Best presta valve caps?

I am sick and tired of the cheap plastic caps from bike shops cracking to pieces after a few months. Does anyone have a good recommendation for caps that are built well and should be expected to last for a long time?

 

Well you could always buy some of these: http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/ProductDisplay?storeId=10052&langId=-1&catalogId=10551&productId=1101165&utm_source=Google_Product_Search&utm_medium=pla&utm_campaign=datafeed&cm_mmc=Google_Product_Search-_-PLA-_-Datafeed-_-Trick%20Topz%20Bullet%20Valve%20Cap%20Blue%20Presta&CAWELAID=1009378216&catargetid=1572650445&cagpspn=pla

But why bother, I always throw those caps away as soon as I mount the tubes. About the only value in presta valve caps is keeping the valve end from abrading and possibly puncturing the tube when it's all rolled up in the seat bag, once on the bike there's no need for the valve caps. Schrader valves can get mud and other stuff in them, but presta valves don't really need a cap.

 

Thanks for the reply. Those caps seemed nice but I found a 40-pack of plastic ones on amazon for 6 bucks /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif. It seems more economical to just keep replacing the cheap ones instead.

 

While the 40-pack of Presta valve caps which you found on Amazon may be a good price, I have to agree with daveryanwyoming that the Presta valve caps generally serve little purpose after the tube is installed ...

• unless you are parking your bike under a tree which is frequented by a lot of birds ..
• or, you ride on the heavily salted roadways during the Winter ...
• or, you anticipate your part of Michigan becoming ocean front property!
  

Regardless, I can't imagine being able to destroy a "standard" Presta valve caps unless I were to use a pair of pliers to remove & install them ... which 'I' wouldn't do ...

So, exactly how is it that are YOU managing to mangle them?

 

You don't think it's more economical to just not buy valve caps for presta valves? Other than daveryanwyoming's suggestion that a cap might protect a rolled up tube from getting abraded/damaged by an uncovered presta valve, the only function that valve covers could possibly serve would be as aesthetic accessories to fit a bike's color scheme. Note for the future that $6 can buy a spare inner tube or two.

 

Classy... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif

 

My wife won't let me throw hers away. Every time I add air to her tires, I'm tempted to toss one in the shitcan, and claim that I accidentally swallowed it while holding it in my teeth. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif

 

On my bike (2013 specialized Sirrus Elite) and my friend's bike (2012 Trek 7.4FX), They literally fall into pieces. They aren't abused and the bikes are in climate controlled garages when they are not being ridden. I don't get that they just fall to pieces when we take them out for the first ride of the year. The only reason we keep the caps on is that the dust can get especially bad sometimes when riding on hard packed dirt trails (Paint Creek Trail going from Rochester to Lake Orion, MI). I don't like the idea of a coating of dust getting into the valve /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif

 

The dust can't get into the valve since the valve is--or should be--screwed shut. Arizona is a dust Mecca, and I don't think I heard of anyone having an issue with a presta valve fouled with dust. They can get fouled with anti-flat fluids. It's not surprising that the covers fall apart. It's cheap plastic with very likely zero UV resistance and possibly poor response to temperature cycling and other environmental factors. You can also throw away the metal ring threaded that's "supposed" to be threaded on the valve stem after the tube is in place.

 

I keep one of those screw-on nuts in my patch kit, to keep the stem in place while I'm changing a tube. Of course, it only works on threaded stems.

You can press on the tire with your thumb to keep the stem in place while you're attaching the pump head, though.

 

Wheel balancing optional.


Alloy durability.




Perfect to match your Pro4's.



Caliber-specific to match your CCW pistol.

 

I like those... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif

 

Those already fell off /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif

 

Those already fell off /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif...Woops double post

 

are the dice lucky? If they are, I am definitely going to buy those!

 

They are until you exceed 45mph, then they turn your bike into a waking nightmare of unbalanced wheel shimmying terror... possibly desireable if you're in need of scheduling a spontaneous colonoscopy and require your bowels evacuated stat.

 

O_O I think I will stick to just buying the normal plastic caps for aesthetic reasons.Every time I look at my bike my mind SCREAMS at me to cover them. OCD really kicks in sometimes /img/vbsmilies/smilies/redface.gif

 

Just don't screw 'em down so tight that the tops pop off.

 

If you don't care for any of the solutions above, you might just keep your old broken caps, and slip a REDCAP over it onto your valve stem. REDCAPS are designed to seal open tubes of caulking bottles, glue bottles, etc. They are rubber sleeves that come rolled up and you slip it over the bottle tip. They are quite durable, economical, and last a long time. This is my first post, so I hope this really helps some folks. I will try to attach pics.Safe Riding!