Fixed a flat - made 10 holes in tube

Hi,

Can anyone figure what I did wrong here? I got a flat on my road bike yesterday. As I did not have a
pump with me (duh!) I called for a ride home. While waiting I fixed the hole with a patch kit. When
I got home later and tried inflating the tire I found that there were several new holes in the tube.
These holes were 1-2mm splits usually in pairs.

I am guessing I nipped the tube when taking it out or putting it back in. Any ideas?

Thanks, Robin

 

Robin wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Can anyone figure what I did wrong here? I got a flat on my road bike yesterday. As I did not have
> a pump with me (duh!) I called for a ride home. While waiting I fixed the hole with a patch kit.
> When I got home later and tried inflating the tire I found that there were several new holes in
> the tube. These holes were 1-2mm splits usually in pairs.
>
> I am guessing I nipped the tube when taking it out or putting it back in. Any ideas?
>
> Thanks, Robin
>
>

SOunds like you got a 'snakebite' and then very quickly got several more before you got stopped.
Were you riding over railway tracks with underinflated tires?

(Happened to me once - two sets of two. Had the wrong sized spare with me, too.)

 

"Robin" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Hi,
>
>Can anyone figure what I did wrong here? I got a flat on my road bike yesterday. As I did not have
>a pump with me (duh!) I called for a ride home. While waiting I fixed the hole with a patch kit.
>When I got home later and tried inflating the tire I found that there were several new holes in the
>tube. These holes were 1-2mm splits usually in pairs.
>
>I am guessing I nipped the tube when taking it out or putting it back in. Any ideas?

They were most likely "snakebite" (pinched inner tube) flats, but did you check the tire for
imbedded thorns, nails, etc., before reinstalling the tube?

 

Garrison Hilliard wrote:
> "Robin" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> Can anyone figure what I did wrong here? I got a flat on my road bike yesterday. As I did not
>> have a pump with me (duh!) I called for a ride home. While waiting I fixed the hole with a patch
>> kit. When I got home later and tried inflating the tire I found that there were several new holes
>> in the tube. These holes were 1-2mm splits usually in pairs.
>>
>> I am guessing I nipped the tube when taking it out or putting it back in. Any ideas?
>
> They were most likely "snakebite" (pinched inner tube) flats, but did you check the tire for
> imbedded thorns, nails, etc., before reinstalling the tube?

Thanks for the replies. It sounds like the extra 'snakebites' could have been caused after the
initial flat before I stopped. I did ride a few yards after realising I had the flat.

Thanks, Robin

 

It could also have been what you thought it was at first, that you nipped the tube putting it back
in. I've done that many times and the result sometimes looks like snakebite flats.

"Robin" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Garrison Hilliard wrote:
> > "Robin" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> Can anyone figure what I did wrong here? I got a flat on my road bike yesterday. As I did not
> >> have a pump with me (duh!) I called for a ride home. While waiting I fixed the hole with a
> >> patch kit. When I got home later and tried inflating the tire I found that there were several
> >> new holes in the tube. These holes were 1-2mm splits usually in pairs.
> >>
> >> I am guessing I nipped the tube when taking it out or putting it back in. Any ideas?
> >
> > They were most likely "snakebite" (pinched inner tube) flats, but did you check the tire for
> > imbedded thorns, nails, etc., before reinstalling the tube?
>
> Thanks for the replies. It sounds like the extra 'snakebites' could have been caused after the
> initial flat before I stopped. I did ride a few
yards
> after realising I had the flat.
>
> Thanks, Robin

 

Sounds like snakebites. Make sure that the tube is securely inside the tire before inflating all the
way. Also make sure that the rim strip is in place covering all the nipples before replacing the
tube and tire. That happened to me last summer with my hybrid and I must have flatted 3 or 4 tubes
in succession before it dawned on me to check the rim strip.

Diana B., LPN Diva Nurse

The JerZ Fox

Money doesn't buy happiness. Poverty doesn't buy anything.