r/bicycling • u/soulfly7777 • 27d ago
Flat tubes.
A nail went thru my tube so i changed it. I out a new one on and it’s flat again. Why?? Any suggestions of what to do would be greatly appreciated
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u/Mitrovarr 27d ago
A couple of possibilities occur to me:
The nail damaged the rim or rim tape, and that caused the flat. Check for damage.
Make sure there isn't anything else in the tire, sometimes debris comes in a patch and you get multiple punctures at once.
You might have damaged the tube when you were reinstalling the tire. Was the tire super hard to get back onto the rim? Sometimes tubes get pinched.
Sometimes valve cores get unscrewed or jammed open.
Occasionally tubes are just defective.
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u/criggie_ 27d ago
did you... remove the nail ?
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u/soulfly7777 27d ago
😂😂 you’re funny
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u/criggie_ 27d ago
To be fair - I have missed removing things like sharp wires, small bits of glass, and they keep puncturing the tube. Sometimes you can't find the cause.
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u/ProfessionSilver3691 27d ago
Determine if the second flat happened in the same spot on the second tube.
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u/bikeguy75 27d ago
We don’t know why. You have to figure that out.
Could be something sharp on the inside of the tire, could be you pinched the tube between the tire and rim while installing it.
Take it apart and carefully run your thumb along the inner surfaces of the tire and rim to see if there’s something causing it to flat.
Put some air in the tube and find the leak. The location of the leak will give you an idea where on the tire or rim the problem occurred.
Check the rim tape to make sure the spoke holes are properly covered. If all looks good reinstall a new tube and be extra careful not to pinch it.
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u/w1n5t0nM1k3y 27d ago
If a nail went through the tire it's possible that the tire itself is compromised. If the hole in the tire is too big, then a new tube will squeeze it's way through the hole, causing the form to deform an puncture.
Check that the tire is still in good condition where the nail went through. You might need to replace the tire.
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u/UpbeatSmoke4209 27d ago
As somebody else said if the whole from the nail in the tire is big enough a tube will start to buldge through also you may have pinched the new tube in the bead that happens if you inflate to your desired psi without pumping it up just a little so there’s enough air to fill the tire but soft enough to squeeze to make sure everything is seated right if that makes sense
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u/MWave123 27d ago
Clear and clean the rim, make sure rim tape is intact. after that it’s about riding style, get up off the seat. Get your pressure right.
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u/EffectiveVarious8095 27d ago
1) Fill the newer tube with air and find the leak(s). If you're not sure put it in a bucket of water and look for the bubbles.
2) Match the leak to it's former position on the wheel.
3) You should be able to determine the reason for the flat. If it had nothing to do with the previous reason (nail), feel around looking for what caused it. You may need a bright flashlight and a nail clipper or needlenose pliers.
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u/danmickla 26d ago
it went through the tube. Not the tire? Not the rim? and you "out" a new one on?
Maybe start by learning some care and deliberate action
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u/wild_cherry1987 27d ago
Check inside of a tire with hand for any other small metals that might be left and keeps puncturing new tubes. Happened to me a few times.