SO frustrated

[FloridaGal]

i know there have been posts about this before but I am going crazy with these prest valves,.. have a serfas floor pump w/ gauge

when i try to check the tires the pump complelty deflates the tires i kee trying to get air back in but the pump just keeps poping off then when i try to get it on again it deflates. i know which way toput the lever on and the guy at the bike shop was able to us it but these valves are complelty hyper sensitive it's like one touch and they complelety deflate agian.. is there such a thing as setting them too loose. i feel like i have to hold the pump ont h valve to get it to work but then i can only pump with one hand

advice please ! i am getting so frustrated!!!

[HillSlugger]

I bought my floor pump while I had shraeder valves on my hybrid, but the pump was advertised as self adjusting for both presta and schraeder. Well, with my prestas it pops off like you've described. I ended up buying a Presta valve adapter (http://www.rei.com/product/27860.htm). It's slightly awkward but does the trick. I actually bought two, one to stay with the floor pump and one to keep in my saddle bag for emergencies.

[FloridaGal]

thanks i will try that. i also bought my pump when i just had hybrid but it is supposed to do both.

i have seen pumps that have anti air loss features has anyone tried those??

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I think the pumps that advertise that they do both types of valves have an end part for the prestas that screws on and off. You take it off for the schrader valves. At least that's what my floor pump does. If you jam your Presta pump adapter onto schrader valves you will surely wreck the rubber gasket there and need to buy a new Presta adapter end.
Also, make sure the parts on the end of the pump hose are screwed on all the way. Mine were loose for a while and the pump didnt work well until i discovered the problem and now it works well again.
Are you "priming" your little presta valve before you stick the pump on it? You first unscrew the golden valve tip to the "open" position (doesn't come all the way off mind you), then push it down lightly just for a second to let a little poof of air out- this primes the presta valve tip itself so it will work properly when you start pumping for real. The poof can be startling the first time you do it.
When you are done pumping, get both thumbs under your pump end and try to pop it off the valve using thumb leverage QUICKLY and evenly- don't wiggle it from side to side on the valve or you'll break the valve tip and have to get new tubes.

[FloridaGal]

I ended up buying a Presta valve adapter (http://www.rei.com/product/27860.htm). It's slightly awkward but does the trick. I actually bought two, one to stay with the floor pump and one to keep in my saddle bag for emergencies.

I picked up some of those adapters today ( 1 for home 1 for bike bag) and it was much easier to pump up. i still deflated the tire initially, but at least I could pump it up this time and go for a ride after work

I obviosuly still have some kinks to work through but that helped a lot . THAnKs!

[rivergrl]

The pump I bought was suppose to work on both type valves. However, I made the mistake of using my pump on my shraeder valve Sedona and messed it up and couldn't use it for my road bike. After using it, it would no longer work on my road bike presta valve. I took it to the bike shop and he said it was messed up from using it on the shraeder valve...funny, they told me it would work on BOTH when I bought it.

Anyway, I just use a seperate pump for the comfort bike instead of using the same pump for my road bike. They told me it would work for both but obviously it didn't.

[Deborajen]

Our floor pump was said to work on both kinds of valves, and it actually has two separate plug holes - one for each type of valve. We previously had a floor pump for Schraeder valves and we used adapters. The adapters are o.k. in a pinch, but personally I have much better luck keeping air in the tires (ie., not deflating when you disconnect the pump) with the pump that doesn't need an adapter.

Deb

[Xrayted]

Rivergrl: Does your pump that is supposed to work both ways have just one hole? If so, there is probably a small rubber adaptor piece inside. One way fits Schrader, one way fits Presta. You can pull it out and put it in the opposite way and now it fits Presta. (If you can spin the very tip of the pump off, this is probably what you have.) I used a small screwdriver to pry mine out so I could flip it around.
Hope this helps.

-X.

[HillSlugger]

Rivergrl: Does your pump that is supposed to work both ways have just one hole? If so, there is probably a small rubber adaptor piece inside. One way fits Schrader, one way fits Presta. You can pull it out and put it in the opposite way and now it fits Presta. (If you can spin the very tip of the pump off, this is probably what you have.) I used a small screwdriver to pry mine out so I could flip it around.
Hope this helps.

-X.

My floor pump (Performance Hurricane Team Floor Pump) has one hole. There is a rubber piece inside but it doesn't fit in reversed, and the instructions indicate that it's supposed to do both valves without having to change anything. For my pump it's either a crock, or using it for schraeder ruined it for presta. The adapter thing does the trick for me.