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Done With Smooth Stem Tubes

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Done With Smooth Stem Tubes

Old 07-11-20, 05:43 PM
  #1  
Mulberry20
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Done With Smooth Stem Tubes

That’s it. Two failures where the stem joins the tube in one week on month old tubes.

Going back to threaded. As much as I hate those, I’d rather wrestle the Silca head off the stem than change a tube.

Can someone make a tube that is threaded on the bottom only?
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Old 07-11-20, 08:05 PM
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Why would threading at the bottom be needed at all?
...my family uses a mix of thread and smooth stems and both work just fine.
bad tubes are such a frustration.
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Old 07-11-20, 08:40 PM
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I've been using Zipp tubes for years and never a problem.
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Old 07-11-20, 09:53 PM
  #4  
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Are you shoving the Silca P/V head on too far?

all P/V stems have a smooth band between the smaller 'cap' thread and the larger , finer thread for the ring nut ..

Bonus the gasket in the pump head wont wear out as fast,,..







...

Last edited by fietsbob; 07-11-20 at 10:06 PM.
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Old 07-11-20, 09:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Mulberry20
That’s it. Two failures where the stem joins the tube in one week on month old tubes.

Going back to threaded. As much as I hate those, I’d rather wrestle the Silca head off the stem than change a tube.

Can someone make a tube that is threaded on the bottom only?
What tubes you been using. I'm going on about 8 months on the same set of Michelin tubes (I just jinxed myself).
But yes! tube valve stems that only had threading at the bottom eg. 1cm would be nice. I think this was discussed.. evidently would require 2 different wall thicknesses for the valve stem and therefore too costly -- or somesuch argument like this?

EDIT: Maybe could do something like getting some of these 20mm valve extenders, and mate them to shorter fully threaded valves to at least have the pump head affixing area unthreaded. https://www.amazon.com/Continental-C...VAE?th=1&psc=1


Originally Posted by mstateglfr
Why would threading at the bottom be needed at all?
...my family uses a mix of thread and smooth stems and both work just fine.
bad tubes are such a frustration.
evidently so the lock nut can be used to hold the stem to the rim hole. OP sounds like there's some movement going on down there that's causing stem/tube separation.

Last edited by Sy Reene; 07-11-20 at 10:08 PM.
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Old 07-11-20, 10:03 PM
  #6  
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Not sure how the threading would affect the tube rubber around the stem. I’ve used smooth-stemmed tubes forever - all Michelins, IIRC, with a short-lived detour into Vittoria latexs. I can only recall a single spontaneous failure at the valve stem junction, and it wasn’t a new tube. Even with rims that don’t require rim tape, I put a couple of inches of tape over the valve hole and pierce an “x” with a blade for the valve - I like a little cushion between the rubber and the edge of the hole
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Old 07-11-20, 10:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Sy Reene
evidently so the lock nut can be used to hold the stem to the rim hole. OP sounds like there's some movement going on down there that's causing stem/tube separation.
Huh. I just toss those things away. It keeps the valve from receeding into the rim but it doesnt keep the tube from extending outward thru the valve hole. You can still pull the valve when removing it from a pump, so threading doesn't seem like a solution.

maybe I'm not understanding how/why the tubes are breaking though.
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Old 07-11-20, 10:13 PM
  #8  
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I have a number of Silca frame pumps and I NEVER wrestle the head off the valve stem. When I'm finished pumping I give the pump head a sharp rap with my hand to disengage the pump from the valve. Any twisting motion whilst removing the pump from the valve can cause the valve itself to twist and loosen from the tube or come off entirely.

Cheers
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Old 07-12-20, 01:00 AM
  #9  
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I've just finished a month and over 600 miles with a set of Silca latex tubes, smooth plastic valve stems, no problems. I mostly use a floor pump with clamp on head, but have used a mini pump with threaded chuck. Both work fine.

I suppose it's possible that over time the action of repeatedly popping off a clamp-on chuck might stress the valve stem base. But if that happened I'd also check the valve stem hole in the rim to be sure it doesn't have a burr that damages the tube. That has happened on my other bike with butyl tubes -- the burred rim hole nicked the base of the tube, possibly worsened by the action of yanking off the clamp-on chuck.

But the Silca latex Presta tubes with smooth plastic valve stems don't resist popping off the clamp on chuck so I'm not too worried.
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Old 07-12-20, 08:07 AM
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One more argument for tubeless. Which, IMO, is where this is all going.
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Old 07-12-20, 01:48 PM
  #11  
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Try another brand of tube. I've been using Michelin no thread tubes forever and never had a problem. I have a silica pump that's at least 30 years old. It uses a rubber gasket with a friction fit, so all you do is push the head onto the stem, then pull it off. A little spit on the stem doesn't hurt.

If pulling the head off is the problem, threads are of no help. The pulling forces still go between the stem and the rubber tube surrounding it. Threads would take the force of pushing the head on.

A neighbor gave me some Giant no thread tubes. No problem with them either.

Tubeless has every bit as many problems, or more than tubes.

Last edited by DaveSSS; 07-12-20 at 01:52 PM.
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Old 07-12-20, 02:14 PM
  #12  
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Originally Posted by Mulberry20
That’s it. Two failures where the stem joins the tube in one week on month old tubes.

Going back to threaded. As much as I hate those, I’d rather wrestle the Silca head off the stem than change a tube.

Can someone make a tube that is threaded on the bottom only?
You might check my recent thread entitled "smooth Presta rim stop desired". All the latex inner tubes currently on the market have unthreaded valve stems. If you ride multiple bikes like I do, it is likely that the tubes will lose enough pressure between uses that frequent re-inflation is needed. Add checking tire pressure frequently to this and before long the valve stem is being stressed. And this is from proper application of the pump head.
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