[Touch0Gray]

I have a tire/tube that it it sits for a couple of weeks, goes totally flat I have pulled it out pumped it up and thrown it in a tub of soapy water twice...NO BUBBLES. Stuff it back in...pump it up....same thing after a couple of weeks. I know i should just pitch the fricking tube and replace it...but it is the principle....any ideas? is my air just too small for the rubber molecules?

 

[Mike T.]

It's your roomie playing mind games with ya.

 

[jmlapoint]

Possibly a Valve Stem Leak? I always over look that when submerging a tube for bubbles.
- Loose valve core?
- Base of Valve Stem.
A leak that slow might take some patients to even see a bubble...

john

 

[andulong]

You need a new pump...one that filters out the small air molecules. That should do it.

 

[Touch0Gray]

Possibly a Valve Stem Leak? I always over look that when submerging a tube for bubbles.
- Loose valve core?
- Base of Valve Stem.
A leak that slow might take some patients to even see a bubble...

john

actually I have been concentrating on the valve and stem , that was my thought too....I pumped it up to 100 psi after going over it last night and 8 hours later it is still hard as a rock

 

[Dave Hickey]

Valve leak.....

 

[Touch0Gray]

Valve leak.....

well, next time I am just pitching the tube for sure.....I still think I should a bubble or two in a minute or so wouldn't you think?

 

[Ironbutt]

Rather than just immersing the tube in soapy water, try inflating the tube and stretching it while holding it immersed in the soapy water. I have had a few slow leaks that were caused by holes that were so tiny that they wouldn’t leak at the low pressure in the tube only, but would leak ever so slowly when fully inflated in the tire. If you stretch six or eight inches of the tube at a time while holding it underwater it will usually stretch the hole and allow air to escape.

 

[MikeBiker]

I've got the same tube. I'm too lazy to replace it so I just keep airing it up.

 

[TeamCholent]

Hmmm,

Too lazy to swap tube, but not too lazy to keep pumping it up?

Well at least no one can say you don't workout.:mad2:

 

[Oxtox]

EVERY tube I've ever had leaked air over time.

I pump up before each ride, so it's not an issue.

not sure what the problem is here...

 

[TeamCholent]

EVERY tube I've ever had leaked air over time.

I pump up before each ride, so it's not an issue.

not sure what the problem is here...

Of course they do, But a week later and it's totally flat and the OP can not find bubbles in water just means he wants us to pup his tube up.

I have a better idea, Let him swap the tube and see what happens after a few weeks.

 

[Touch0Gray]

Of course they do, But a week later and it's totally flat and the OP can not find bubbles in water just means he wants us to pup his tube up.

I have a better idea, Let him swap the tube and see what happens after a few weeks.

I said a couple of weeks and it is flat, not a week and it is flat...and actually this time it was probably 4 or 5 weeks, lord knows when it was actually flat. I pumped it up last night and just came back from a 30 mile ride and it is still fine. The REAL problem is that with a presta valve it is hard to CHECK the air pressure without letting some air out....and if ya let air out, how accurate is the check?

If I rode this bike more often I would most likely never know it leaked because i generally air up my tires every other day.

For all I know, my other geared bike might do the same thing.

I don't understand how you interpreted this as me wanting YOU to pump my tube up.

When I pumped it up last night and examined it in the water I had it blown up to the point where it was like4 feet in DIAMETER..LOL....... is that stretched enough?

Never mind guys, if I have to pull this out again, I am pitching it and replacing it. My time is worth way more than a new 4 dollar tube!

I just thought I might be missing something

 

[TeamCholent]

Never mind guys, if I have to pull this out again, I am pitching it and replacing it. My time is worth way more than a new 4 dollar tube!

I just thought I might be missing something

With over 20,000 posts I would figure that YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME
and are worried about missing something worth $4.00????

 

[Touch0Gray]

With over 20,000 posts I would figure that YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME
and are worried about missing something worth $4.00????

who says I am not being paid to do this? (post)

 

[MerlinAma]

Rather than just immersing the tube in soapy water, try inflating the tube and stretching it while holding it immersed in the soapy water............

What's with the "soapy" water. Are you washing the tube while you check for leaks?

You can see air bubbles coming from a tiny hole while the tube is immersed in perfectly clear non-soapy water. In fact, I did that with a latex tube last night and you can't pressure them up very much when not in a tire.

 

[XR4Ti]

Is it a latex tube?

 

[Touch0Gray]

What's with the "soapy" water. Are you washing the tube while you check for leaks?

You can see air bubbles coming from a tiny hole while the tube is immersed in perfectly clear non-soapy water. In fact, I did that with a latex tube last night and you can't pressure them up very much when not in a tire.

Soap isn't going to hurt anything but.....you're right, it really wasn't necessary

and is it latex?......Beats me, I threw the packaging out a year and half ago....if it is written ON the tub....I will repeat, next time I have to tear it apart I put a new tube in it.