Tire blew off rim today

Back by popular demand, the general all-things Road forum!

Moderator: robbosmans

DeLuz
Posts: 405
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:30 am

by DeLuz

I have using Vittoria latex tubes since last October. No problems not even one flat. Initial impressions were slightly better ride quality and perhaps lower rolling resistance. Today I was going downhill about 30 MPH heard a bang and suddenly I was riding on my front rim. It was a bit scary but luckily I was going staight and was able to stay upright. When I stopped and looked at the wheel it was obvious the tire blew off the rim. I had not ridden this bike for a while and when I pumped up the tires last night they were pretty low. Maybe the latex tube got under the tire bead? The tires are Schwalbe One and fit pretty loose. Do I need to check the tube everytime I pump up the tires if they were low? I am a little squimish now because if I was going around a curve I would have been on the ground. I am thinking butly tubes might be safer in this respect.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



DarthKrutall
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed May 30, 2018 2:16 am

by DarthKrutall

Mate, we going to need some pics. This is the internet ...

User avatar
ms6073
Posts: 4290
Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:24 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

by ms6073

DeLuz wrote:
Wed Jun 06, 2018 3:20 am
Maybe the latex tube got under the tire bead?
If the tire was loose on the rim, then it is very possible the bead pulled away ever so slightly allowing the tube to get pinched. It is also possible the tube was pinched from the initial install and thanks to the durability of the latex tube, it took quite some time for the tube to give way. I have had that happen a couple times with light weight, high performance open tubulars, but the blow out was significantly more exciting as the tires sidewall was ripped open when the tube let go.
- Michael
"People should stop expecting normal from me... seriously, we all know it's never going to happen"

alcatraz
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:19 am

by alcatraz

It's nothing to do with the tube. If it's trapped you would have a flat before the tire blows off.

Did you do a spin test at half pressure before you pumped it up good? The bead should be nice and even all around.

It's also possible the bead is damaged but I haven't heard of such a thing.

What is possible however is that you happen to have the rare circumstance of installing the tire a bit poorly, having a slightly undersized rim diameter and using a slightly oversized tire diameter. Boom.

Also the rim could have been overheated and become deformed.

Possible? This hasn't happened to me. I'm just trying to think about your problem. Hope you find out what it was.

/a

zefs
Posts: 436
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 8:40 pm

by zefs

Latex tubes expand and it is recommended to change them every year. Mine had expanded before that period. Heat also plays a role on that and with carbon rims it's even worse, but I assume you use aluminum. Were you dragging the brakes by any chance? Glad you didn't fall.

Catagory6
Posts: 612
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2017 2:36 am

by Catagory6

what brand/model rim?
i had a rear tire blow off a stans 340 a few years back
was running conti gp3- or 4k with tube
did a little internet sleuthing and found that this was not uncommon

User avatar
Calnago
In Memoriam
Posts: 8612
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 9:14 pm

by Calnago

Definitely imo the tube creeped underneath the bead, probably as you say because the tires were loose and it found a tiny gap when pumping up. Latex can creep into the tiniest cracks hence the cautions when using latex tubes with clincher rims and the tube is exposed to such things as getting under the bead, under the rim strip, etc. Butyl is less likely to be able to do that but the same thing can happen if you catch the tube under the bead somehow. And no, it does not follow that the tube would have blown instantly upon pumping up, especially with latex. Latex make for nice inntertubes but you have to be extra careful when using them with clincher rims. You were lucky. No worse feeling that have your clincher blow off a rim at speed while descending. Good for you for keeping your wits about you and managing to stay upright. Is the rim destroyed?
Colnago C64 - The Naked Build; Colnago C60 - PR99; Trek Koppenberg - Where Emonda and Domane Meet;
Unlinked Builds (searchable): Colnago C59 - 5 Years Later; Trek Emonda SL Campagnolo SR; Special Colnago EPQ

Hexsense
Posts: 3270
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2015 12:41 am
Location: USA

by Hexsense

alcatraz wrote:
Wed Jun 06, 2018 5:49 am
It's nothing to do with the tube. If it's trapped you would have a flat before the tire blows off.
Latex tube certainly can survive for a long while before it gone flat on repetitively hard cornering etc. That flat can also be quick explosive. Then if the tire is quite loosely sit on pinched tube, it can roll off.

