Another Freakin' flat tire!

[Marktur]

OK, I don't get it...
I just replace the tube from yesterday with a Schwinn Self-sealing tire, rode about 1 mile, and I have a flat again.

I'm running 35psi...when I changed the tube last night, I didn't see any nails or felt anything sharp inside the tire either. I ran my hand over the spokes where they come on the inside of the rim, and didn't feel anything sticking up, either.

I am getting very discouraged...no problems with the motor kit...but I'm starting to feel like motors are for motorcycles, and bikes are for pedaling.

Is this normal to have flat tires all the time? Any suggestions?

Thanks.
Mark

[loquin]

How did you replace the tube? You have to be very careful not to pinch the tube if you lever the tire onto the rim. Do you have rim tape over the spokes? Did you partially inflate the tire, then let the air out, massage the tube (through the tire) to make sure there aren't any 'kinks' in the tube, and then reinflate to full pressure?

visit the bike repair site referenced here for more tips

[Large Filipino]

That would be my guess as well. I bet when you take that tube out and check for a leak you'll find the leak at a kink. Believe it or not,if you inflate that tube till it forms the doughnut shape you can actually reuse that tube and if you got rid of the kink it would actually seal up.
But then again,a new slime tube is under 7 bucks.
Next go around,inflate it a little and use your bare hands thru most of the install using only a lever when you absolutely cannot get that last inch of tire over.

[Marktur]

OK...I'll do it again...I've changed lots of mountain bike tires over the years, and never seen this happen...maybe it's the extra large cruiser tires?

Well, I bought a pair of Kevlar 26" Comfort bike tires (should be smoother than mountain bike knobbies)...apparantly they don't make kevlar cruiser tires...which is a bummer, cause I think the white-walls add to the retro look. I also bought a can of bike fix-a-flat to keep with me as well.

Man, I hope I don't have to be nervous to venture too far from the house now.

I'll report back tomorrow...stuck at work for now

Thanks,
Mark

[Zemus DE]

yeah we call that a snake bite(literally looks like a snake bit the innertube) and is really common in inner tubes that are too big for the tire or visa-versa. Basically you'll see when you go to buy the inner tube it should say something like "for 26" x 1.75-2.15". Just make sure this number fits to what is written on the side of the tire.

[HoughMade]

Are the rim strips good? As mentioned above, I find it actually much easier to replace a tire with a little air in it. Don't give up on your bike- you'll get this solved and probably go a good long while with nothing more tha regualr maintenance.

[ghettobiker]

i hate geting flats!!! my rear tire is so friggin hard to get off,with the ht chain,full cruser fender,coaster brake bracket,etc.when i get a flat,i want to throw my bike into on coming traffic. all that has changed since i put in tire liners. liners are flexable plastic that go between the tire and the tube. i had to trim excess liner with a utility knife with a new blade,boy was it tough! the company will give you a new liner,and a new tube,if you get a flat with their liners in. go to any bike shop and ask about them. best thing since sliced bread. fred.

[Marktur]

Hi guys - thanks for the encouragement. I went to Walmart and bought 2 kevlar comfort tires...openend them up and one looks like the exact cruiser tire I have on the Moon Dog already, except blackwall instead of whitewalls, and the other one did not match..comfort tire - looked smaller, different tread. I think someone switched one out.

I pulled out the tire, and pumped some air into it, and it was obvious...looked like a big oval-shaped section was funny, with a small hole at the creasemark, and it looked like another one was starting on the opposite side. My guess is that it was pinched since the hole was on top, just a few inches from the stem, so I know the orientation for sure. It wasn't flat from a spoke or from an out of the tire puncture.

So I put a new Schwinn self-sealing tube in...partially inflated it, worked it by hand to be "up" in the tire, and it inflated quickly and easily compared to the one last night, too. It feels "right", just like the front one, so I'm going to try and stay with the whitewalls, and I'll get tire-liners ASAP.

Pulled off the chainguard while the tire was off since I had quick and easy access...no more clanking, either, so I'm looking foreward to my ride into work again tomorrow.
We'll try it again...but I'll ride it around my development for a bit first just to be safe...

OK, have a good nite!
Mark

[Marktur]

Well....made it to work this morning!
Also - on my second gallon of fuel now! My POS Speedometer keeps resetting...I should have bought the Schwinn one, but the other brand was half the price...but Junk. I'm guessing around 60-70 mpg for the break in gallon. (I filled it up with about 1/4 tank left in there...so hard to know exactly....however, filling up my MDX last night costed me $85! $4.14 for Super. OUCH!

I'm heading to the bike store at lunch to get liners for the tires...

Thanks for the help, guys.
Mark

[Alaskavan]

There's a thread around somewhere about electronic interference with speedos.