NoWhammies

Hmm. Guess I'm not all that cool then. But I'm ok with that.

Ogsarg

Are there people who actually decide to use or not use valve caps based on whether or not they think they are cool?

Paul Barnard

Yes. That mindset is pervasive in bicycling. Cool is important.

indyfabz

Uncorrect. It should be taken off life support and allowed to die.

indyfabz

All else being equal, why not opt what you think looks cool?

indyfabz

If we could only apply that logic to Bike Forums this place would have a lot less inanity. Present company excluded, of course.

AlmostTrick

Thanks for adding 3 posts to a fun thread!

indyfabz

Therein lies the irony of my post.

fietsbob

breaking off the check valve shaft and having it fall into the innertube never to work again,
and so throwing away the tube,

...is your choice , the cap prevents, or at least resists, that possibility..



back to the vanity, insecurity , of caring about being uncool..

Chinghis

Boy, there's a thread for everything around here, isn't there?!

For years, I left them off (and the nut, I could never figure out how tight to screw that nut on). Recently, I've taken to putting on both.

And, yeah, probably a bit of "I'm too cool for valve caps" going on. Inexplicable, really,

DomaneS5

I use these on all of my bikes....

https://www.jensonusa.com/Deity-Pres...esta+valve+cap

I despise the cheap plastic presta caps on new tubes. If these aluminum caps are uncool, I need to add them to my Fred list.

desconhecido 

I paint mine in a camoflage pattern so nobody knows they're on there but me.

79pmooney

Another who never uses valve caps (or the knurled nuts). Just one more thing to screw on ans off every inflation. (And yes both do occasionally save tubes. For me, about every 17th blue moon,)

Now if I can just find a use for my bottle of caps and nuts ...

Ben

wphamilton

I just thought of something, after a couple of pinch flats. First flats in a year, maybe two. Anyway I forgot to air up my spare all the way, and got a pinch on it also, and looking through my old tubes for the lightest - to keep in my repair kit - the thought struck me. If I had kept color-coded valve caps on the tubes it would be much easier to sort through them. Plus I'd always know which one was mounted. So I'm going to find some colored caps, or paint some black ones, and carefully keep them paired to the correct tubes. ROYGBV, in ascending order of how much I like the given tube.

BlazingPedals

Valve stems are supposed to be at the bottom!

GreggVA

I use a heavy metal cap to offset the weight of my reflectors when spin balancing my wheel....

livedarklions

I leave them on, then I lose them when I pump up my tires. Currently one on, one off on one bike, both on on the other.

I believe typing those two sentences is the most thought I've ever given to this issue.

NoWhammies

Hey @DomaneS5 I kinda like the look of those. I sense a good Christmas stocking stuffer coming up...

himespau 

If you use a brand that comes with clear ones (Schwalbe, maybe?) it's hard(er) to tell the difference.

Gresp15C

I want presta valve caps that make it look like a schrader stem and cap.

drlogik 

Yep, valve caps are not cool. Lance Armstrong in an interview also stated they weren't cool. That's precisely why I use them!!


--

jamesdak 

You mean like Campagnolo?




Maybe Fulcrum didn't get the memo from "Mother"

AlmostTrick

Done. (quite a while ago!)

When I upgraded my Mongoose fat bike, I thought the scrawny presta valves that came on the new tubes looked out of place on a rugged fat wheel. So I covered the stem with a thin black hose and 'installed' a cap. Not the basic black plastic cap shown for reference only, (that would be boring *yawn*) but some fancy dice caps for the extra cool!

Gresp15C

Darn, there goes my hope of getting a patent and making a million bucks!

JonathanGennick 

Right on! Those Deity caps are a great look. I run them on many of my own bikes.