Why did my tube blow?

[Biker Jo]

I had something happen to me today that's never happened before (and I hope never happens again). After riding for about 20 miles, I turned at a corner, and I heard a weird noise coming from my front tire, as if something was stuck on the tire or in the spokes. Then suddenly I heard a very loud pop, and the tube blew out. Fortunately I was on a group ride, and the guy who changed the tube (yes, I could have done it myself, but it would have taken forever) said the tire came off the rim, and that's why the tube blew.

Now, I've had flats before, but never from the tire coming off the rim. Any idea why that could have happened? I don't think my tires were underinflated, since I put air in them last night, and I'm sure I've ridden on underinflated tires in the past. So I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts.

Thanks,

Jo

[SouthernBelle]

How old is the tire? I noticed as they get older the clincher portion tends to stretch out. Esp if they don't have wire in them.

[jusdooit]

It's possible that the last time the tube was changed the tire bead did not get seated properly. This would allow a sort of bubble to develop and it will pop.

[Biker Jo]

I believe the tires are about a year old, and they have probably 1,000-1,200 miles on them. And I don't think I've had a flat in that tire until today, so everything was the same as when it was originally mounted last year.

If it matters, they're Vittoria Rubino Pros, and I remember reading in a different thread that somebody didn't really care for them.

Jo

[PinkBike]

possibly they weren't aired up enough?

[Running Mommy]

when you put the new tube in did you check the side walls? I had a side wall blow out one day. It was a MASSIVE pop! Scared the jeepers out of me. After I changed the tire I noticed that the tube was bulging out the side again, and came to the sinking realization that the tire was toast.
Might want to double check so it doesn't happen again.

[DrBadger]

when you put the new tube in did you check the side walls? I had a side wall blow out one day. It was a MASSIVE pop! Scared the jeepers out of me. After I changed the tire I noticed that the tube was bulging out the side again, and came to the sinking realization that the tire was toast.
Might want to double check so it doesn't happen again.

Something like that happened to me today... ~15 miles into what was supposed to be a 60 mile ride with some friends we hear my tire go in a pretty impressive whoosh, change the flat, couldn't feel anything in the tire so ffigure that whatever it was didn't stay in the tire. Pumped it up to pressure, and then as I was putting the wheel back on the bike had a pretty impressive pop. Turns out that something cut the side wall of my tire, so when brought up to pressure the tube started poking out the side wall and blew. At that point we knew that I wasn't riding any further on those tires and I had to call another friend to come and pick me up while the others continued on the ride. Went into the bike shop and $100 later I have 2 new tires and a couple of new tubes to replace the lost ones. Grrr...

But yes, check the sidewalls of the tire, that can cause flats like you described.

[Biker Jo]

Thanks for all the advice.

After the flat was fixed, I finished the ride (another 12 miles) without a problem, even though the tire wasn't inflated to the proper PSI. I pumped up the tire last night, and everything seems to be okay - I don't see any bulges or anything. But now I'm worried that it could happen again. (I tend to worry a lot!). I'm just hoping that it was one of those freak occurrences, since, like I said in my original post, this is the first time (and I hope the last time) this has ever happened.

[DebW]

Overinflating a tire could cause it to blow off the rim. Underinflation would not, but could cause a pinch flat. Since the tire had been mounted for a year, it was probably not a bead seating issue.

[onimity]

I've never had this happen but on a group ride a few weeks ago a guy was talking about how he had inflated his tires in his cool garage the night before a ride and then went out to ride in extreme heat the next day...his tire pressure increased from the heat and kablam. His buddy said he had a (bike) tire blow in the back of his car as he was driving to the mountains to ride.

Anne

[coyote]

I blew a tire in freezing weather once. It was a hard freeze morning, the bike sat in the shed all night and I added air to the tire before I took off. It blew less then a mile away from home. I do not fill my tires up on freezing mornings or extremely hot afternoons. As a matter of fact in the summer time I fill the tire about 10 psi less then max. Until it happened, I never thought about it.