Threaded Valves - WHY?

[fauxpas]

I rode my spare bike to work n back over the last 2 weeks as they were doing rail trackwork and I needed to lock my bike up at the rail station. Anyhow...

I used my floor pump on the spare bike, which has threaded presta valves... omg, I'll never do it again... I could feel it rasping the rubber going on and off...

Why the fark do they still make threaded valve bodies? They aint going anywhere...!!!

 

[bobbyOCR]

Some tubes come with this irritating little lockring. This threads onto the valve to hold it out of the rim when first inflating. Trust me, my supersonics have this and it doesn't affect my pump at all, but i have a cam lever headed one, not sure aboot you.

 

[capwater]

I feel your pain, mate. I think Michelin may still make the smooth valve tubes.

 

[Albert 50]

Oddly enough I have never had a non-threaded valve stem. Any tube I ever selected or ordered sight unseen has been the threaded type.I use to put on the lock nut to stop the valve flopping around & wearing the valve hole. This I think, sometimes damaged the tube/stem join, causing tube failure. Now I place a peice of old tube as a washer then tape around the valve before installing in the rim to keep it snug in the hole. No more concerns.
Does a smooth stem still have a couple of threads to hold the cap? Or is the cap different?

 

[bobbyOCR]

Oddly enough I have never had a non-threaded valve stem. Any tube I ever selected or ordered sight unseen has been the threaded type.I use to put on the lock nut to stop the valve flopping around & wearing the valve hole. This I think, sometimes damaged the tube/stem join, causing tube failure. Now I place a peice of old tube as a washer then tape around the valve before installing in the rim to keep it snug in the hole. No more concerns.
Does a smooth stem still have a couple of threads to hold the cap? Or is the cap different?

yeah it has a short thread to hold the cap. The threaded tubes are the lightest anyway, who knows why conti do it but they are great tubes.

 

[HowardSteele]

I could feel it rasping the rubber going on and off...
Are you sure you had the rubber on right,and who's this bloke you'r pumping called Tube?

 

[hd reynolds]

I rode my spare bike to work n back over the last 2 weeks as they were doing rail trackwork and I needed to lock my bike up at the rail station. Anyhow...

I used my floor pump on the spare bike, which has threaded presta valves... omg, I'll never do it again... I could feel it rasping the rubber going on and off...

Why the fark do they still make threaded valve bodies? They aint going anywhere...!!!

I tape the threads with masking tape.

 

[PeterF]

I feel your pain, mate. I think Michelin may still make the smooth valve tubes.

Hutchinson makes smooth valves as well. I agree with the original post. All the threads really do is wear out the rubber in the chuck alot faster. Those little retainer nuts get tossed along with the valve covers (I keep one valve cover on my spare tube only).

 

[bobbyOCR]

I could feel it rasping the rubber going on and off...
Are you sure you had the rubber on right,and who's this bloke you'r pumping called Tube?

lmao, that's so discriminating its funny.

 

[schmuzzy]

i positively HATE the threaded valve tubes. (NOT the little thread to keep the cap on- but the ones where the thread goes all the way down.


all it does is stress on the rubber where the tube meets the valve.

i cannot tell you how many tubes ive flatted right there.

your pulling like hell to get the chuck off- and pssssssssst


there goes your ride.


****.

GIANT and KENDA also make the threadless variety.

 

[free_rideman]

That is why you are supposed to hold the valve stem when taking off the inflator head. Common sense, since the rubber is much weaker than other tubes with thicker walls.

 

[IEatRice4Dinner]

ribbed for your pleasure

 

[Dietmar]

Why the fark do they still make threaded valve bodies?

I hear you. I recently bought a new set of tubes, sight unseen, and found out they had the threaded valve bodies. They went right back to the dealer. This kind of **** should be outlawed. As to why they make these, they're cheaper. I guess the manufacturer saves a penny or two on those things. Otherwise it is complete idiocy to have the thread all the way up to the tip of the valve.

I suggest everybody does like I do, refuse to buy this garbage. I ended up buying Michelin ones instead.

 

[PeterF]

I hear you. I recently bought a new set of tubes, sight unseen, and found out they had the threaded valve bodies. They went right back to the dealer. This kind of **** should be outlawed. As to why they make these, they're cheaper. I guess the manufacturer saves a penny or two on those things. Otherwise it is complete idiocy to have the thread all the way up to the tip of the valve.

I suggest everybody does like I do, refuse to buy this garbage. I ended up buying Michelin ones instead.

I rank the threaded stems right up there with the Lawyer tabs on our forks that make it a pain to quickly change the front wheel.

 

[Don Shipp]

I rank the threaded stems right up there with the Lawyer tabs on our forks that make it a pain to quickly change the front wheel.

Years ago the valve-stems were not welded to the tube, it was a separate item. The base of the valve-stem had a flange that went inside the tube, a curved washer went on the outside then a nut tightened down over the washer. The stem had to be threaded, but when the design was changed this feature was retained, at least by some manufacturers. Possibly the knurled nut that screws down on the outside of the rim serves some function but it can cause problems of it's own. I think the thread is an anachronism which could easily be dispensed with.

 

[Dietmar]

I think the thread is an anachronism which could easily be dispensed with.

No, it has nothing to do with anachronism. I have a 15-year old tube here, which does not use the cheap threaded valve body. As far as I recall (but my memory may be fuzzy on this), nobody was selling this kind of **** 15 years ago, not with Presta valves, anyway. As for the need for the locknut, yes, some valve/rim combinations required that. For that reason, valves had a bit of thread near the bottom of the valve, and a smooth body from there on out. I repeat, having all of the valve body threaded is pure idiocy from a functional point of view. Heck, even if you happen to use a nut, it'll take you ages to screw the damn thing all the way down to the rim if the thread starts at the tip of the valve.

 

[free_rideman]

Jesus! You can buy a new chuck for your pump for about $5 USD. My friend's pump chuck only died now and it has served him for six years of presta inflation. Not a reason to ***** about. They are just tubes. And yes the little nut is a cool feature. It makes putting the chuck on much easier.

 

[Jaguar27]

Fauxpas...did you use a Koala to Lock your Bike? If not, all you have to do is stuff one in the Frame facing the down Tube, then he can put his Arms through the front wheel like he's hugging a Tree...I'm sure you get the Picture mate!!

I rode my spare bike to work n back over the last 2 weeks as they were doing rail trackwork and I needed to lock my bike up at the rail station. Anyhow...

 

[fauxpas]

...and who's this bloke you'r pumping called Tube?

Tube = Pedro... We nicknamed him tube as his ***** is long, black and bent...

 

[fauxpas]

For the record, I do have the head lever in the correct position when inserting and extracting (ouch )...

Pump heads may be cheap, but the head I got is the best I have ever used... for that reason I want to preserve it for as long as possible...

Your pump my be able to reach 160-200psi, but if the head is farked, you're farked...