Flat Tires in the Morning....Why?

the_ryder said:

Hey All -

My bike (Scattante R550) has been pretty solid except for the last 2 weeks. Maybe 3 different times I have woken up in the morning to go out for a ride only to be delayed because my rear wheel is flat. After taking the tube out each time I find a small hole in it. I've inspected the tire and I can't find any hole that would allow junk in to hit the tube. What the hell is going on? Thanks for your time and effort.

-matt

Something sharp is in there puncturing your tube repeatedly.

Check the tire again for a retained thorn, staple, piece of glass. Inspect the inside of the tire not just the outside. Also check the rim for sharp edges/burrs. File or sand down a sharp spot if you find one. Also check the rim strip for defects that could allow a spoke/nipple to puncture the tube. If necessary, replace the rim strip.

Use the tube as a guide to help find the source. The sharp point should be about the same distance from the rim valve hole as the hole in the tube is from the valve stem.

Good luck.

I would add to look for a very very small piece wire in the tire. They are very hard to feel so use a bright light next time to inspect the inside of the tire and I would agree with changing the rim tape if nothing is found.

jhuskey said:

I would add to look for a very very small piece wire in the tire. They are very hard to feel so use a bright light next time to inspect the inside of the tire and I would agree with changing the rim tape if nothing is found.

Cotton ball rubbed around in there might shred some fluff and make small sharp bits easier to find. But definitely pay attention to where the puncture is relative to the valve.

I second the comment about the looking for small wire. I just had a flat on my rear tire. After going over the inside of the tire twice I found the culprit. A very small piece of wire made it through the tire. It was my first flat with the Aramadillo All Conditions in about 13 months. Lots of good trouble free miles.

the_ryder said:

Hey All -

My bike (Scattante R550) has been pretty solid except for the last 2 weeks. Maybe 3 different times I have woken up in the morning to go out for a ride only to be delayed because my rear wheel is flat. After taking the tube out each time I find a small hole in it. I've inspected the tire and I can't find any hole that would allow junk in to hit the tube. What the hell is going on? Thanks for your time and effort.

-matt

In the future, use Tufo tire sealant with the new tubes. It will plug up to a 2 mm hole.

the_ryder said:

Hey All -

My bike (Scattante R550) has been pretty solid except for the last 2 weeks. Maybe 3 different times I have woken up in the morning to go out for a ride only to be delayed because my rear wheel is flat. After taking the tube out each time I find a small hole in it. I've inspected the tire and I can't find any hole that would allow junk in to hit the tube. What the hell is going on? Thanks for your time and effort.

-matt

I have had this same problem, caused by a tiny piece of glass embedded in the tyre. It was undetectable until I worked out exactly where it was from the position of the hole.

Do as others suggest, be very methodical and dogged at finding what is poking into your tube. There is either something stuck into the tire that you won't see easily or there is something sticking through the rim tape. I've found, over the years, glass, wire, tacks, pieces of a tack (just the pointy part), etc. For a skinny road tire there is sure a lot of surface area to carefully inspect. You know you have something to find because you find a hole in your tube repeateadly.

DiabloScott said:

Cotton ball rubbed around in there might shred some fluff and make small sharp bits easier to find. But definitely pay attention to where the puncture is relative to the valve.

Hey! That's a cool simple idea. Thanks! Stored in memory for future refference

Look closer for all the above mentioned things such as wire and small glass or even sharp rocks that stay bedded in the rubber/inside thread.

I had that problem...till...
New tire, new tube, new rim strip....problem solved.
Good luck.

I have the same problem. Mine is due to a small cut in the tire itself. I kept patching the tube and the next morning after a ride it would be flat again. After inflating the tube it stretched the tire enough to open up the cut in the tire and then it would pinch the tube and cause a very slow leak. I patched the inside of the tire but that didn't work. Not ready to ditch the tire yet so I don't even bother to patch the tube anymore. Just fill it up before I ride. It's such a slow leak that I can get my ride in with no problems. Long story short...check the tire for a cut...it could be pinching your tube.

the_ryder said:

Hey All -

My bike (Scattante R550) has been pretty solid except for the last 2 weeks. Maybe 3 different times I have woken up in the morning to go out for a ride only to be delayed because my rear wheel is flat. After taking the tube out each time I find a small hole in it. I've inspected the tire and I can't find any hole that would allow junk in to hit the tube. What the hell is going on? Thanks for your time and effort.

-matt

..and after your ride, LIGHTLY pass a scotchbrite pad both clockwise and counterclockwise around front and back tires. This will catch anything that would cause a flat. Use this as your normal post ride maintance regime.