Road tubes exploding - questions?

[Couch_Surfer]

So I picked up some brand new tires and tubes (tire = Armadillo) for my 6 year old Vitali. Everything on the Road bike is in great condition due to me travelling so much for the last several years.

I get maybe 2 hours of riding in (4 commutes to and 3.5 from work @ 45 mins per go) when the rear tube explodes. I assumed that maybe I picked up some crap on the road or maybe I managed to pinch that tube when changing the tires/tubes and it's been waiting to give. Change that tube, commute in to work, go for a couple of laps around Stanley Park then end up having a picnic with wife and friends on second beach. The bike has been parked for easily 40+ minutes when BOOOM, the front tube explodes.

In both cases, the tube ends up with a split down the side approx 3-4 inchs long and the tire is blown off the rim at where the tube exploded.

Now, it could very well be that I can't change a tire after 10+ years of riding. But I was pretty careful in checking the bead of the tire and ensuring that I wasn't pinching the tube.
A friend suggested that perhaps the tire/rim fit is not tight enough (tires were fairly easy to put on - could do it with hands only), and that pumping the tube up ended up lifting the bead high enough that the tube was able to get underneath it. Then when things settled, the tire pinched the tube and it exploded. Seems plausible, but I'm not sure.

I'm going to hit La Bicycletta and talk to them about it, but I'm wondering if anyone else has encountered something like this?

It's got me a bit spooked to get back on that bike until I know the cause and can be reasonably confident that it's been addressed.

Cheers

[sanrensho]

Some obvious questions: Did you check for abrasions on the rim, spoke bed and the inside of the tire itself? Your PSI was within the range for your tires?

Can't say I've ever experienced this problem before.

Practically speaking, I'd suggest you pick up the cheapest road tires from MEC and try them. That should tell you if the tires are the problem.

[Couch_Surfer]

I will admit that I did not check for abrasions before mounting both new tires. However after the first one blew, I did check both the rim, spoke bed and inside of tire for any information as to why it gave. It also strikes me as slightly too coincidental that both gave out within very similar time frames (and so close to one another).

I'll pull both tires off tonight and give a real thorough inspection of both.

As for the MEC tires, I was running cheapo MEC tires on the bike previously and never encountered this issue (that was before the bike was hung up for a few years - the travel thing). Didn't like the traction of those tires (at least from memory), hence the switch.... I get what you're saying about trying a different set to see if the problem goes away (and therefore furthering the theory that it's related to the new tires somehow), but I'm somewhat leary of risking further tire explosions without some degree of confidence in what happened.

Appreciate the comments and suggestions.

PS - yes they were pumped up within range of the tire, I'm not that rookie ;) (but I know it did have to be asked)

[trout]

I get maybe 2 hours of riding in (4 commutes to and 3.5 from work @ 45 mins per go) when the rear tube explodes. I assumed that maybe I picked up some crap on the road or maybe I managed to pinch that tube when changing the tires/tubes and it's been waiting to give. Change that tube, commute in to work, go for a couple of laps around Stanley Park then end up having a picnic with wife and friends on second beach. The bike has been parked for easily 40+ minutes when BOOOM, the front tube explodes.


Hmmnnn, try using some baby powder in the tire to help the tire and tube seat itself.

[sanrensho]

As for the MEC tires, I was running cheapo MEC tires on the bike previously and never encountered this issue

That pretty much settles it then. It's obviously the tires and possibly with the way they seat on your rim. That's the most plausible thing I can think of.

Give away/sell the Armadillos and pick up something from MEC. If you find the new tires do not seat well on your rim, take them back to MEC for a refund, no questions asked. Repeat until you find a tire with a bead that seats tightly on your rims.

[Couch_Surfer]

Yeah - that's my feeling as well. Sucks though, I liked the way the Armadillo's felt.

Cheers.

Trout - how does the baby powder help?

[trout]

Prevents the tube from getting bunched up or binding inside the tire, plus your flats will always smell baby fresh.

[Couch_Surfer]

Good tip - thx.

[synchro]

i'll take the tires seeing as you're giving them away.

[sanrensho]

Yeah, I also do the baby powder as well (road and mtb). Although I don't think it would have helped prevent the tire from blowing off the rim.

[synchro]

i'd say cheap tubes and heat. heat from the ride expanding the air just enough to explode the tube. heat from the tire sitting in the sun just enough to explode the tube.

and the baby powder thing makes it way easier to swap out a flat and it keeps crud from sticking to the tube.

[sanrensho]

i'll take the tires seeing as you're giving them away.

***Heh heh, Couch_Surfer will never figure out that I actually have two accounts under different names, I've got him now...***

[Couch_Surfer]

** Sarensho too? how many accounts does this Synchro have... (http://bb.nsmb.com/showpost.php?p=1397959&postcount=24)**

[sanrensho]

** Sarensho too? how many accounts does this Synchro have... (http://bb.nsmb.com/showpost.php?p=1397959&postcount=24)**

I've seen Mark's tits and they are not that big.

[Poz]

Just curious... are you using the cheap MEC tubes? I made that mistake once and an exploding tube as well as a flat. They can't handle any pressure and when they heat up on a ride, kaboom!

I switched over to one of the more brandname tubes and havent had a problem yet.

[thewalrus]

Just curious... are you using the cheap MEC tubes? I made that mistake once and an exploding tube as well as a flat. They can't handle any pressure and when they heat up on a ride, kaboom!

I switched over to one of the more brandname tubes and havent had a problem yet.

I've been using the MEC house brand (they're Cheng Shin/Maxxis) 93 gram, 23mm tubes for over a year now, no flats, no blowouts, no slow leaks.

Kind of weird to hear about Armadillos not seating right on a standard 700C wheel. Usually people complain the bead on armadillos is very tight compared to some other tires (michelin, hutchinson, etc).

[Couch_Surfer]

I bought the tubes at Bicycletta - forget what brand, but they weren't cheapo's (maybe specialized?). Maybe it's a thin tube, not sure. Will probably bring the bike in to them tomorrow and ask their opinion on what might be going on.

I'm hoping it's tube related as the Armadillos felt pretty nice. Although I suppose I could use this as cost justification on a new set of rims.

[thebigchin]

If the tire itself isn't split, then its almost certain that the tube was sticking out past the hook/bead where the tire seats on the rim. After changing the tube it sounds like you'll have to check the tire to make sure that the tube isn't pinched.

[sanrensho]

I've been using the MEC house brand (they're Cheng Shin/Maxxis) 93 gram, 23mm tubes for over a year now, no flats, no blowouts, no slow leaks.

Same here, been using MEC tubes on road and mtb with zero issues. I prefer them over the Conti tubes sold at MEC, which had some issues.