Exploding rear tyre!!

[MadDad]

After the best part of 9,000 miles with only a couple of punctures today my rear tyre actually exploded! It sounded like a gun going off and the rim instantly hit the tarmac, thankfully I was on a flat section of road and not traveling at any real speed but it was a horrible feeling to lose the back end for a couple of seconds.

The tyres are Vittoria Open Corsa CX's which are a fantastic ride and are almost new, but also have a good reputation - and are not known for exploding! I have not had a chance to take a proper look at the tyre yet but will investigate tomorrow and post up a piccie, but the tyre ripped apart in a V shape. I checked them before I set off, no stones/flint etc in it, topped up the pressure to 115psi - when it went pop there was no obvious road debris or drain covers so I am a bit flummoxed as to what could have caused it.

Anyone else had any similar experiences and if so any idea what caused such a spectacular fail?

[Shinysideup]

I've had that happen due to the bead not being seated correctly in the rim, it blew a 2" hole in the sidewall

[TwistingMyMelon]

Over inflation?

Tyre ruptured from a pot/hole knock a few miles before?

too many pies recently?

[itsnotarace]

Shard of flint or something would be likely culprit

[Kell]

Sniper.

[AyBee]

Kell said:

Sniper.

This

Has the tyre actually ripped or just the tube?

[Accelebrate]

I hit some glass a couple of years ago that sliced through a Gatorskin. I was cycling down a narrow street at the time and the echoing noise sounded like a bomb had gone off.



The replacement arrived folded despite being a non-folding tyre, I fitted it and it blew off the rim within 24 hours. I'm pretty sure my fitting wasn't to blame, Continental agreed and I got a replacement tyre from the supplier eventually. Quite noisy when they go though!

[rhinochopig]

Had similar as a kid but it was the rear wheel collapsing and the spokes going through the tube / tyre that was the culprit. Now THAT was a bang! Cheap 5sp racers really shouldn't be fitted with cow-horns and used like a BMX

[MadDad]

Finally got around to changing the tyre that went pop today and gave it a really good once over. No sign of it giving way from the inside but also no obvious sign of a cut from the outside, no flint marks etc.

All very odd, couldn't quite get it out of my mind as I was heading down a hill in the Chilterns at 45mph last night though.......

[Jimbo.]

No obvious sign of a cut? What's that in the picture?! :P

Something's nicked it on the road (stone, glass etc) but not remained in the tyre. It's either do directly into the tube, or it's cut the tyre, with the edges of the cut eating into the tube.

I've had similar happen to a well-worn Open Pave. Hitting a (somewhat pointy) stone caused it to flat, instantly.

[jamiebae]

I had this with a Conti, at the top of a hill in the Chilterns, luckily not on the descent! I'm pretty sure mine was a sharp stone chopping into the tyre, which had done well under 100km at the time went from full pressure to totally flat within 2 seconds.

[anonymous-user]

Seriously though glad you're ok first and foremost. I had a tube explode the other week and blow the tyre off the rim warming up pre-race. Not sure why but it wasn't cool. Then following an 83kph downhill I flatted 2 miles later on the way home. These things happen and best not to think 'what if'

Bad luck and all that.

[MadDad]

Thanks, like you say its not worth thinking about otherwise you would never jump on a bike!

While the picture looks like there is a cut, the V shape follows the cotton weave on the inside of the tyre, there was no obvious sign of ingress of any sort, I am not convinced it was not a failure in the casting. I showed it to the chap in my LBS when I went to get a replacement tyre (it was fitted to a Colnago C40 he has lent me) - he had never seen anything like it, he'd seen similar when there was a clear sign of a cut from slate or similar but this looks like a proper blow out!