Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Broken Presta valve

Ok. My dumb a** bought an air pump since my tires were not completely inflated to 110psi (the rating on the side of the tire). I put on the head for presta valves and tried putting it on to the valve head to inflate the tire. But.....my tire became deflated instead....

long and frustrating story short, the brass cape on my presta valve broke off. Do I need a new valve/tube all together? Or is it still possible for me to inflate but not to deflate?

It happens sometimes even with brand new tubes.
You need a new tube.

gahhhhhhhh. This aint even teh second day ive had it. wtf.
O well. do u think its possible to get tubes with schrader valves? I feel more comfortable inflating those ones XD

you can find them, but can your rim fit them? that's the real question.

Here's something to keep in mind..... the maximum psi includes you on the bike too in addition to the air pressure in the tire already.....


~~~~ By the way have you guys ever seen a tube with a two piece presta valve? (like the top part can be screwed off) I recently had mine changed at random BS after a flat and they installed one of these... I realized it when I screwed off the presta adapter for my floor pump and it screwed off the top part of the presta valve too (releasing all the air).... I was able to rescrew it back anyway

O well. do u think its possible to get tubes with schrader valves? I feel more comfortable inflating those ones XD

Yes, but you may have to drill out the valve hole in your rim for the larger valve stem.

~~~~ By the way have you guys ever seen a tube with a two piece presta valve? (like the top part can be screwed off)

Some tubes have a presta valve core that can be screwed out and replaced if it goes bad. It has two flats on the sides for screwing in or out with a small crescent wrench or a little plastic tool made by TUFO. I always save the valve cores from my old bad tubes as spares.

Some tubes have a presta valve core that can be screwed out and replaced if it goes bad. It has two flats on the sides for screwing in or out with a small crescent wrench or a little plastic tool made by TUFO. I always save the valve cores from my old bad tubes as spares.

Yea I saw that with closer examination and screwed it on tighter with needle nosed pliers

btw. I was looking on bikeisland, a site I trust because it was referred by bikesdirect, had a shrader valve tubing for a 700cc bicycle. haha. One question....what exactly are the advantages of presta vs schrader? vis versa? if any at all?

Yes, but you may have to drill out the valve hole in your rim for the larger valve stem.

Do not do this, unless you're ONLY going to use schrader valved tubes. Otherwise, if you use presta valves in schrader holes, and don't take the time to find some metal sleeves to fit over the valves, some of the tube can fit through the hole and you risk random flats.

Just leave the presta valves on, and learn how to use your pump properly.

what exactly are the advantages of presta vs schrader? vis versa? if any at all?

Off the top of my head;
there are way more rims that support presta (especially the high end like mavic)....
presta valves allow for easier and more accurate modification (the lowering of mostly) of air pressure in tires "on the go"
presta valves hold air better as you hand screw the top tight?
~the need for an adapter for a presta valve can be avoided with a pump that has built in support for presta valve

Off the top of my head;
there are way more rims that support presta (especially the high end like mavic)....
presta valves allow for easier and more accurate modification (the lowering of mostly) of air pressure in tires "on the go"
presta valves hold air better as you hand screw the top tight?
~the need for an adapter for a presta valve can be avoided with a pump that has built in support for presta valve

And you don't need to drill a hole quite as large in your narrow rim.

I'm pretty sure this guy is messing with us. The only time someone types like that is when it ends in Chris Hanson assuring a disheveled man that "Tiffany" doesn't exist, and that he's on Dateline.

Do not do this, unless you're ONLY going to use schrader valved tubes. Otherwise, if you use presta valves in schrader holes, and don't take the time to find some metal sleeves to fit over the valves, some of the tube can fit through the hole and you risk random flats.

While we are on this subject, where can I find those sleeves you are talking about? The Araya rims I bought came drilled for schrader valves, but all the tubes I have lying around (even my mini hand pump on the road) is presta. So I would much prefer that option u're speaking of if that's possible.

I'm pretty sure this guy is messing with us. The only time someone types like that is when it ends in Chris Hanson assuring a disheveled man that "Tiffany" doesn't exist, and that he's on Dateline.

I agree.

Just go to the nearest LBS and buy a new ****ing tube, you won't have to mortgage your house to afford it.

