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I was pumping up my tires on the Bianchi, before my ride, and the tip of the valve with the small screw nut and top section broke right off. I was using a Topeak road morph pump and this is the first time this has happened to me.
Anyone else have this problem? I assume I just need to get a good floor pump, or use the Schrader adapters from now on. Opinions???
It happens more than I like. I've found it happens most with a small take-with-you pump. Good quality floor pumps are best. I also am sure to buy tubes with brass valves. They seem stronger than the steel-alu-whatever metal valves. Pump carefully.
Yeah, it's happened to me twice lately and irritated the hell out of me! I thought it had something to do with how I put the pump on/took it off. I consulted my engineer spouse, who advised me to hold the tire above the valve with one hand so I could have more leverage in guiding the pump on and off straight. I think that will help.
I have been putting off getting a good floor pump. I will get one ASAP now. The tube was what came with the bike but, luckily I had a coupon for a free tube at my LBS and got to look at their selection of floor pumps while I was there so, tomorrow I will stop in after work and get one.
This has actually never happened to me ... but I always use a floor pump except for the rare occasion when I'm out of CO2 cartridges and have to use my backup mini-pump. And when using the floor pump, I always make sure the valve is at 12:00 before attaching the pump head. Keeping the pump head on straight helps the flow of air, but I can see it would reduce the chance of breaking the valve stem, too.
Other thoughts - make sure the collar nut is loose or just don't use it; make sure the valve stem nut is fully unscrewed before pumping and don't overtighten it afterward.
This happened to me twice last summer, although I wouldn't say that it broke off so much as SHOT off. Never found it either time. Using a Park floor pump both times. I chalked it up to the quality of the tube. I believe they were both Q-Tubes, so I avoid those now.
That's kind of what I was thinking. Poor quality tubes. This is the first time it happened to me with any of my three bikes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Skierchickie
This has happened to me before, too. I chalked it up to being in a hurry and not attaching the pump properly.
Yep, aggravating. And these days, it seems that most tubes I find at the LBS don't have removable valve cores which makes the job of fixing it impossible. So I only buy tubes with removable valve cores, and I have the Stans No-Tubes core remover tool (super easy, put it on the valve, and turn) and a few extra valve cores. When this happens, I just unscrew the core and replace it. I even keep an extra in my patch kit because nothing is worse than fixing a flat, getting it all back together, and having the core break when you pump it up.
I have had this happen a lot. Not as much now as when I first started riding and I would get the wrong angle pulling off the pump. My husband got exasperated when I yanked off two valves in one day. I have a good pump but it is tight so now I'm very careful when I detach it I also push the valve and release a little air before I attach it.