Hi... My college prof used to say that the only stupid question is the one that is left unasked!
So.....I was practicing removing and reinstalling a tire and tube on my brand new Schwinn. Everything went very well, (for a tyro). But when it came to adding the air to the tube, it was so flat that I could not get the air pressure nozzle over the valve stem.. It kept receding into the tire, or moving at an angle which forced me reshift the position of the tube each time, so that the stem is perpendicular to the rim. And I had to go through all kinds of moves to get it back. Finally I clamped the rubber part of the valve stem with a small carpenter's clamp. And Voila!
Can you give me a clue as to a better way? Should I make a permanent place for a carpenters clamp in my tool bag? Or...how about a way to NEVER ever get flats or tube or tire wear!........no, have to ask Santa for that!
Thanks always for the great help and advice I've been getting. I'm lost without you.
Mike
The trouble with this old world is that there is too much apathy, But.... who cares?
Before you put the tyre back on (well, before you set the bead) hold the tube on back of the valve with your finger, so it cannot move backwards. Pump up the tube a bit (not fully, just enough to give it form. Set the bead. Finish pumping the tyre.
Before you put the tyre back on (well, before you set the bead) hold the tube on back of the valve with your finger, so it cannot move backwards. Pump up the tube a bit (not fully, just enough to give it form. Set the bead. Finish pumping the tyre.
I've found it works well for me. YMMV.
Jeff
Sort of the same for me too. I use my thumb to hold the valve until it gets some pressure, then if it is not perfectly straight up I will rotate the tire before I put any more air in. Only when the valve is straight will I finish filling it. I have seen a lot of kids and even some adults with fully inflated tires and bent valves, which is asking for a flat. This was proven when I fixed a flat for a local kid and the valve had been ripped from the tube by the extreme angle. Bill Baka
Hi... My college prof used to say that the only stupid question is the one that is left unasked!
So.....I was practicing removing and reinstalling a tire and tube on my brand new Schwinn. Everything went very well, (for a tyro). But when it came to adding the air to the tube, it was so flat that I could not get the air pressure nozzle over the valve stem.. It kept receding into the tire, or moving at an angle which forced me reshift the position of the tube each time, so that the stem is perpendicular to the rim. And I had to go through all kinds of moves to get it back. Finally I clamped the rubber part of the valve stem with a small carpenter's clamp. And Voila!
Can you give me a clue as to a better way?
I'd switch to presta tubes at your leisure. The entire shaft is threaded and a little nut keeps them from disappearing. Don't tighten the nut too hard, btw. You'll want some 50c grommets to make it look nice: http://www.bikepro.com/products/rims/strips.html (bottom of the page), your LBS should have some.
Can you give me a clue as to a better way? Should I make a permanent place for a carpenters clamp in my tool bag? Or...how about a way to NEVER ever get flats or tube or tire wear!........no, have to ask Santa for that!
If you're using a pump or air hose that clips to the valve stem, the easiest way to get it clipped on is to squish the tire tread flat against the base of the stem to push it through the hole as far as possible, and hold it there with one hand while attaching the pump or hose with the other. If you're uring an air hose from a compressor, the same technique generally still works, though you may find that pushing the stem through, grabbing it and holding it directly while pushing the air chuck onto the valve might be more effective. I've used both methods.
Presta stems with a nutted base make this irrelevant, but they have their own collection of ways to annoy the user. -- Typoes are a feature, not a bug. Some gardening required to reply via email. Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.
