Worn out Inner Tube?

[garrett01]

Back in May I had a blowout. My grandpa buys me two new Hutchinson tubes and a new tire for the front wheel. Well, here it is, August, and my rear tube got punctured. I go through tubes quickly, I have no idea why, I guess it is because I ride on the sidewalks of my town where there is (strangely) shards of glass, nails, and other things on it.

So my tube got punctured. I was planning on using a patch kit a friend had and said I could use if I ever needed it. So today, I took the tube out of the tire to find where the puncture was.

It was quickly found. It was a huge hole, I could see it. But while I was pumping it up (the puncture was at the top facing my face), I felt a "breeze" of air on my legs.

I pumped up the tube about to 10 to 15 pumps of air. Turned out, the "breeze" I felt was another puncture in the tube.

I looked at the tube where this other puncture was, and the tube looks like it is getting ready to split into tube. There was about 5 or 6 different "about-to-split points" on the tube in that area. I must say that this tube is only three months old, already about to fail, and it has hardly been ridden! Plus I keep my tires at around 40 PSI when the tire recommends 50 PSI.

I'm furious that this Hutchinson tube we bought at Wal*Mart (really a "Todson" tube) is failing. I've gotten these Hutchinson tubes because they were pretty heavy, heavier than the Kenda tubes this bike use to have, but I'm never buying any Hutchinson (or Todson) product again. Who knows, I could have been on the road (with the tube patched) when the tube decided to split open.

I have no idea if it is the tire or the tube, or what. I will try to get photos tomorrow (I have to do a lot tonight.) But any help is appreciated greatly.

[xcalibur]

If you have received a bad tube it is often the seams which fail (a tiny ride or two along the tube where it is joint together). A similar point of failure is along valve. However all kinds of tears and weaknesses in the rubber are possible. It happens now and then, but not very often on quality tubes.

A typical reason for tearing of the tubes happens when you put back the tire on the rim; the tire lever (or alternatively a screwdriver) pinches the tube between the rim or the tyre). Be careful with the lever and don't use the screwdriver. You can usually get the tire on with you bare hands when you know how to press gradually along the tire. It is a must to fill a new tube with air before you proceed, it streches it a bit, and makes the whole thing easier. Fill the tube with air and then let most of it out before placing it in the tire. Make sure no part of the tube is sticking out between the rim and the tire befor you fill it with air, it will eventually cause tears if so. These type of punctures are typically tears, often an inch or so long; not a hard to find hole.

You should always check the tyre for glass or metal pieces after a puncture; run the tip of your finger carefully along the inner sider of the tire. You can most often feel anything which have punctured through, and you should be able to see it too. If you ride your bike in the city and along streets you might have to replace the tire more often. If you chech the outside of the tire and find lots of glass or metal pieces stuck in there you might as well get a new one: at least when you start to have punctures unreasonably often. The tiny glass and metal pieces have a tendency to gradually find their way closer and closer to the tube, and eventually a puncture.

[garrett01]

(08-29-2013, 02:56 PM)xcalibur Wrote:  If you have received a bad tube it is often the seams which fail (a tiny ride or two along the tube where it is joint together). A similar point of failure is along valve. However all kinds of tears and weaknesses in the rubber are possible. It happens now and then, but not very often on quality tubes.

A typical reason for tearing of the tubes happens when you put back the tire on the rim; the tire lever (or alternatively a screwdriver) pinches the tube between the rim or the tyre). Be careful with the lever and don't use the screwdriver. You can usually get the tire on with you bare hands when you know how to press gradually along the tire. It is a must to fill a new tube with air before you proceed, it streches it a bit, and makes the whole thing easier. Fill the tube with air and then let most of it out before placing it in the tire. Make sure no part of the tube is sticking out between the rim and the tire befor you fill it with air, it will eventually cause tears if so. These type of punctures are typically tears, often an inch or so long; not a hard to find hole.

You should always check the tyre for glass or metal pieces after a puncture; run the tip of your finger carefully along the inner sider of the tire. You can most often feel anything which have punctured through, and you should be able to see it too. If you ride your bike in the city and along streets you might have to replace the tire more often. If you chech the outside of the tire and find lots of glass or metal pieces stuck in there you might as well get a new one: at least when you start to have punctures unreasonably often. The tiny glass and metal pieces have a tendency to gradually find their way closer and closer to the tube, and eventually a puncture.

I installed the tube with my hand. I never have used a screwdriver or any other object to pry the tire on and off. I've always used my bare hand.

There is no debris in the tire. The cracks are perpendicular to the seam of the tube.