Frequent blow outs in the same location

Question

I keep getting blow outs in my front tube and always in the same location: right next to the valve stem. The blow outs look like:

On this same tube, there is wear on exactly the other side of the valve stem. I have checked the tire and the wheel and there doesn't appear to be anything sharp enough there.

What can cause this? I suspect it's something that I'm doing. I'm tired of buying new tubes, as I hear these flats cannot be patched. If it matters, it's a presta valve and I usually inflate to 110 psi, the maximum.

Answer 1

Check inside the rim at the point where the punctures occur.

Is the rim tape intact?

Does a spoke push through when weight is placed on the bike? One of my friends had a problem like this, and it turned out that when he sat on the bike his weight caused the end of a spoke to push through the rim and puncture his tyre.

Answer 2

A few things come to mind:

1. Using a presta tube on a rim designed for schraeder valves. This would cause wear around the valve stem. See "Can I usea a presta tube in a schraeder rim?" for more details.
2. Worn out rim tape near the valve. Does the tape look worn? Is there some nasty edge or burr under the tape that's getting through? Try replacing the rim tape or doubling it up in the area where you're getting the flats.
3. Tubes getting nicked when you install them. When replacing your front tube, do you put the valve stem in first or last? (first is better) Is it possible that the tube is getting pinched against the rim edge when putting the tire back on?

Answer 3

The picture of your blow-out doesn't show up for me, so I'm guessing a bit based on your description.

Do you use the little nut that comes with the tube and threads down the stem of the presta valve? Typically, you'd thread this nut on and screw it down to the rim after installing and inflating the tube. The nut provides a bit of support for the vavle stem against the rim.

If you are using this nut, you may be overtightening it. The symptoms if this is the case will be the valve stem separating from the tube where it joins the tube.

If this sounds like your problem, I'd suggest you either don't fit the nut or you only fit the nut after you've inflated the tube in the tyre, and that you make sure you don't tighten the nut too tight.

Answer 4

I am not sure about the location but I have a similar issue with punctures always at the same side of the edge of the valve. As it is always on the same side of the valve, it seems like the friction between the rim and the tire is too low, causing the tire to slowly slide when braking, and generating extra pressure on the valve's edge (until it is finally cut by the rim). What I did to solve it was cleaning both the rim and the tire on the areas where they are joined together. Also, apply a layer of a rubber glue on the same area of the rim to create a thin rubber layer that increases the friction between both parts. Once the glue is cured, mount the tire back.

Answer 5

Is it a deep v style rim? I have this exact problem and in my case, the rim is so far away from the inner tube that it stretches to fill the void caused by the valve being above the tyre beads/walls. Therefore the inner tube ends up with a blowout, leaving a rough star shaped hole, these are very difficult if not impossible to repair. Try putting to large patches on a new inner tube either side of the valve and see if that fixes the issue, or taking an old inner tube pull the valve out of it and cut a piece to support that area. You can also use an old innertube and turn it into a big elastic band (using scissors) and put that over the rim to act like a thick rim tape, again using the old valve hole to line up with the rim hole. Hope that helps.