Deflating wheel?

[Oblivion]

So, since maybe a month ago, I've noticed the front wheel of my bike is always deflating to the point where the steering is becoming sluggish. The thing is, I keep on pumping it up. But the air in it seems to last maybe a few days before it deflates again. Its still rideable, but the amount that i can turn the wheel without the tire moving is still alot.

Is this a problem I should really be worrying about? Or should I wait just under 4 months until I can get my full?

And, If it is a problem, What should I be looking at first?

[rickstv]

Get that tire looked at quick, before it kills you.:shit:
Rick.

[bogan]

Sounds like you have what's known as an air leak! Or in laymans terms, you got a hole in your tyre au.

Could also be the valve. Or the bead.

I'm assuming you have tubeless tyres btw.

[XxKiTtiExX]

Or should I wait just under 4 months until I can get my full?



Are you for real?

[Katman]

This is surely a piss take.

[p.dath]

Get that tire looked at quick, before it kills you.:shit:
Rick.

+1. Sounds like you have a puncture. Get it fixed before you either/or:

Right the tire off due to underinflation
Have an accident due to underinflation

[Oblivion]

God, I hate idiots sometimes :facepalm:

I didn't really suspect a puncture because at the moment the tire seems to stick around a constant pressure. A hint if it was flat would be that the tire would have deflated fully.

And I do ride with it fully inflated, I just don't want to constantly take trips to the Gas station to fill it up every 3 days. Waste of petrol really.

[FJRider]

It's a minor hassle now ... but they can turn into big problems ... later ...

Get it sorted ...

[dogsnbikes]

God, I hate idiots sometimes :facepalm:

I didn't really suspect a puncture because at the moment the tire seems to stick around a constant pressure. A hint if it was flat would be that the tire would have deflated fully.

And I do ride with it fully inflated, I just don't want to constantly take trips to the Gas station to fill it up every 3 days. Waste of petrol really.

What type of valve caps do you have?? as some have little o-rings in them to stop air leaks from the valve but if they arent sitting flat in the cap they will press down on the valve causing a slow leak........

you haven't stated if your tube or tubeless...what bike do you have ???? there is many reasons why airleaks happen even something as silly as a catcus thorn(from when you landed in area 51) will create a leak but seal itself once its worked its way through the tyre

best you get it looked at asap

[bogan]

God, I hate idiots sometimes :facepalm:

I didn't really suspect a puncture because at the moment the tire seems to stick around a constant pressure. A hint if it was flat would be that the tire would have deflated fully.

And I do ride with it fully inflated, I just don't want to constantly take trips to the Gas station to fill it up every 3 days. Waste of petrol really.

At the risk of shattering your illusions: Some small punctures will self seal (or reduce air loss to a minuscule amount) after a seizable pressure drop, because the tyre structure puts enough pressure on the hole to seal it. But if you have another theory as to how the air pressure is getting lower, without any leaks, I shall await it with baited breath.

[Oblivion]

At the risk of shattering your illusions: Some small punctures will self seal (or reduce air loss to a minuscule amount) after a seizable pressure drop, because the tyre structure puts enough pressure on the hole to seal it. But if you have another theory as to how the air pressure is getting lower, without any leaks, I shall await it with baited breath.

If I had any idea on what the hell I was doing, I guess I wouldn't have posted here. In fact posting here already makes me seem like a mechanical noob. Which I will admit, I am.

I'll see if I can find any leaks in the wheel itself in the weekend, then see if its the valves.

And to those who asked, I ride a red GN250. On which someone recently stole the battery cover. Or it broke off. :shifty:

[nzspokes]

If you keep riding it flat orlow then it can damage the tyre. I would just get it fixed.

[nothingflash]

In fact posting here already makes me seem like a mechanical noob.

No it doesn't :yes:

[KiWiP]

Puncture: When the air on the inside gets to the outside quicker than you can stop.


...posting here already makes me seem like a mechanical noob. Which I will admit, I am.

I'll see if I can find any leaks in the wheel itself in the weekend, then see if its the valves.

As you are a mechanical noob, how are you going to know you are checking for a leak properly and if you do find a leak what are you going to do about it? Just take it straight to a tyre place and get them to sort it. Cheapest, it's just the valve, if it's a on the face it will probably be a simple patch fix, if its on the side wall a new tyre, Most expensive, a crack in the wheel. On the scale of cheapest to expensive it is also the most likely it is going to cause the tyre to deflate quickest when you really don't want it to. So even if it is expensive and you can't afford it, you really can't afford to ride it. The chance of it damaging you is huge.

[supa.m]

Just take it straight to a tyre place and get them to sort it.

So even if it is expensive and you can't afford it, you really can't afford to ride it. The chance of it damaging you is huge.

+1 squidrillion

[DangerMice]

Get thee to the tyre shop sharpish.

I had the same thing. Jumped on after a weeks holiday and felt the rear much lower than it should be. Jumped off and found it was 10 psi down (little scooter tyre normally that runs 36 psi). Thought it was bloody odd but it seemed to hold pressure so made a mental note to visit shop at next opportunity.

3 days later it started to feel a bit loose again halfway to work, called in to a garage to check it, 4 psi down this time, so I decided to head to scootling which was a couple of kms away. 1 km later the valve blew out with enough force that the top of the valve cap blew off leaving just the threaded part behind and the needle was half hanging out. Near instant deflation, a moment I wouldn't like to repeat.

[jonbuoy]

Pump it up and straight away get a squirty bottle with some washing up liquid and water mixed, spray it around the valve - you should be able to see if its leaking at the valve or not by bubbles forming. I assume you spun the tyre and checked closely for any pins or nails stuck in the tyre itself. Blowout on a car is bad news but most people limp safely to the side of the road, a blowout out a bike is never going to end well.

[gsxr]

Please tell me NO ONE is this stupid .

[p.dath]

God, I hate idiots sometimes :facepalm:

I didn't really suspect a puncture because at the moment the tire seems to stick around a constant pressure. A hint if it was flat would be that the tire would have deflated fully.

And I do ride with it fully inflated, I just don't want to constantly take trips to the Gas station to fill it up every 3 days. Waste of petrol really.

Just because the tyre is not fully deflating does not mean it does not have a puncture. A really common puncture for a motorbike is a nail stuck in the tyre. The tyre only slowly looses pressure - unless you remove the nail (hint, don't remove foreign objects until you get to the tyre store if the bike is still rideable).

Try spinning the tyre around while the bike is on a stand and see if you can see any foreign matter stuck in the tyre.