Thinking Too Hard About Tubeless Valve Stems

[AJS914]

I finally bought a Hirame presta chuck. I've been riding presta 40 years and this one of those purchases I kick myself for not making decades ago. Silca makes the Hiro chuck which is similar.

https://www.roadbikerider.com/comparing ... pump-head/

[PoorInRichfield]

But yeah, for those less sensitive or ham fisted may be better staying off screw on pump head...

Screw on pump heads are a bit unsuitable with tubeless as you're messing with and pulling on the valve core. A friend almost threw his expensive pump out the window when he took the head and core off together for the fifth time. I guess wheels/tubes with removable cores all are kind of sensitive.

You don't want to torque the core too much either and screw up the seal.

My friend has in the past overtightened and broken more than one valve core. So he's struggling to find the balance inbetween.

On my ride this weekend, I learned the hard way that a mini-pump with a screw-on head is a dangerous beast as I broke the valve core head off when attempting to put air into my leaking tubeless setup In the past, I've also experienced the issue with the pump head unscrewing the valve core and/or turning the valve itself.

(Note to self: Carry additional valve cores and a valve core tool in your tool kit.)

In regards to my original post, I've unfortunately eliminated all 3 of the choices I originally posted after over-thinking about valve-stems...

• Lindarets Titanium - I was about to buy these as my first choice as they're theoretically very strong and very light. However, they only come in one length and aren't long enough for my existing wheels.
• Muc Off - The oil slick color of these valves would go well with my bike's color scheme, but not only are they currently crazy-expensive in that color, they too only come in lengths that won't quite work for my bike... they'd either be too long or too short.
• Barbieri Carbonaria - I read some reviews of these stems that suggested that even though these valves are light, they aren't very strong. As much as I want light valve stems, having a relatively strong valve stem that does not break-off when fixing a flat in the middle of no where has to trump weight.

As a result, I've just gone ahead and ordered the correct length Bontrager valve stems that were made for my wheels and tubeless setup. I'm kind of disappointed in that choice as those stems are neither pretty nor light (but at least they're reasonably priced), so I'm likely going to continue my quest for "the perfect valve stems" at a leasurely pace.

[PoorInRichfield]

*** Update!!! ***

I contacted Lindarets and asked if they'd be manufacturing longer titanium valve stems in the future. Within an hour, they replied that they are getting a shipment of 60mm stems this week and have added them to their web site...

https://lindarets.com/titanium-tubeless-valve-stems/

[TobinHatesYou]

Why would you want titanium valves over aluminum ones? Valves don’t need to be particularly strong

[PoorInRichfield]

Why would you want titanium valves over aluminum ones? Valves don’t need to be particularly strong

First off... this is the weight weenie forum! If you look at the weights I posted in the first thread and assuming they are accurate, the titanium valves are ~3x lighter than the Muc Offs (I'm assuming the Muc Offs are aluminum.) This matters to me for a few reason. For one, weight at the outside of a wheel makes more of a difference than weight near the hub due to centripetal force. A light valve stem won't likely rock-my-world, but it's something. Second, most bicycle wheels are not balanced... they're usually heavier at the valve stem for obvious reasons. (This isn't always the case, but is usually is.) Reducing the weight of the valve stem could help to offset that imbalance. There's a holy-war going on as to whether or not wheel balancing on a bicycle wheel matters the slightest bit, but I'm on the side that thinks that it's an easy enough thing to do that it's worth doing.

Weight aside, I never really thought the strength of a valve stem mattered until this past weekend when my valve stem core broke off while trying to fix a flat. I realized that road-side repairs are often in bad conditions and one often isn't exactly patient or in a good mood when repair a flat, so I could easily see a valve stem looking like this if one's not careful...



The above is an American Classic valve (not mine). I was actually going to purchase the American Classic valves as I thought they looked well designed Unfortunately, American Classic is out of business (so I've been told) and their valves are no longer available. If they break like the picture above, I could perhaps see why they went under!

[alcatraz]

I'd just like to add that they broke at the seal and started leaking, not like pictured above.

I think I'd try a drop of medium strength loctite on the threads when installing the valve core. That should help with holding on to a lightly tightened valve core.

The picture looks like the minipump was used furociously to eventually break the valve. There's a trick to avoid putting pressure on the valve while pumping with a minipump. Put the wheel flat on the ground and prop up the pump head with a rock and a glove (or anything else) then one handed you just pump that up without touching the valve or pump head. Tiny pumps can be made real world usable this way.

[TobinHatesYou]

The Muc-Off valves are heavy for aluminum. My "Speed Evolution" 44mm valves are like 8g with extenders.

Also what makes you think a titanium valve would fair better than an alloy one in a stress test, especially one that weighs the same?

[PoorInRichfield]

Also what makes you think a titanium valve would fair better than an alloy one in a stress test, especially one that weighs the same?

What makes you think they wouldn't?

[TobinHatesYou]

Also what makes you think a titanium valve would fair better than an alloy one in a stress test, especially one that weighs the same?

What makes you think they wouldn't?

Because components like aluminum chainring bolts and other fasteners are lighter than titanium ones.

[PoorInRichfield]

Because components like aluminum chainring bolts and other fasteners are lighter than titanium ones.

Read the Lindaret marketing blurp and decide for yourself, I guess. Seems to me like they considered if there was any advantage to Ti over Al...
https://lindarets.com/titanium-tubeless-valve-stems/

Is the whole tubeless valve stem titanium?
We actually use aluminum for the knurled nuts because Ti there was adding cost without adding value. It also gave us the opportunity to offer highlights in colors that aren't readily achievable in Ti. The replaceable valve cores are brass and the gaskets -of course- rubber.

[PoorInRichfield]

While probably not the lightest stems in the world, DT Swiss has a set of stems I think are worth considering from a design & useability standpoint. They offer several different models depending on the rim style and depth. I like how some of the stems have an unusual nut that would be easy to use. The valve cap (which I normally don't use) not only looks kind of aero if turned the right way, it also has the valve stem tool notch built into it. Kinda of slick...

https://www.universalcycles.com/shoppin ... ?id=100335

[alcatraz]

That's quite ingenious. I like the "nut" shape and the cap with the core slot in it.

Something that occurred to me is that tubeless valves have the potential of being lighter than the valves in inner tubes. Inner tubes always have steel valves don't they? Tubeless can be alloy.

[PoorInRichfield]

I took a little risk and ordered the titanium Lindaret valve stems in the shorter 44mm length to minimize extra weight and wind resistance (or at least that is what is going to happen in my head.) The risk paid off as they fit just fine on my Bontrager Aeolus 3V Pro wheels...

[Milese]

Just found this old thread.

The muc off weights are per pair, including all accessories, see this link, closer to 10g a pair.

https://r2-bike.com/MUC-OFF-Tubeless-Va ... esta-44-mm

[PoorInRichfield]

Yeah, even though I went with the uber-expensive titanium Lindaret valve stems, I somewhat regret that decision. They're a good option if you need durability, like you're on a bike trek across the country by yourself and can't afford to have a valve stem break. However, they aren't all that light, are obviously very expensive, and I don't need the durability they provide as I typically just ride from home.