Mike Dobbs Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 HI everyone. I've been noticing some strange behavior from my wheel recently (last ride specifically). At higher speeds it develops a noticeable "hopping" feeling, as if the wheel itself is out of balance. I'm a novice rider- only about 200 miles under my belt, and I don't think I ever noticed this happening consistently in the past. Perhaps I'm just recently going a little faster making it more noticeable. Here's the recent chain of events, I'd be grateful for any advice or troubleshooting tips you can offer. I was out of town for a couple of weeks recently, and when I returned I went for a ride and noticed my wheel was low on air. Not flat, but low. I pumped it back up to about 35psi and put slime in the tire (this is an inmotion v8 BTW). The next day the wheel was completely flat. I saw no evidence of slime leaking out, so I figured I must have not fully or correctly set the little inside piece back into the valve when I did the slime. I removed the valve piece and put it back in nice and night. The next day the tire seemed to be holding air fine. Today I took it out for a ride (two or three days after the valve "redo" and the tire was low, but not flat. I pumped it up and headed off to the gym (about a 6 mile ride). The whole time I noticed a pretty significant "hopping" while at speed, and the wheel seemed to behave pretty funky in general. There was a fair amount of "squirreliness" to the wheel- it seemed to want to wobble out from under me a number of times, which is something I've never experienced with this wheel before.   Any ideas? Or suggestions on what I could do to figure out what's going on here? Thank in advance : ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biped Phil Posted September 4, 2019 Share Posted September 4, 2019 I do not know what amount of Slime is the correct amount, but maybe a puddle of extra Slime sloshing in the tube is causing the strange handling. At low speed, the puddle manages to stay at the bottom of the tire, making the wheel a little bit cumbersome but otherwise doing no harm. At higher speed, some of the puddle can't fall back down fast enough, and gets flung over the top of the arc and then falls with the aid of gravity, causing the uneven hopping sensation. I do not have a degree in science, but that's how I would feel if I were Slime sloshing in a tire speeding ever faster. Irregardless, I would not rely for long on Slime in a tire that had already evidenced a major deficiency or been ridden when flat or very soft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dobbs Posted September 4, 2019 Author Share Posted September 4, 2019 Hmm- that makes sense. I had considered that the slime was the culprit- perhaps I'll try draining it out and see if that changes the issue. To clarify, I don't think the tire was loosing significant air before the slime- I suspect I may have damaged the pin or it didn't set perfectly on the bead after I installed the slime. I'm going to try to remove all the slime I can and see if that helps. Thanks : ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alcatraz Posted September 4, 2019 Share Posted September 4, 2019 If some of the sealant has dried you have a block inside your tube that will affect rotational balance. I've never tried sealant but I've heard it dries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fat Unicyclist Posted September 4, 2019 Share Posted September 4, 2019 11 hours ago, Mike Dobbs said: The next day the wheel was completely flat. This could be a sign of the cause (if it isn't the slime)... When a tyre goes flat, it can "shift" position and then when you pump it back up, if it isn't seated correctly it will be off centre - effectively meaning that the axle isn't in the centre of the tyre edge, which you will notice more and more as speed increases. To diagnose this, place your wheel on its side and then position "something" in line with the edge of the tyre as you look at it from above. Then without moving your head, spin the wheel and check whether it "moves" in and out from that point. If it does, you need to deflate and reseat. This is a little odd to read, but if you want to see more, have a look at this extract of a video I did as a part of a tyre change... Note: In the video I am using the ruler lines on the edge of the work table as my static reference point. Â Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dobbs Posted September 5, 2019 Author Share Posted September 5, 2019 @The Fat Unicyclist After your post I decided it was more likely to be something like this than the slime so I put the wheel on it's side to check it out and yes- there's a definitive difference in the diameter of the tire as you rotate the wheel. The problem is, I tried many times to deflate, pull the tire off the bead and re-inflate, but was never able to get the tire to stop this behavior. After reviewing the video on my computer I fear the problem may be more serious. If you watch the video you can see the "wobble" in the tire, but there also appears to be a wobble in the interior portion of the tire rim. NOT the exterior part of the rim, but the interior (I added reference lines to make this easier to see).  Anyone have any suggestions on where I go from here?  Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arbolest Posted September 5, 2019 Share Posted September 5, 2019 18 minutes ago, Mike Dobbs said: @The Fat Unicyclist After your post I decided it was more likely to be something like this than the slime so I put the wheel on it's side to check it out and yes- there's a definitive difference in the diameter of the tire as you rotate the wheel. The problem is, I tried many times to deflate, pull the tire off the bead and re-inflate, but was never able to get the tire to stop this behavior. After reviewing the video on my computer I fear the problem may be more serious. If you watch the video you can see the "wobble" in the tire, but there also appears to be a wobble in the interior portion of the tire rim. NOT the exterior part of the rim, but the interior (I added reference lines to make this easier to see).  Anyone have any suggestions on where I go from here? Well geez, this is extremely troubling... I would get in contact with the manufacturer and find out how they suggest addressing that issue. If the motor/wheel itself is off-center, then there's going to be no fixing it on your end... