My wheel just blew up.

CianRyan

As in the title, wasn't out cycling or anything. The bike was just sitting in the front room and next of all my self and my parents are startled by what sounded like a bomb going off outside.

Myself and my dad head out the front to see what was going on but found nothing so preceded to inspect inside.
After a bit of messing around I noticed my wheel had gone flat, bam, that what it was.

It wasn't over inflated, I had it at ~70-75psi and the max is 80. The tube was never repaired but to be fair it'd been in the wheel for about a year so it could have just perished over time.

I'm glad I wasn't in the room when it went off, I think I could have lost my hearing it was so loud.

What do ye reckon?
Old tube just perishing over time or could there be something wrong with the wheel.
No spare tubes around the house so I'll be over at the bike shop tomorrow to grab a new one, worth taking the wheel with me?

Home:Ballyhoura

Placed near a radiator or source of heat by any chance? Anything to cause the air inside the tube to expand beyond what the tube was capable of holding?

Beasty

Have you checked the wheel for damage? How old is it?

Has the tyre been inflated recently?

I would suggest taking the wheel to your LBS to get it checked over - you would probably prefer that not to happen when you're on the bike!

CianRyan

Wasn't near a radiator, I pumped them up at about mid day yesterday so there was no sudden rise in pressure.

The type looks like it needs to be replaces, the lining at the bottom is starting to expose a little metal so I'll grab a new set tomorrow while I'm getting them to look at the wheel.

Even though the tyre can hold that much pressure, are all tubes able to handle it?
I use to have much less pressure in them when I was using it offroad/in skate parks so it could have been a case of being to much for the specific tube?

Yeah, first thing I said was I'm happy I wasn't on the bike when it went.
I've only recently started getting into road cycling so I wouldn't of had much control if it had went, not that anyone would but you know.

Found a recently punctured tube and patched that to throw inside, I've it inflated but only to ~60psi, bit afraid to put any more in before I get the wheel looked at.

The wheel's been on the bike since I got it in 2009, two big enough crashes but the last one was about a year ago and I haven't noticed anything wrong with it since then.

blorg

What you describe most commonly happens with an incorrectly seated tyre bead, although generally within 24 hours (at most) of (re)fitting the tyre. From your description (showing metal) it sounds like the bead was damaged.

The tube will hold any pressure, the air is held in by the tyre and the rim. Sounds like an old/faulty tyre in this case.

CianRyan

That clears it up.

I'll buy some tyres tomorrow so, frustrating as it is when all I want to do with the bike is sell it for an upgrade but at least it'll be in good condition when I do. :rolleyes:

Cheers, lads. Glad I have people to turn to for advice.

HivemindXX

Similar thing happened to me. Big bang, flat tyre (I was on the bike). Checked for thorns/glass/nails etc and nothing. Replaced tube. Got back on. 5 minutes later another big bang and the tyre flattens out instantly.

I was a bit puzzled for a while but when I put the third tube in I checked again after it was inflated. It turns out a hole had developed in the sidewall of the tyre. Under pressure the tube had pushed a bubble out through this hole like something out of one of those bowel cancer awareness ads. Obviously having a section of the tube living outside the tyre is asking for trouble.

tomasrojo

Front wheel or rear wheel? The consequences of this happening on the road with the front wheel are potentially much worse.

Any tears in the side wall? That can lead to explosive failure too.

EDIT: HivemindXX posted while I was writing my comment.

droidus

Do you have a cat?;)

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=63334582

Treason

Check your rim tape before going out and getting new tires. If the rim tape is not straight, or if damaged, the tube will expand within an exposed crevis when pumped and can lead to it bursting in an almost random way even while the bike is just lying there. This is particularly so on double skinned rims.

Saw it happen last year. It took changing the tube 4 times before it was realised.

Edit, also ensure the rim tape is of good quality and thickness. If its thin then it will cause a blow-out as the pressure of the tube presses on the rim tape creating a crevice where the spoke holes are.

CianRyan

tomasrojo wrote: »

Front wheel or rear wheel? The consequences of this happening on the road with the front wheel are potentially much worse.

Any tears in the side wall? That can lead to explosive failure too.

EDIT: HivemindXX posted while I was writing my comment.

Rear wheel, thankfully.
Don't see any tears in the side wall but there's about 3 inches of metal showing on the bead.

droidus wrote: »

Do you have a cat?;)

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=63334582

Last year this would have been relevant.

Treason wrote: »

Check your rim tape before going out and getting new tires. If the rim tape is not straight, or if damaged, the tube will expand within an exposed crevis when pumped and can lead to it bursting in an almost random way even while the bike is just lying there. This is particularly so on double skinned rims.

Saw it happen last year. It took changing the tube 4 times before it was realised.

Edit, also ensure the rim tape is of good quality and thickness. If its thin then it will cause a blow-out as the pressure of the tube presses on the rim tape creating a crevice where the spoke holes are.

Actually haven't got any rim tape!
I've never used it since I got the bike and the LBS's never said anything to me about it. Do you need it on all rims?

I bought two new tyres today and was about to throw them on now, should I grab some tape first?

Got Schwable Marathon Plus if anyone's wondering. Quite a lot slimmer and slicker than what I had on so hopefully they'll be alright 'till I can afford a road bike.:rolleyes:


Edit: There is rim tap on the wheel. :rolleyes:
It does seem pretty thin though, I'll pick some up shortly, probably not 'till next week though.