"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Zipp 404 Valve Extender Noise

I am running Zipp 404 Tubulars for races, but I noticed that the valve extender creates a knocking/clicking noise as it moves inside the rim. Anyone come up with a good way to remove the noise? I was thinking of applying a little rubber cement to the valve extender to reduce the noise, but that sounds like a bad idea. Anyone come up with a more elegant fix?

electrical tape around the valve extender.

just used valve extender for the first time. now i know why smoke was never a fan.

Wrap a rubber band around the valve, around a spoke and then back to the valve.

if you can hear that during a race you are not working hard enough. just saying.

if you can hear that during a race you are not working hard enough. just saying.

Uhh....

electrical tape around the valve extender.
What bd says:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2009/tech/probikes/index.php?id=/photos/2009/tech/probikes/fabian_cancellara_saxo_bank_specialized_s-works09/Cancellara_TarmacSL2_valve

I am running Zipp 404 Tubulars for races, but I noticed that the valve extender creates a knocking/clicking noise as it moves inside the rim. Anyone come up with a good way to remove the noise? I was thinking of applying a little rubber cement to the valve extender to reduce the noise, but that sounds like a bad idea. Anyone come up with a more elegant fix?

Zipp type valve extenders? Or the extender with the valve built in? With the Zipp type, a little teflon tape on the valve threads seems to keep the noise down. Don't forget to use a needle nose to lock the nut on the valve in the open position. Otherwise, when you screw the extender on it will eventually close the valve. I've never had a problem with noise from the other kind.

Unfortunately, I didn't use Zipp's carbon extenders which would have been quieter. I used metal Bontrager ones.... I'll go with some electrical tape at this point. Thanks!

To the poster re: "not going fast enough"....no, I don't hear them in a race because I am going too fast. I race Cat 3's in the Southeast, and they are pretty fast down here. However, it is annoying to hear during warm-ups and pathetic to hear on $$$ race wheels.

To the poster re: "not going fast enough"....no, I don't hear them in a race because I am going too fast. I race Cat 3's in the Southeast, and they are pretty fast down here. However, it is annoying to hear during warm-ups and pathetic to hear on $$$ race wheels.

where else have you raced?

Northern California - moved to ATL 2 years ago. Fast guys there too. Different racing, more road races there, more crits here. There's a reason why Speedweek is here. GA, NC, SC are crit heavy areas....come try it sometime. The speeds at Athens Twilight are right up there with other parts of the US, I've seen races all over.

A short piece of electrical shrink tubing in a size a little larger than the valve extender's width. Put the tubing over the top of the extender and use a match to shrink the tube to make a molded fit over the extender. I have done something simular by using the shrink tubing over cable housing and shrunk it onto the casing where it touches the headtube.

The valve extender shouldn't be clicking around.

I had a clicking in my 404's that came from the QR skewer spring flicking against some part on the hub--I loosened the skewer spring's grip on the QR axle and it went away.

Personally, I can't wait to get a Zipp disc so I can bask in the "swarm of angry hornets" noise as I race.

Thank you for the shrink tubing idea...genius.

Yes, it shouldn't be clicking....but it does....even to the pro's as noted in a prior comment....captured in this picture:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/20...armacSL2_valve (http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2009/tech/probikes/index.php?id=/photos/2009/tech/probikes/fabian_cancellara_saxo_bank_specialized_s-works09/Cancellara_TarmacSL2_valve)