Tire pressure and changing flats

[steveyo]

I have a technical question for you.

My tire on my KH29 had about 60 lbs pressure in it all winter and spring without losing any pressure. My last ride was a long trail ride 3 days ago, then yesterday I went to ride and the tire had NO air at all. I pumped it back up and it seems to hold the air, but I don't trust it.

Questions:
1: Since it went so flat so abruptly, there must a leak in the tube, right?

2: To change the tube, I need to remove the entire wheel, right?

3: To do this I just need to remove the bottom brackets, right?

4: Is there a special tube I need, or just a 29 in (700c) bike tire tube?

5: Will changing tube or tire be any more difficult than changing one on a mtn bike?

Thanks,

Steveyo

[nickjb]

Originally posted by steveyo
I have a technical question for you.

My tire on my KH29 had about 60 lbs pressure in it all winter and spring without losing any pressure. My last ride was a long trail ride 3 days ago, then yesterday I went to ride and the tire had NO air at all. I pumped it back up and it seems to hold the air, but I don't trust it.

Questions:
1: Since it went so flat so abruptly, there must a leak in the tube, right?

2: To change the tube, I need to remove the entire wheel, right?

3: To do this I just need to remove the bottom brackets, right?

4: Is there a special tube I need, or just a 29 in (700c) bike tire tube?

5: Will changing tube or tire be any more difficult than changing one on a mtn bike?

Thanks,

Steveyo

Yes (might be the valve); Yes; Yes; No, a standard tube will do; The only dfference is how the wheel is removed from the frame, eveything else is the same.

HTH
Nick

[kington99]

Don't forget to mark the location of the tube relative to the tyre so you can check for sharp items sticking through the carcass if you find the puncture, this will stop it puncturing your brand new/newly patched tyre.

Dave

"steveyo" <steveyo@NoEmail.Message.Poster.at.Unicyclist.com> writes:

> 2: To change the tube, I need to remove the entire wheel, right?

Patching the tube is usually a good option, and does not require
removing the wheel from thew unicycle. I prefer the old fashioned
glue-type patches. Be sure to clean the tube, scuff it with
sandpaper, and let the glue dry before applying the patch.

Whether you replace the tube or patch ir, let me reiterate the advice
to check the tire for sharp objects before mounting it on the rim.

Ken

[joemarshall]

Originally posted by nickjb
Yes (might be the valve); Yes; Yes; No, a standard tube will do; The only dfference is how the wheel is removed from the frame, eveything else is the same.

HTH
Nick

You need a 700c bike inner tube that's fat enough for a 29" tyre.

If you've just got a nanoraptor or something, then you can usually get an up to 44mm width one that fits okay.

If you've got a 2.35" big apple, you need a special super-big 29" bike one, or else you're risking the bit where the valve fits into the tube breaking. Places that sell 29" mountain bikes will have one, but most bike shops won't. Continental and IRC do these tubes, you may need to order them from someone.

I discovered this last week and wasted a standard 700c inner tube and a not fat enough 26" mtb one before getting hold of the proper sized tube. Both wrong sized tubes lasted about 5 mins of riding before the bit where the valve goes into the tube came apart.

Don't believe the bike shops who will tell you that any 700c tube will fit. They don't know what they're talking about and have never seen how big a 29er tyre is.

Joe