Possible to sand wheel rims - 4 new tubes in two days

Supercell

Four tubes,two days later makes me think that using kitchen knives and forks are best not used to prise of the tires
The last tube wouldn't even inflate once put onto the wheel. Its not the tires either as I changed tire (schwalbe marathon plus - which was REALLY hard to get onto the wheel as the rubber is so thick) after the second flat in a day thinking I must be missing a sliver of glass or something.
But two tubes later and twice late into work (boss not happy) i think the scratches on the rim must be doing it.
They are not that bad but fairly sharp i guess.
The rim is aluminium, is it worth my while giving it a go or should I just fork out for a new rear wheel?
Has anyone ever sanded their wheel? Its a pity as the wheels are light and despite hitting many a pothole have no buckles so would be a shame to dump it.

SetOverSet

I assume you've checked the rim tape to ensure the flats aren't the result of a protruding spoke?

I'm open to correction, but I see no harm in giving the rim a rub with a very fine sandpaper - just enough to smooth any nicks scratches. Aluminium's quite soft so it won't take much. Oh, and invest in a decent set of tyre levers

oobydooby

+1 what set over set said. I dropped a naked rim a while back when cleaning it and it got a little nick which felt very sharp to my thumb. I thought of sanding it but didn't have time. Put tubes and tyres on carefully and no problems since. The nicked part of the rim only comes in contact with the tyres, not the tube.

Sometimes a layer of insulating tape over the spoke nipples will sort that out. You could even line the scratched parts of the rim with the tape (and you are commuting on it I guess so weight and aesthetics are secondary to function.)

Supercell

Yep, I was trying to fit the tube over the rim and line up the holes with locations on the wheel this evening and am pretty certain two of the punctures are from glass or whatever, neither are at the bottom so hopefully not a spoke. Though i think its no harm to put some tape over the spoke holes in the rim as the rubber is pretty thin and damaged in places, again though that could have been my clumsiness fecking about with the tubes..

Two are at the edge, one I may have nicked levering the tyre in and the other is right beside some of the sharp edges on the rim as a result of the tyre levers (fork and spoon) on the rim.
I think better levers are needed and preferably strong plastic than metal, and more care getting the tyre over the rim.
Thanks for the advice.
I'll go crazy if I have to face another day without a spin!

oobydooby

Supercell wrote: »

Yep, I was trying to fit the tube over the rim and line up the holes with locations on the wheel this evening

I think that's why people recommend you align the valve of the tube with a label on the tyre. It means you can trace the puncture to the corresponding part of tyre (as well as showing "pride in your handiwork")

Hopefully that's your quota of punctures for the year:)

PS You should be able to put the Schwalbe Marathons on by hand (without levers)

SetOverSet

Definitely go for plastic. The 'cutlery' you've been using is probably stainless steel which is many many times harder than aluminium. I use these myself - probably 3 or 4 quid for three...

Supercell

oobydooby wrote: »

I think that's why people recommend you align the valve of the tube with a label on the tyre. It means you can trace the puncture to the corresponding part of tyre (as well as showing "pride in your handiwork")

Hopefully that's your quota of punctures for the year:)

PS You should be able to put the Schwalbe Marathons on by hand (without levers)

The old tyre is a regular marathon, the new one which I had already is the plus version , just never got round to fitting it. It's considerably thicker and no way its going on by hand, I doubt even Arnold Schwarzenegger could have done it in his prime!

You betcha! , getting a puncture in freezing cold winds at 06:00AM ..fitting new tube and then 100 metres down the road feeling the surface again ..just isn't fun at all!!
Couple that with greasy filthy hands (disposable gloves going to get added to saddle bag for future emergencies) and trousers that seem to want to keep falling off me as i walk the bike the remaining few KM to work...end result oily trousers, pissed off me and suspicious boss!

Rinse and repeat next day and it gets old..VERY fast!

Supercell

SetOverSet wrote: »

Definitely go for plastic. The 'cutlery' you've been using is probably stainless steel which is many many times harder than aluminium. I use these myself - probably 3 or 4 quid for three...

Yep, steel definitely not a good idea, I'm going to get some cheapo plastic ones from the local bike shop tomorrow to tide me over and am ordering two pairs of these bad boys for future roadside fun.

flickerx

Supercell wrote: »

Though i think its no harm to put some tape over the spoke holes in the rim as the rubber is pretty thin and damaged in places, again though that could have been my clumsiness fecking about with the tubes..

You're not using rubber rim 'tape' on a higher pressure wheel, are you?
You need to use the harder stuff. The plastic-y ones that dont stretch too easily. They dont let the spoke nipples poke through into the tube. Ditch the rubber rim tape immediately and get the harder stuff. I had the same problem as yourself on a 700x23 wheel I had, soon as I changed the rim tape it was fine.

Supercell

Thanks flickerx, I think I'll do just that.
The wheel is sanded smooth now (knew that dremel I bought in Lidl would come handy one day!) and the tube and new tyres fitted and no punctures (fingers crossed it stays that way).