I once had a tire go flat due to valve leakage. Caps keep the dirt out. I also like colored ones. Easier to find when changing a flat.
I'd like to see Lance with a modern rim, one of those "ready for tubeless" jobbies. Last rim I bought wasn't even advertised as such, but oh boy. My thumbs took a couple days to recover, blisters even. Used tire, too.
Carry a spare tire, never lose time looking for the cause. Bikes go pretty far in 5 minutes.
Road Morph G - never have a friend rip your valve out again.
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Results matter