Re: Very Slow Leaks.

On 5/6/2025 3:24 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

On Tue, 6 May 2025 14:50:00 -0500, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
 

On 5/6/2025 2:43 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

On Tue, 6 May 2025 14:52:02 -0400, Frank Krygowski
<frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>

I doubt that's a real problem. I'd imagine any wires would be lodged in
the tire, not in the tube.

>
How could the fine wires cause an air leak without puncturing the
inner tube?  I could drill a small hole in the tire and as long as the
inner tube is doing its job, the tire will function (fairly) normally.
>
One exception is if you're riding on tubeless tires, which don't have
an inner tube.
>

>
I've never seen such.  The object is normally snug in the
tire casing and protrudes (more or less or a lot less)
through the casing until it just nicks the tube.

 OK, got it.  I mistakenly assumed that "lodged in the tire" meant that
it had also punctured the inner tube.  However, if there is an air
leak, I still think it's a good assumption that the leak is in the
inner tube and not necessarily in only the tire.
 

Rarities include objects which pass right through the tire
and are found flopping around in the casing after the tube
is removed. These are typically large objects, larger than
3mm. I've never seen an object fully inside an inner tube.

"the leak is in the inner tube and not necessarily in only the tire."
Absolutely and exclusively in the tube.
In fact, many tires (non-tubeless) are quite permeable. This is observed when changing a flat on a wet tire- bubbles appear along the sidewalls while inflating as the air between tube and casing is forced out.
The casing fabric need only be intact and uniform, not airtight.  Tread is nice but not critical (you can ride, just maybe not so far as the casing will abrade and shred). Damaged (bruised or sliced) casings will appear lumpy or squiggly like scoliosis and ought to be replaced at the rider's earliest convenience as the fabric will continue to tear away from the injury. Destroyed casings are anything with a hole or slit big enough to see through (maybe larger for low pressure MTB tires) . Those will not contain a tube under riding pressure and must be replaced.
--
Andrew Muzi
am@yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971