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Sticky Valve- Presta

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Sandwich

Pig my fish!
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May 23, 2002
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borcester rhymes
Hi all
I picked up a new bike that has a sticky and therefore leaking presta valve. I can inflate the tire OK, and it seems to hold air, but it appears to leak at the valve. Sometimes I can hear it, sometimes not. This thing is ancient and probably could use a new tube, but as it's going to live on the trainer and only needs to keep the rim from hitting the support, I don't really want to bother too much with it.

That being said, can I lube the valve somehow to see if it works a little better, and if so what do I use? A little triflow? 3in1 oil? shoot some tubeless goo in there? I just want to be able to fill it up once a week and not otherwise worry about it.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
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May 23, 2002
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borcester rhymes
Serious thread Wednesday.
Did you remove the core? Pull core, clean if gummy, reinstall properly.
can't do. that's what I would do first, but I cannot remove the core. It seems like the valve isn't closing even when it's screwed tight. Probably threads gummed up plus debris on the seal.
based on what it is, it's possible its old enough its a non-removeable core.

i don't have air in the front tire of my trainer bike.
you ride it without air at all? There' s much less movement with my road bike 23c tires compared to the 35cs on my dad bike, but there still is a little bit of movement. I'm half tempted to just take the tire off and run it on carpet or something.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
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you ride it without air at all? There' s much less movement with my road bike 23c tires compared to the 35cs on my dad bike, but there still is a little bit of movement. I'm half tempted to just take the tire off and run it on carpet or something.
basically. i think i put air in it once several years ago, but has long since fucked off.

i use one of these.

1631111352991.png
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
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on the topic of presta valve shenanigans, i had the threaded closure part break off on the front of my road bike on monday. it still seems to be holding air. i should be OK to keep using it as long as it holds air, right? at least while i wait for a replacement.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
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Canaderp
on the topic of presta valve shenanigans, i had the threaded closure part break off on the front of my road bike on monday. it still seems to be holding air. i should be OK to keep using it as long as it holds air, right? at least while i wait for a replacement.
Yes. The internal air pressure keeps it closed, from what I see. I guess you'll risk burping air out, should you hit a bump with the valve at the perfect spot.

I keep the cores from old tubes and whatnot for this reason. Super easy to replace and why throw it out?
 

rideit

Bob the Builder
Aug 24, 2004
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In the cleavage of the Tetons
this doesn’t help the OP, but I’m chiming in. We have bike tube recycling, I go to the recycling center and harvest presta cores when I’m there. Very good to have on hand and in the bike bag.
 

jonKranked

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Nov 10, 2005
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Yes. The internal air pressure keeps it closed, from what I see. I guess you'll risk burping air out, should you hit a bump with the valve at the perfect spot.

I keep the cores from old tubes and whatnot for this reason. Super easy to replace and why throw it out?
the cores in this particular tube are not replaceable.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
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May 23, 2002
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borcester rhymes
I have very, very rarely seen tubes with replaceable valve cores. Most of my shit doesn't have replaceable cores. I bought some zip tubes almost specifically because they have replaceable cores and I can use them on my tubeless stems when the tubes pop.

These are non-replaceable.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
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Sleazattle
A valve core extender should work for you. Overly complex but requires little effort.

You could also fill the tube with some kind of thick slurry, perhaps corn starch and water.

Whatever you do, don't try to replace the tube, it will eventually develop a sticky valve in ten years and you will bend up right where you started.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
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May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
A valve core extender should work for you. Overly complex but requires little effort.

You could also fill the tube with some kind of thick slurry, perhaps corn starch and water.

Whatever you do, don't try to replace the tube, it will eventually develop a sticky valve in ten years and you will bend up right where you started.
homeslice, I'm just asking if I can get away with dropping a little triflow down the chute instead of replacing the tube that I just swapped back to front. If I really need to swap the tube, I will, but if I can get away with just trying a simple task, I'm gonna try it.

but maybe electrical tape?
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,241
20,021
Sleazattle
homeslice, I'm just asking if I can get away with dropping a little triflow down the chute instead of replacing the tube that I just swapped back to front. If I really need to swap the tube, I will, but if I can get away with just trying a simple task, I'm gonna try it.

but maybe electrical tape?

You could also just get some plyers and crank it down real good (not being sarcastic)
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,241
20,021
Sleazattle
Maybe you should start a blog or utube channel about it. Could make enough money you quit your day job

My team on my last project got called "Yank and Jank" after I needed a few 30,000lb tools moved but couldn't get logistics to schedule it for a few days. So I took a noob down on the floor and dragged them around with ratchet straps tied to building columns. It was just the beginning of long series of highly successful half-assed methods developed to get shit done with little time and no resources. Sadly no video aloud in the factory, not to mention the long list of OSHA violations.
 
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