Chris Eilbeck said:... just pedalling along, minding my own business, when I hear tick
... tick ... tick, the sort of sound you get when the rubber pips on
new tyres hit the mudguard supports. Everything seems fine so I carry
on. Notice the same thing on the way home the other day too. Think,
ah, I'll have a look at that at the weekend. Check things out, oil
the chain, check pressures, charge lights, remember the occasional
ticking sound. Lift the front wheel, spin it, same sound even with
the axle unloaded so the bearings are probably ok.
This morning I get togged up, set off for work, down the road, first
bend, all well, approaching left junction see oncoming car, indicate
left, brake, hear ticking sound get more insistent, think I must have
picked up a stone, make turn, decide to stop and investigate, stop,
front wheel goes bang, big styleee.
It turns out the inner tube slitting problem I'd been having a couple
of months before xmas was due to the side wall of the tyre splitting
above the bead and things had been progressively worse since until
this morning.
So I walk back home, pull the wheel off and pop it in the car and head
to work. Dropped into the LBS at lunchtime who tell me that shouldn't
have happened even if I am a fat biffer and they'll try to get at
least a refund towards a couple of Marathon Plus from the distributor
(which should turn up next week). Sterling service yet again from
Back On Track Bikes in Malvern.
Chris
--
Chris Eilbeck
Something similar happened to me on my MTB; I was conscious of change
of sound at each rotation, particularly when using dynamo. (I'd done
about 800 miles on the tyre, which was on the bike at purchase). On
investigating, noticed that tyre seemed to be distorted, but there was
no corresponding distortion in the rim. Took tyre and tube out,
checked for wear, made minor adjustment to spokes to sort out very
minor distortion in rim, replaced tyre and tube, pumped up to 40psi.
Did a quick check and distortion appeared to be less. Not convinced
I'd solved problem, locked garage and went upstairs.
10 minutes later, huge explosion from somewhere beneath me. In the
garage the tyre had a small hole in the side of it just outside the rim
(but not where the dynamo engaged). The tube had extruded itself
through this, and let go in a big way.
I took the tyre back to LBS where I had bought bike and await a refund
when the tyre rep has been in.
Footnote: After the tube let go I went to my local LBS (not the same
one) for a new tyre and tube. Bought a Schwalbe tyre with so-called
puncture-prevention technology. After 20 miles I got a puncture, which
on investigation turrned out to be caused be a 3cm long thin metal
spike sticking out of the tyre at an acute angle. This turned out to
be part of the tyre itself, presumably an element of the
puncture-prevention technology.
This resulted in the one and only time I've had to call out the fourth
emergency service (int his case my daughter) in car to collect me.
Local LBS owner said that this was the first time he'd seen this
happen. Gave me a replacement.
Peter.
