Originally Posted by Janet
When we are finished pumping air, we are trying to carefully remove the air line but it is hard getting it loose and the stem is pulled or moved back and forth in the process - which might be why the stem eventually comes out of the tube. So, I thought that maybe we are just not removing the air line properly or there was some other "trick" we didn't know about. Any thoughts?
You've identified the problem (in bold from your posting). The only tricks that I know include:
1. Spit into the pump's valve chuck before you install it on the tube's valve stem. It's gross but saliva does make chuck removal a bit less of a struggle.
2. Use tubes smooth stems which, as you note, sometimes cause certain valve chucks to blow-off during inflation.
3. Short of using smooth stem tubes, giving your threaded stems a few twists in emery cloth will cut-down the edges of the threads which will make chuck removal a bit easier while leaving enough bite to hold the chuck. (Note: Ditch the valve nuts)
4. Try using a different type of type of pump / valve chuck.
I had the same problem with my old-faithful Silca track pump when I switched over to deep section rims and 50mm valve stems. I solved it by purchasing a
Blackburn TPS-2 pump in combination with using Wheels Manufacturing
presta valve extenders . The valve extenders probably aren't a viable option for you given that the RhynoLite is a box section rim. Regardless, since changing my equipment I haven't had a single valve leak whereas before they were rather common; usually pin-hole leaks that allowed us to ride about 20 miles before the tire became noticeably flat.
As for the valve hole, you would certainly want to check the inside of your rim at the valve stem hole for any sharp edges that might coincide with where your tubes fail. As noted above, smooth them down with some emery cloth. With regard to rim strip tape, Velox (image below) or a comparable brand of cotton rim strip tape is, IMHO, far superior to some of the alternatives -- noting that I have some of the alternatives. It costs about $2.50 a roll and is available from any decent bike shop or Etailers. As for valve nut placement, I can't help you there; haven't used one on my own bikes in 25 years.
