Strange Tubeless question

trener1

Well-Known Member
Ok..I had a strange thing happen the other day, I wanted to see if anyone has any ideas.

I put a new tire on my gravel bike at the start of September, everything was fine...
On Sunday I went to a ride, topped off the tire at home right before I left, drove a hour to the ride spot, go to take the bike off the rack and it is completely flat, not a bit soft but all the way flat, in any case I refill it with a co2, stayed inflated for the ride but at the end of the ride I could tell that it was losing air, when I get home I refill it to a higher volume then I would ride it at with my floor pump, that was Sunday afternoon, and now it is still holding the air, doesn't seem to have lost any pressure in the last 5 days (but it's just been sitting, I haven't ridden it).

Anyone have any ideas on what might be going on?.
While I manged to get my ride in, it's still a bit unsettling.
 
Had the same thing happen to me, found the tire totally flat after it sat over night. Pump it up and it runs fine for a few days only to find it totally flat again. This went on for like 3 weeks until it finally wouldn't hold air, it was the rim tape that failed. Strange that it would hold for a while, then go completely flat, my guess is the sealant was doing it's job, but after it sat, sealant settled and air would start to creep under the failing section of tape.
 
Ok..I had a strange thing happen the other day, I wanted to see if anyone has any ideas.

I put a new tire on my gravel bike at the start of September, everything was fine...
On Sunday I went to a ride, topped off the tire at home right before I left, drove a hour to the ride spot, go to take the bike off the rack and it is completely flat, not a bit soft but all the way flat, in any case I refill it with a co2, stayed inflated for the ride but at the end of the ride I could tell that it was losing air, when I get home I refill it to a higher volume then I would ride it at with my floor pump, that was Sunday afternoon, and now it is still holding the air, doesn't seem to have lost any pressure in the last 5 days (but it's just been sitting, I haven't ridden it).

Anyone have any ideas on what might be going on?.
While I manged to get my ride in, it's still a bit unsettling.
Did the sealant dry up? New tires seem to absorb a little bit when they’re new. Then it lasts longer.
 
Did the sealant dry up? New tires seem to absorb a little bit when they’re new. Then it lasts longer.
Good question... I am not sure.
I can always just add some.
But it's holding air now for 5 days solid, almost seems like the pressure from the rack on the tire cause it to release the air, but maybe not, and something lik ethis has never happened before.
 
Very out of left field type thought. If there is still good sealant in the tire and it seems to hold air if not ridden but looses air on or immediately after rides; could it be a spoke or valve stem intermittently lifting or poking the tape when flexing on rides? If so, depending on the position of the wheel when stored afterwards the sealant may or may not be able to block the leak.
 
First problem…. Gravel bike🙃
Second problem is the sealant, what kind and how much? If you go light on sealant, it dries out faster. If your sealant has ammonia in it , it can brake down the rim tape.
 
Had the same thing happen to me, found the tire totally flat after it sat over night. Pump it up and it runs fine for a few days only to find it totally flat again. This went on for like 3 weeks until it finally wouldn't hold air, it was the rim tape that failed. Strange that it would hold for a while, then go completely flat, my guess is the sealant was doing it's job, but after it sat, sealant settled and air would start to creep under the failing section of tape.
I would say this.

Put new tires on, new sealant. Rear went flat a few times. Retaped. Rock solid. Strangely, front tire went flat the same day i redid the rear. Retaped the front and now both have been solid for weeks.
 
Very out of left field type thought. If there is still good sealant in the tire and it seems to hold air if not ridden but looses air on or immediately after rides; could it be a spoke or valve stem intermittently lifting or poking the tape when flexing on rides? If so, depending on the position of the wheel when stored afterwards the sealant may or may not be able to block the leak.
Wheel position during storage or transport can certainly do this, if the leak or loose nipple/tape defect is in the top half of the wheel, it will lose a lot faster than if its still coated or submerged with free sealant. easy answer = more sealant. If still happens, retape.
 
Some new tires drink sealant. I remember when I had Continentals they would weep out the sidewalls for a while in small drops. Just add more and rock on. And wasn't there something about CO2 affecting sealant? Not that you used CO2 originally, but still.
 
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