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dobbs Posted September 5, 2019 Author Share Posted September 5, 2019 Yeah- I already reached out to Jason at eWheels, which is where I got it from. I'm hoping he comes back with some good news. I'm wondering if the thing shipped that way and I just didn't notice until I got comfortable enough to ride faster. I don't see how I could have damaged the inside edge of the rim like that... I think the whole slime thing was just a coincidence because there's no way the slime did that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobiblue Posted September 6, 2019 Share Posted September 6, 2019 5 hours ago, Mike Dobbs said: @The Fat Unicyclist After your post I decided it was more likely to be something like this than the slime so I put the wheel on it's side to check it out and yes- there's a definitive difference in the diameter of the tire as you rotate the wheel. The problem is, I tried many times to deflate, pull the tire off the bead and re-inflate, but was never able to get the tire to stop this behavior. After reviewing the video on my computer I fear the problem may be more serious. If you watch the video you can see the "wobble" in the tire, but there also appears to be a wobble in the interior portion of the tire rim. NOT the exterior part of the rim, but the interior (I added reference lines to make this easier to see).  Anyone have any suggestions on where I go from here?  I might have the same issue in my wheel solowheel glide 2 or v5f after seeing yours. Can you tell me how where you able to make the video with the two lines on it. So I can make sure mine is the tire and probably the rim as well I am assuming the wheel was sitting in storage forever and somehow the tire or the rim got deformed. Thanks for your help and hope you get this issue fix quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fat Unicyclist Posted September 6, 2019 Share Posted September 6, 2019 My comment regarding the tyre being seated correctly definitely assumes that the rim is "true"! If the rim is "out-of-true" then yes, the problem is much more significant... Best of luck sorting this, please let us know how you get on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dobbs Posted September 6, 2019 Author Share Posted September 6, 2019 9 hours ago, mobiblue said: I might have the same issue in my wheel solowheel glide 2 or v5f after seeing yours. Can you tell me how where you able to make the video with the two lines on it. So I can make sure mine is the tire and probably the rim as well I am assuming the wheel was sitting in storage forever and somehow the tire or the rim got deformed. Thanks for your help and hope you get this issue fix quickly. @mobiblue I did it in Final Cut Pro by just cropping some solid background overlays. If you send me a video of your wheel top down (or just post it to this thread) I'd be happy to do it for you too if you like. Would take me less than 5 minutes. I'll post an update from Jason when I hear back from him. I'm really hoping he can help me out with this because I don't see how I could have damaged that interior portion of the rim, so I feel like it was probably like this from the factory, and it took enough speed for me to notice the problem.  Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobiblue Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 12 hours ago, Mike Dobbs said: @mobiblue I did it in Final Cut Pro by just cropping some solid background overlays. If you send me a video of your wheel top down (or just post it to this thread) I'd be happy to do it for you too if you like. Would take me less than 5 minutes. I'll post an update from Jason when I hear back from him. I'm really hoping he can help me out with this because I don't see how I could have damaged that interior portion of the rim, so I feel like it was probably like this from the factory, and it took enough speed for me to notice the problem.  https://imgur.com/x37BbO6  Here is the video it seems that to me the rim is ok the bead of the tire seems that is either not seated correctly or the part in the valve is bigger than the rest of the tire. Thank you for any help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fat Unicyclist Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 1 minute ago, mobiblue said: https://imgur.com/x37BbO6  Here is the video it seems that to me the rim is ok the bead of the tire seems that is either not seated correctly or the part in the valve is bigger than the rest of the tire. Thank you for any help. Just looking at your video and positioning the mouse arrow at the right spot, I can see that your rim is running true... It is just the tyre that is not seated evenly. Which is great, as the fix is easy... Use a reference point behind the edge of the tyre - anything with a set point will work, even the corner of a piece of paper. Find the "high point" (perhaps mark it with some chalk). Let the air out. "Encourage" the tyre into the right position. You can spin it while empty to ensure it seems evenly. Pump the tyre up to about 10-15 psi. Check it is still good (and adjust if it isn't). Fill it up fully and then ride... You shouldn't even need to dismantle the wheel, you can do it all while it is still fitted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dobbs Posted September 7, 2019 Author Share Posted September 7, 2019 @mobiblue Here ya go : )   Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dobbs Posted September 7, 2019 Author Share Posted September 7, 2019 @The Fat Unicyclist - how about my tire? The outside of the rim seems to be running true, but the inside looks completely messed up. Is there any hope for me if I follow the steps you posted above for @mobiblue?  Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fat Unicyclist Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 8 minutes ago, Mike Dobbs said: @The Fat Unicyclist - how about my tire? The outside of the rim seems to be running true, but the inside looks completely messed up. Is there any hope for me if I follow the steps you posted above for @mobiblue? Yes!!!   Looking at that, the whole wheel is moving when you are spinning it up. With that movement excluded I think your rim is good - so give it a crack, I think you will have good results! EDIT: Watchng again in slow motion, there is a definite bulge in the tyre and NOT the rim. Once you locate that, it is just a matter of seating it correctly and you shoul be ready to roll. BTW, it appears to be near the valve stem, so start looking there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dobbs Posted September 7, 2019 Author Share Posted September 7, 2019 37 minutes ago, The Fat Unicyclist said: Yes!!!   