Soo many flats.

[sasquatch9billion]

Everytime I ride I get flats. My track bike gets flats. My mtn. bike gets flats. It's usually the valve being pulled off the rubber at the base on the tubes. It's starting to add up ($ and time lost.) What can I do?
I change the rim strip each time and the mtn. wheelset is only a couple of months old.

[xc burr]

sounds like you air pressure is to low

[bighit8]

+ 1 on air pressure, may be time for a new pump!

[bighit8]

Wrong thread!

[Rob]

Maybe there's something wrong with the Pump? Do you keep getting the same brand tube when you replace?

[Amon Amarth]

Take some sand paper to the valve stem holes, there might be a bur causing the failure. Or maybe try putting a 2" strip of rim tape over the rim tape at the hole and cut a small hole through the tape so the stem just fits. Be careful pulling the pump head off the stem!

[92se-r]

Run a wider tire.

[dutch]

+1 to being careful pulling the pump head off. If you're yanking on the stem each time then you're probably hurting the rubber at the base of the tube each time you pull it off. Each time you're dragging rubber across a roughly drilled (relatively) piece of metal.

I'd guess that if you're getting it on both your road and mountain bikes then that may be the case. I've not flatted my road tubes in about 9 months and about 1700 miles.

[Tedroy]

Ust rims... Ust Tires... 'Lil Stans... No flats in over a year.
Replace the juice every 3 months and all is well.

[bighit8]

Originally Posted by Tedroy

Ust rims... Ust Tires... 'Lil Stans... No flats in over a year.
Replace the juice every 3 months and all is well.

How do you add more sealant with out breaking the bead. I run no tubes now.

I assume removing the valve stem and injecting it?

[guero]

Originally Posted by bighit8

How do you add more sealant with out breaking the bead. I run no tubes now.

I assume removing the valve stem and injecting it?

correct. undo the top part of the presta valve and carefully inject or pour the stans in there.

[slowSSer]

well, there's a question that hasnt been asked: when you're installing the tubes, are they totally deflated or do they have enough air in them to hold their form?

also, do you roll the tires onto the rim by hand or with tire levers?

you might be causing premature snakebite with both methods. with the pre-inflate method you prevent pinching the tube in between the tire and the rim, and with the tire levers, you could just be pinching the new tube.

[tkblazer]

what tires are you running? when i used to run kenda tires i would flat every other ride.. with schwalbe, maxxis tires its rare that i ever flat now and i'm running the same psi (30)

[mouse jockey]

Originally Posted by tkblazer

what tires are you running? when i used to run kenda tires i would flat every other ride.. with schwalbe, maxxis tires its rare that i ever flat now and i'm running the same psi (30)

Exactly....Not sure if he's running Kendas but my experience was / is the same. I posted this on another thread but I've found when I run my Nevegals below 35 I have flats. The Schwalbe Big Betty I run about 28-32, fr-rear, no problems.

I was at the Kenda site the other day and it sounds like they have heard the internet cries about weak sidewalls and have a new tech on the wall called "sidewall shield". I dunno if it works but it's a step in the right direction along with their "capPly" interior.

[Fired Yo Momma]

I have Kenda's and I am also using slime tubes. I have not had a flat yet. I don't really care too much about the weight of the Slime tubes. To me they are worth it.

[mbayushi]

I had the same problem, then I realized that I was tightening the valve stem nut too tight to the rim. That was what what was pulling the stem off the rubber when I rode. now I just make it snug tight. hope this helps.

Originally Posted by sasquatch9billion

Everytime I ride I get flats. My track bike gets flats. My mtn. bike gets flats. It's usually the valve being pulled off the rubber at the base on the tubes. It's starting to add up ($ and time lost.) What can I do?
I change the rim strip each time and the mtn. wheelset is only a couple of months old.

[slowSSer]

Originally Posted by mbayushi

I had the same problem, then I realized that I was tightening the valve stem nut too tight to the rim. That was what what was pulling the stem off the rubber when I rode. now I just make it snug tight. hope this helps.

on those lines, also make sure that the valve stem is perpendicular to the rim- an angled valve stem can be prone to tearing.

also, make sure the hole in the rim is de-burred and covered with rim strip- that can also cause stem rippage.

[BrewMaster]

What brand tubes are you using? My experience has been that Bontrager tubes have the valve stem separate very easily. Slime tubes and IRC tubes have never given me a problem, but YMMV.

[sir crashalot]

Originally Posted by guero

correct. undo the top part of the presta valve and carefully inject or pour the stans in there.

i usually take the trouble to pop off one bead, enough to get rid of the old stan's and add fresh, also so if the old stans dried up into a ball you can remove it. if you simply add more every few months, it adds up over time and the tire's just getting unecessarily heavier (depending on how long you have the tire on the bike of course). Even when the stan's is dried up or lost its effectiveness it still has most of its original mass. BTW I never have a problem sealing a ust tire with a floor pump on a ust rim.

[Amon Amarth]

Originally Posted by mbayushi

I had the same problem, then I realized that I was tightening the valve stem nut too tight to the rim. That was what what was pulling the stem off the rubber when I rode. now I just make it snug tight. hope this helps.

Great point....I have not used stem nuts for about 20 yrs (absolutely not needed) but remember over tightening and tearing the rubber around the stem way back when.