sungod
Posts: 1702
Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 9:37 pm

by sungod

a tube failing inside a tyre will not be explosive

the inner tube is only providing an airtight seal, the tyre (and for a clincher the rim, rim tape etc.) is what holds the pressure

a tyre failing or coming off the rim will be explosive because without the support of tyre+rim the tube will immediately burst

once a tube fails, either the tyre can deflate slowly or the bead can unseat and the remaining pressure will release with a bang

above is the suggestion that the "sidewall was ripped open when the tube let go", no, the likely scenarios are: i) the sidewall failed and the tube burst; or ii) the tube lost pressure, perhaps the rim failed or the bead failed or the bead unseated, whatever it was, the end result was the sidewall got damaged running flat

Svetty
Posts: 539
Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2009 11:06 pm
Location: Yorkshire - God's Own Country

by Svetty

I only run latex tubes on the rear wheel for this very reason.......

User avatar
pdlpsher1
Posts: 4016
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2012 6:09 pm
Location: CO

by pdlpsher1

Yup. The same thing happened to me when I ran latex along with clinchers a long time ago. When latex tubes fail it comes with a loud bang, much like like a balloon popping. I believe the explosive nature of latex is the reason why the tire came off. I had the exact same failure. This is also why I’m against running latex with clinchers. Some of my latex tube failures consist of six inch long gashes. These failures must be quick and sudden, hence the explosive nature of the failure. When air is released in a sudden way it can create a lot of force in a very confined area. When running butyl tubes air can be released quickly but never with a bang. I highly suggest that you give up on latex for the sake of your own safety. To achieve a very close level of ride quality and rolling resistance to latex, I suggest the Conti Supersonic tube. There’s a very good reason why Conti puts latex tubes in their racing tubular tires but they don’t sell a stand-alone latex tube that one can use along with a clincher tire. Conti cares about your safety above corporate profits.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

User avatar
pdlpsher1
Posts: 4016
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2012 6:09 pm
Location: CO

by pdlpsher1

Here’s a low motion video of a latex balloon popping. It explodes so quickly that you need a 10,000 FPS high speed camera to film it.

https://youtu.be/abz0EvMrckk


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

User avatar
Calnago
In Memoriam
Posts: 8612
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 9:14 pm

by Calnago

Yes but that’s an uncontained situation. In a clincher situation, latex is very good at creeping into the tiniest of crevices (between the bead and rim, under rim strips etc.). That is what eventually causes the blowout. It can sit just under the bead for a while but when it goes it’s very likely it will blow the bead off the rim with it.
Colnago C64 - The Naked Build; Colnago C60 - PR99; Trek Koppenberg - Where Emonda and Domane Meet;
Unlinked Builds (searchable): Colnago C59 - 5 Years Later; Trek Emonda SL Campagnolo SR; Special Colnago EPQ

alcatraz
Posts: 4064
Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2016 11:19 am

by alcatraz

I suggest to the OP to do the spin test at half the pressure before going high. Look carefully that the bead is seated at the same height around the rim.

I also suggest to do the "pinched tube check" by going to around 20-30psi and simply pinching the tire with your hands looking along the sides to see if the bead is clear all around on both sides.

First the latter, then the first.

For sticky tires/tubes use talcum powder. Put some pressure in the tube before mounting it and try not to twist it.

/a

User avatar
Calnago
In Memoriam
Posts: 8612
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 9:14 pm

by Calnago

^That should be standard practice regardless of the tube you’re using. But with latex it is harder to ensure everything is “ok”, as it is much more adept at getting into the tiniest cracks than butyl is, even if it was ok upon inflation.
Colnago C64 - The Naked Build; Colnago C60 - PR99; Trek Koppenberg - Where Emonda and Domane Meet;
Unlinked Builds (searchable): Colnago C59 - 5 Years Later; Trek Emonda SL Campagnolo SR; Special Colnago EPQ

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Post Reply