Funny Laugh at the Newbie Story re Presta Valves

[Jorg Lueke]

After my first ride I go and check the tire pressure. It's a few PSI
low and to get some practice I get my new hand pump and try to inflate
the tire a little. With the userguide I was able to get the valve in
the right hole and start applying pressure. However, somewhere on the
web I read that with presta valves you should unscrew them to the top
when inflating. Well this didn't work at all. The air release kept
getting engaged and any air I might be adding was soon lost. Then
finally I managed to POP, break the valve off entirely.

At least this afforded me an opportunity to practive changing an inner
tube. That when reasonably well but I still had a problem inflating
the tire. Finally, I just decided to screw the valve down instead of
up and lo and behold the pressure quickly built and the tire was
inflated!

At least all this happened inside where it was warm and dry and now I
know what to do.

 

[[email protected]]

On Apr 2, 4:42 am, "Jorg Lueke" <[email protected]> wrote:
> After my first ride I go and check the tire pressure. It's a few PSI
> low and to get some practice I get my new hand pump and try to inflate
> the tire a little. With the userguide I was able to get the valve in
> the right hole and start applying pressure. However, somewhere on the
> web I read that with presta valves you should unscrew them to the top
> when inflating. Well this didn't work at all. The air release kept
> getting engaged and any air I might be adding was soon lost. Then
> finally I managed to POP, break the valve off entirely.
>
> At least this afforded me an opportunity to practive changing an inner
> tube. That when reasonably well but I still had a problem inflating
> the tire. Finally, I just decided to screw the valve down instead of
> up and lo and behold the pressure quickly built and the tire was
> inflated!
>
> At least all this happened inside where it was warm and dry and now I
> know what to do.

Since someone else is mentioning breaking off valves, I figure I'd ask
a question...

I _thought_ I had a defective pump and was, instead of using my presta
valve head, using the valve adaptor (which I try to keep on the rear
wheel of the road bike all the time) and the schrader head.

However, I just got a second mini-pump (this one for the mountain
bike) and on a day when I was low on air and didn't have the valve
adaptor (it had been borrowed without being returned on a group ride
and the shop didn't have any in when I went to buy one) I'm taking the
pump off of the newly reinflated tire when POP there goes the valve
the same way it goes with the other pump.

I've probably lost some 20 tubes in the last two years to the valve
POPping off when I remove the pump.

What the hell am I doing wrong?

-M

 

[[email protected]]

On Apr 3, 9:56 pm, Curtis L. Russell <[email protected]> wrote:
> On 3 Apr 2007 05:07:42 -0700, "[email protected]"
>
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >However, I just got a second mini-pump (this one for the mountain
> >bike) and on a day when I was low on air and didn't have the valve
> >adaptor (it had been borrowed without being returned on a group ride
> >and the shop didn't have any in when I went to buy one) I'm taking the
> >pump off of the newly reinflated tire when POP there goes the valve
> >the same way it goes with the other pump.
>
> >I've probably lost some 20 tubes in the last two years to the valve
> >POPping off when I remove the pump
>
> I can't imagine, since I think I have lost one in maybe 25 years and
> was kind of ticked off about that (it is really a pain). I overpump a
> touch and expect to lose a bit of air on the exit, so I'm not rushing
> the removal process. I could see where not releasing the thumb lock
> could do it, but that is kind of basic. Its best to come off straight
> - when the Presta is fully extended it can be fragile, but still,
> that's a lot of valves to lose.

The first valve I lost I thought it was a defective valve.
The second valve I lost I thought it was maybe because I hadn't
released the lock.
The third valve I lost I was sure I hadn't released the lock because
I'd been ****** off and YANKED oh ****...
The fourth valve I lost I knew I'd released the lock.
It was around the fifth or sixth that I started using the valve
adaptor and stopped losing them.

So come to think of it it has only been around 10 tubes killed that
way.

I was certain it was a problem with my pump until I went and lost a
valve with my new pump.

I think I'm pulling off straight and I know I'm releasing the lock...

> Do you feel the pump head to valve is solid? I try to not work against
> the valve at all or very, very little. Just tossing out ideas, because
> it doesn't happen very often here...

Not so sure on the old folding pump which has been very battered and
has been taken apart and reassembled a few times. The new pump is
really for mountain bikes and, despite the presta hole, didn't seem to
be particularly solid against the valve. Lots of air loss when
pumping making it a real ***** to fill the tire.

-M

 

[amakyonin]

On Apr 3, 8:07 am, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> I've probably lost some 20 tubes in the last two years to the valve
> POPping off when I remove the pump.
>
> What the hell am I doing wrong?

Assuming you aren't forgetting to unlock the pump it could be that the
grommet in the pump head is stilll too tight to come off easily. You
can address this by gently rocking the head side to side as you pull
up to inch it off the stem threads. Don't be to aggressive with this
or you can bend or break off the stem of the valve plunger. If that
doesn't work then hold the valve stem with your hand to keep it from
tearing out as you pull.

 

[[email protected]]

On Apr 4, 11:25 pm, "amakyonin" <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Apr 3, 8:07 am, "[email protected]"
>
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> > I've probably lost some 20 tubes in the last two years to the valve
> > POPping off when I remove the pump.
>
> > What the hell am I doing wrong?
>
> Assuming you aren't forgetting to unlock the pump it could be that the
> grommet in the pump head is stilll too tight to come off easily. You
> can address this by gently rocking the head side to side as you pull
> up to inch it off the stem threads. Don't be to aggressive with this
> or you can bend or break off the stem of the valve plunger. If that
> doesn't work then hold the valve stem with your hand to keep it from
> tearing out as you pull.

The valve isn't coming disconnected from the rubber, the top part of
the valve is becoming disconnected from the bottom part of the valve.

-M