was "on the tread"; the brakes don't
> seem likely as a culprit in that area.

Exactly. This was not a sidewall blow-out.

"Andrew F Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

>> My gosh, not only was I unable deduce what caused the blow-out... I
>> wasn't even able to figure out where the OP lived :) Next time the
>> Powerball gets above $200 million I'll be in touch...
>
> There aren't a lot of Claire Petersky's that I know...

In fact, I'm the only one in North America, and probably the world.

Thanks everyone for your speculation. It was helpful to me.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
Sponsor me for the Big Climb! See: www.active.com/donate/cpetersky06
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky
 
Claire Petersky <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> "Andrew F Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> There aren't a lot of Claire Petersky's that I know...
>
> In fact, I'm the only one in North America, and probably the world.

The joys of a unique name. i.e. being the only search result in
google. Thankfully it's all pretty innocuous, being all bicycles
or Unix for me.

You have all those perverse vegetable posts to live down though.

;-)

--
Dane Buson - [email protected]
The wind doth taste so bitter sweet,
Like Jaspar wine and sugar,
It must have blown through someone's feet,
Like those of Caspar Weinberger.
-- P. Opus
 
Claire Petersky writes:

>> I don't think there is enough information to make any assessment of
>> the event. Did you look at the casing failure and see whether it was
>> a cut or a rupture?

> I don't have it any more, so I couldn't tell you if it ruptured or
> was cut.

So why are you plying us with this ancient tale? This is as good a
troll as I have seen in a while. In an attempt to be helpful, readers
have offered more responses than most rolls other than helmet wars
receive.

Don't do that!

Jobst Brandt
 
On 01 Mar 2006 22:20:49 GMT, [email protected] wrote:

>Claire Petersky writes:
>
>>> I don't think there is enough information to make any assessment of
>>> the event. Did you look at the casing failure and see whether it was
>>> a cut or a rupture?
>
>> I don't have it any more, so I couldn't tell you if it ruptured or
>> was cut.
>
>So why are you plying us with this ancient tale? This is as good a
>troll as I have seen in a while. In an attempt to be helpful, readers
>have offered more responses than most rolls other than helmet wars
>receive.
>
>Don't do that!
>
>Jobst Brandt

After posting that OT **** about Cheney, you are the last guy who
should be scolding someone.

As much as I have tried to ignore it, it really is obvious that you
are a ****. You don't own this forum.

Ancient tale, it probably happened last week. In my neighborhood, the
garbageman comes weekly.

Jeff
 
Quoting <[email protected]>:
>So why are you plying us with this ancient tale? This is as good a
>troll as I have seen in a while.

Personally, I think all that US politics **** was as good a troll as I
have seen since the last round of US politics ****.
--
David Damerell <[email protected]> Kill the tomato!
Today is Oneiros, March.
 
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