Do you leave your nuts and caps on your tube stems? Why?

Of course it is road only and I would put the caps on if it were off road.

Whenever I replace a tube I do not put the nut and cap back on. I was told my LBS that it was just extra stuff that wasn't needed.

I am curious though, why do the manufacturers take the expense of having them if they are not needed. But I have rode thousands of miles with out them.

Your opinion please!

For the nut, I leave it on as I believe somehow that it
stabilizes the tube, I know it doesn't make alot of sense
but I do.
The cap on the stem I keep on just to keep crap and gunk
from building up. I also think it might protect presta valve
in case of accident, although if the stem is damaged I have alot
more to worry about than the presta valve.

Marty

The nut stops the valve bending when you are pumping it up.
I accidentally bought one of those long-stem valves without any external thread, for deep section rims. When I tried to pump , it would bend all over.

The cap comes in useful if you ride through a muddy puddle.

as for me I don't put the nut on and never have place the valve cover, as for bending the valve, yes, it has happen to me a couple of time when I am using the hand pump, but never have a problem on bending the valve, when I am using the CO2 Cartridges pumnp

I vote "nuts" for avoiding a valve stem flat from this clumsy pumper.

I don't use the caps because I get tired of trying to find where I laid them down. I use the nuts of flat style rims with larger tires to keep the stems from trying to push back into the wheels. On aero style rims with narrow tires I don't use the nuts. Karl

I sometimes use the nut to hold the stem when replacing the tube and pumping up the tire. When I'm finished I throw it in my patch kit.
I always put the cap on the stem. Just something I've always done. I think it keeps the presta valve screwed closed and dirt out.

Ive has one nut sieze up, preventing me changing tubes. I couldn't remove it with one pair of needle-nose pliers, but fortunately found a garage where I could borrow another pair.
Now I use a little grease on the threads.

I am very careful to put them on, it just crushes another rider's spirit when I hammer past him in a race and he sees that I'm pushing those extra couple of grams of rotational weight around. Imagine how fast I'd be if I took them off.

Wha, what the...what's that? ahh the alarm, time to wake up now sleepy head

I put both back on, there must be a reason they are supplied. Or I think there is a reason...

Anders K

The caps protect the valve hardware. This is more important on Schrader valves than Presta valves.

In both cases, though, it is good to keep the caps on. It protects the stem internals from exposure to dust and water, and in the winter, ice.