Looking at that, the whole wheel is moving when you are spinning it up. With that movement excluded I think your rim is good - so give it a crack, I think you will have good results! EDIT: Watchng again in slow motion, there is a definite bulge in the tyre and NOT the rim. Once you locate that, it is just a matter of seating it correctly and you shoul be ready to roll. BTW, it appears to be near the valve stem, so start looking there... OK, I will give it another try tomorrow. I didn't have much sucess the first time, but I'm really hoping I can fix this and avoid a big problem with my wheel. I'll post an update after I have a chance to mess around more with it tomorrow.  @The Fat Unicyclist EDIT: Are you looking at my video or mobiblue's? His rim looks good to me. This is the video of my wheel, and it's the motion of the interior part of the rim that concerns me.   Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fat Unicyclist Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 1 hour ago, Mike Dobbs said: Are you looking at my video or mobiblue's? His rim looks good to me. This is the video of my wheel, and it's the motion of the interior part of the rim that concerns me. Oops... Okay, so I was looking at the video that you posted of @mobiblue's wheel... So @mobiblue - see above! But I have downloaded your video now too @Mike Dobbs and scanned through it at a frame level. The thing that I note is that the "wobble" in the rim does not match up with the wobble in the tyre. To me, this indicates that it is a separate matter, and worth an attempt at reseating. Because of my oversight here, I have just finished looking at a half dozen wheels that I ride - and while they all ride smoothly, there is some variation in the rims. The key point that I take from this is that (within reason) it doesn't matter if the rim has some "undulation", provided the outer edge is as true as possible - after all, that is what you are riding on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobiblue Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 15 hours ago, The Fat Unicyclist said: Just looking at your video and positioning the mouse arrow at the right spot, I can see that your rim is running true... It is just the tyre that is not seated evenly. Which is great, as the fix is easy... Use a reference point behind the edge of the tyre - anything with a set point will work, even the corner of a piece of paper. Find the "high point" (perhaps mark it with some chalk). Let the air out. "Encourage" the tyre into the right position. You can spin it while empty to ensure it seems evenly. Pump the tyre up to about 10-15 psi. Check it is still good (and adjust if it isn't). Fill it up fully and then ride... You shouldn't even need to dismantle the wheel, you can do it all while it is still fitted. Thank you so much for the help I will take remove the tire and install it again and see if there is any change. Seeing the video with the lines shows me that the rim is ok and the tire somehow is not round it might not seat correctly or there is a bulge at the valve area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobiblue Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 15 hours ago, Mike Dobbs said: @mobiblue Here ya go : )   Thank you so much for the video. Looking at it seems that the issue is the tire I will take it apart and install it again and see if that fixes the issue. Hope you can fix yours and please update with the results. Once again thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fat Unicyclist Posted September 8, 2019 Share Posted September 8, 2019 9 hours ago, mobiblue said: Thank you so much for the video. Looking at it seems that the issue is the tire I will take it apart and install it again and see if that fixes the issue. Hope you can fix yours and please update with the results. Once again thank you You shiouldn't even need to take it apart... Just let the air out and "encourage" it while it is still fitted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobiblue Posted September 8, 2019 Share Posted September 8, 2019 Thank you for the instructions. Hope that fixes the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fat Unicyclist Posted September 10, 2019 Share Posted September 10, 2019 On ‎9‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 5:16 AM, mobiblue said: Thank you for the instructions. Hope that fixes the issue. Hopefully... Let us know how you get on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dobbs Posted September 17, 2019 Author Share Posted September 17, 2019 UPDATE: So, after many attempts I was unable to get the tire to flatten out by myself. I mentioned that I had reached out to Jason from eWheels (where I purchased the wheel), and when he saw the video he immediately offered to send me out a replacement motor. I received the motor today (Jason even had his guys install a set of pedal hangers so I didn't have to swap those out), and followed along with a YouTube tire change video to swap it out. Just got back from the "maiden voyage" and it feels like a brand new wheel. HUGE thanks to Jason for all his support with this. I will buy all my future wheels from him at eWheels.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fat Unicyclist Posted September 20, 2019 Share Posted September 20, 2019 On ‎9‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 10:30 AM, Mike Dobbs said: UPDATE: So, after many attempts I was unable to get the tire to flatten out by myself. I mentioned that I had reached out to Jason from eWheels (where I purchased the wheel), and when he saw the video he immediately offered to send me out a replacement motor. I received the motor today (Jason even had his guys install a set of pedal hangers so I didn't have to swap those out), and followed along with a YouTube tire change video to swap it out. Just got back from the "maiden voyage" and it feels like a brand new wheel. HUGE thanks to Jason for all his support with this. I will buy all my future wheels from him at eWheels.com Awesome news... Thanks for the update! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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