Question re damaged presta valve



skydive69

New Member
Aug 23, 2004
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I used a friends pump on my Presta valve equipped tire today, and when I pulled the pump off, it must have pulled the device off on the end of the valve that is unscrewed and depressed (to break the seal) prior to adding air. The device was missing, and I could not find it - it must have flipped off into no man's land.

The tire sealed fine and held the air without leaking. My questions are:

1) Is it okay to use the tire like this? and if yes then

2) I presume one would simply place a thin nail like device into the valve stem to break the seal and put air in, is that true?

Thanks for the input.
 
For $4, I would probably get a new tube- it should hold, but it will be hard tofill without a valve stem- I wouldn't even attempt the nail thing
 
Telegram Sam said:
For $4, I would probably get a new tube- it should hold, but it will be hard tofill without a valve stem- I wouldn't even attempt the nail thing
Candidly, I am amazed at how long it took to get a reply to this question - thank you. I guess we are too busy taking "who cares" type surveys to answer practical questions regarding the cycling experience.

In that I did not get an answer in anything resembling a timely manner, I did my own experiment. The next day the tire was holding the amount of air a tire typically holds overnight. I pushed the seal open by putting a thin cyclindrical object into the top of the valve stem. That broke the air seal with one big difference - it broke it permanently and the tire totally deflated.

I guess unless I want to take a survey, I will save questions for a more responsive forum.
 
skydive69 said:
Candidly, I am amazed at how long it took to get a reply to this question - thank you. I guess we are too busy taking "who cares" type surveys to answer practical questions regarding the cycling experience.
You probably would have received an answer much faster if you posted your question in the "Cycling Equipment" forum, as opposed to the "Bike Cafe" forum (which is described as "Have a good time, make new friends").

:)
 
No, probably because the answer is so blatantly obvious that no one felt like posting.

Something like:

"Buy a new tube you cheap ******* ..........."
 
Scotty_Dog said:
You probably would have received an answer much faster if you posted your question in the "Cycling Equipment" forum, as opposed to the "Bike Cafe" forum (which is described as "Have a good time, make new friends").

:)
Good point - I assumed that people check under new posts to see a list of everything new, and hence quickly find anything that might be of interest. As far as the previous answer, I guess the addage that there are no dumb questions doesn't apply in the very special world of cyclists. To that bright sage, I would say that I asked three different bicycle mechanics and got three diverse answers. Perhaps the question was not so dumb after all. And that wise sage never considered that I was away from home at a place with no bicycle shops. It must be wonderful to be so bright. :D
 
I hope I didn't sound like the "correct forum" police in my previous message. I really meant it in a complete sincere way, unlike the remark after mine.

I too regularly check the New Posts, but have to admit I didn't even see your posting until today. Don't know why????
 
skydive69 said:
Good point - I assumed that people check under new posts to see a list of everything new, and hence quickly find anything that might be of interest. As far as the previous answer, I guess the addage that there are no dumb questions doesn't apply in the very special world of cyclists. To that bright sage, I would say that I asked three different bicycle mechanics and got three diverse answers. Perhaps the question was not so dumb after all. And that wise sage never considered that I was away from home at a place with no bicycle shops. It must be wonderful to be so bright. :D

As was stated before, you asked a tech. question in the "cafe" forum, so you get what you ask for.

I'm willing to bet (maybe even instate one of the ridiculous polls to find out) that the majority of the people who read your original post said the same thing in their mind as I wrote out ........

I was a mechanic for five years, working on all types of bikes with my specialty being high-end road bikes .... and my answer would still be, buy a new tube. Yes, you could make the bad one work, but why?? More risk of it leaking or failing.

Any cyclist on a trip would be smart enough to bring extra tubes along, especially if they didn't know if there would be any shops around ........

So tell me, who is the "dumb" one then???????
 
Daremo said:
As was stated before, you asked a tech. question in the "cafe" forum, so you get what you ask for.

I'm willing to bet (maybe even instate one of the ridiculous polls to find out) that the majority of the people who read your original post said the same thing in their mind as I wrote out ........

I was a mechanic for five years, working on all types of bikes with my specialty being high-end road bikes .... and my answer would still be, buy a new tube. Yes, you could make the bad one work, but why?? More risk of it leaking or failing.

Any cyclist on a trip would be smart enough to bring extra tubes along, especially if they didn't know if there would be any shops around ........

So tell me, who is the "dumb" one then???????
I love the assumptions you make. Of course I had an extra tube, but my concern was to keep an extra tube. When I ultimately used it, I was without an extra tube. I wish I was as superior as you - If I were, I wouldn't have asked questions that impact on your sensibilities. Fortunately, clowns like you are in the minority in the cyclist world. Of course I am a dipshit for even bothering to answer you - an error I will correct in the future! :mad:
 
Scotty_Dog said:
I hope I didn't sound like the "correct forum" police in my previous message. I really meant it in a complete sincere way, unlike the remark after mine.

I too regularly check the New Posts, but have to admit I didn't even see your posting until today. Don't know why????
No you didn't sound like a daridiot in the least bit. Happily his ilk appear to be in the minority. I am studying hard however to be as knowledgeable as he apparently is. It must be wonderful to know everything, and you can tell by his equipment that he has taken cycling to the nth degree. LOL I am also sure that he rides with the "fast" group. uh huh. :)
 
Blah blah blah .........

Same stuff, different forum.

One person makes a comment, another gets offended, words spouted at each other over the internet with goofy little emoticons used to emphasize whatever feelings .....

Bottom line is that I find it very hard to believe mechanics would want to try and salvage a $4 tube. Yes, you can remove the presta mechanism and replace it with another from an old/popped tube. But unless it is a $20 ultralight tube, it is not worth the time or effort.

That's all I'm saying about the subject. Who really cares about my riding/racing experience or what type of equipment I ride, does it make things any different to qualify oneself on an internet forum? No, because it is too easy to lie about that. Berrate me all you want, doesn't hurt my feelings any.