I agree.

Just go to the nearest LBS and buy a new ****ing tube, you won't have to mortgage your house to afford it.

or, if you actually plan on doing some riding, a couple patch kits and handful of extra tubes to keep on hand.

While we are on this subject, where can I find those sleeves you are talking about? The Araya rims I bought came drilled for schrader valves, but all the tubes I have lying around (even my mini hand pump on the road) is presta. So I would much prefer that option u're speaking of if that's possible.

I've found this alternative to also work well >>> http://www.unicycle.uk.com/shop/shopdisplayproduct.asp?catalogid=779 The little rubber grommet can be found in hardware stores and you install it on the outside hole of a typical double section (boxed) clincher rim. The grommet pretty much fills in the gap between outside and inside of the rim, so the valve won't push out through the hole when inflated. To prevent the inside hole from cutting the tube, I use 2 layers of rim tape in the area of the hole.

I've found this alternative to also work well >>> http://www.unicycle.uk.com/shop/shopdisplayproduct.asp?catalogid=779 The little rubber grommet can be found in hardware stores and you install it on the outside hole of a typical double section (boxed) clincher rim. The grommet pretty much fills in the gap between outside and inside of the rim, so the valve won't push out through the hole when inflated. To prevent the inside hole from cutting the tube, I use 2 layers of rim tape in the area of the hole.

Aha! Awesome. Thanks a bunch!

sweeet! Now Ill go buy some "****ing tubes" and not mortgage my house to buy them!

Haha. Guys are sooooooooo generous.

Seriously, what did you expect? A tube is a disposable item and the valve has practically no value in itself. Unless you are in a sort of "emergency" situation on the road there's absolutely no reason to not just buy a new tube.

A broken presta valve is almost always due to user error. Replace tube and try again.

A broken presta valve is almost always due to user error. Replace tube and try again.
+1

http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/17439-345_PNTR57_SET-3-Parts-74-Tubes/Price-Point-Tube---Set-of-10.htm

There you go. 10 tubes for $19.98.


sweeet! Now Ill go buy some "****ing tubes" and not mortgage my house to buy them!

Haha. Guys are sooooooooo generous.

For future reference I find it works better to take the adapter, turn it with the bigger side down and screw it on the valve, then take the pump and close it over the top of the adapter. Also, make sure that the valve top screw thing is entirely unscrewed to the top.

But yeah, don't drill your rim.

I definitely wont drill the rim.
But oddly enough, the adapter itself screws into the pump body. Which stupid ass me bought anyway without realizing that it doesnt work very efficiently given that there really is no room for screwing a big pump into the presta adapter. o well

Here's something to keep in mind..... the maximum psi includes you on the bike too in addition to the air pressure in the tire already.....


I believe you're mistaken

http://www.treefortbikes.com/imgDsp.aspx?fName=prestaadapter.jpg

$2 at any bike shop in the US

http://www.treefortbikes.com/542_333222333520__Brass-Presta-Adapter.html

Problem solved. NEXT.

I believe you're mistaken

Seriously. Otherwise I'd have to invite a friend over to pump up my tires while I sat on the bike every time, and that would be tedious for all concerned.

Seriously. Otherwise I'd have to invite a friend over to pump up my tires while I sat on the bike every time, and that would be tedious for all concerned.

Dang! I guess I need to start making friends. :(

How much does the pressure in the tires change with the rider sitting on the bike/not sitting on it anyway?

Everyone's weight varies but it averages around 45,000 psi.

http://www.treefortbikes.com/imgDsp.aspx?fName=prestaadapter.jpg

$2 at any bike shop in the US

http://www.treefortbikes.com/542_333222333520__Brass-Presta-Adapter.html

Problem solved. NEXT.

Not at any bike shop, no. They are 94 cents + tax ($1.00) at my shop, and several others in the area.

How much does the pressure in the tires change with the rider sitting on the bike/not sitting on it anyway?

I imagine that depends on things like tire volume, how stiff the sidewalls of the tire are and the like, but I'd be pretty confident that the answer is not a significant amount at all

How much does the pressure in the tires change with the rider sitting on the bike/not sitting on it anyway?

It's inversely proportional to the cube root of the Q-factor.