Harold74

Firstly, I acknowledge that this is a pretty lame question as far as bike "mechanics" go.

In an attempt to be responsible cyclist, I try to check my tire pressure at least every third ride. I check every ride if I'm going to be far from home.

I struggle mightily to get the pump attachment off of the valve when I'm done pumping. This is especially the case for my Schrader valves. I wind up twisting and prying the valves vigorously. I'm worried that:

1) This will damage the valve and cause the very flats that I seek to avoid and/or;

2) I lose a lot of tire pressure in this process on my smaller tires an wind up going through the exercise two or three times.

Anybody know of a way that I might improve the situation?

Are some pumps better than others in this regard?

Is there some technique I don't know about?

Is there a little gadget on the market that would help me to pull the pump attachment from the valves more cleanly?

It sucks starting every ride wondering if I've torn a crack where my valve adjoins my tube as a result of incompetence.

79pmooney

What is your pump? Hose or no? I've used the Zephal HP and HPX forever. No hose. Head locks on with a lever. I pump with the valve at 12 o'clock. Open the lever. Do a mini karate chop down to knock the pump of cleanly and straight. (This was also how were were taught in a long-gone millennium to remove Silca pumps (minus the lever bit as they do not have it).

Harold74

It's a Serfas floor pump with a hose. It's meant for bicycles but, at the same time, it's department store grade. In most respects, I like it. I'll try the karate chop but I'll likely be chopping hose rather than firm plastic. Another issue that I didn't mention is that, because I pull so hard on the attachment sometimes, I wind up punching the spokes and hurting my paws. Again, a lousy way to start a ride.

holytrousers

grease it ?

Harold74

I just googled the Zephal HP and now see how the karate chop works on it. I'll give this thread 48HRS then I'll buy one. It seems somewhat odd that a portable pump would replace my floor one in the garage but, then, I don't much care if it solves my problem.

Harold74

Grease the valve threads?? Hell yes if that's a thing. I didn't know that it was.

smd4

I wouldn’t recommend a frame pump to keep your tires topped off. Invest in a Silca floor pump and call it a day. I prefer the pista plus. It has a thread-on Schraeder valve. Every part is replaceable. Last pump you’ll ever own.

holytrousers

Also, I've tried lately threadless presta valves and they seem a bit easier to remove. I use an SKS floor pump i can highly recommend.

smd4

I’ve never heard of it. Although grease can cover a multitude of sins.

Iride01 

Put some plumbers grease or silicone grease on the head of a swab and lube up inside your air chuck. Usually there is an O-ring or seal that gets dry and starts grabbing too hard on your stem. Might could just put a blob on your valve stem if you don't have a Q-tip handy. But if your air chuck has been doing this a long time, then you probably need a new air chuck.

You can find replacement chucks and hoses from the maker of your pump or at various bike shops online.

Harold74

With all of this talk of chucks, would I benefit from a metal chuck rather than the plastic, solid assembly that I've got?

Harold74

I suppose that one option would be to just throw some pliers around the valve loosely and karate chop that.

Reverse pliers might do the trick but I don't know of any that open as wide as I'd probably need them to and would be gentle-ish on the valve.

I feel like this Park Tool is darn close to what I want even if it's meant for something else. No Shrader option though.

Camilo

It's not a dumb question because it's easy to damage where the stem meets the tube by removing the chuck by twisting or wiggling it off. I always try to pry off with my thumbs, straight in line with the stem. That's the goal anyway. It's much easier with smooth stems vs. the threaded ones. I have more problems with the lever kind than with this kind:

smd4

If you like your pump except for the chuck, you can easily replace it with any number of aftermarket options—some with a thumb lever, some without (see the image Camilo included above).

Polaris OBark

I bought a Lezyne pump that threads on the valve, and you unscrew it to take it off. It eliminates the stress on the valve, but will put some on you if you haven't previously tightened your valve cores.

Andrew R Stewart 

Spit into the chuck first. Bubbles indicate a poor seal. The saliva lubes the chuck's removal. Of course using good attachment and removal techniques helps. Andy

Iride01 

You'll benefit from a chuck that doesn't pull on your valve stem as you try to remove it, regardless of what it is made of. Air chucks are cheap. Just replace them when they go bad.

The metal chucks can be just a crappy made as the poorly made plastic chucks. If you pay high dollar for a swanky looking metal chuck and it subsequently goes bad after some use, then you may suffer longer with it because you spent the big bucks on what was to be the absolute best.

Although my air chuck is metal. It only cost me about four bucks. It's about five years old maybe a tad more and now is starting to grab onto valve stems when the clamp is released. A little grease has helped some. But I expect it'll be up for replacement soon.

zacster

Replace the head. They are pretty cheap. Also, when dealing with Presta valves always pump at 12 o'clock because the weight of the chuck and hose and the force you may apply to get it off tends to bend and then break the valve. At least at 12 o'clock it is pulling straight down and when you need to remove it you apply downward pressure. I learned this the hard way after I'd damaged countless valve stems. I bought a bunch of replacements with the tool included, but haven't broken one again,

blinky

Many comments are pointing to the chuck and by association the pump - my vote would be to replace the floor pump, don't think OP needs an unthreaded valve stem - I now have gone the compressor route but still have my Specialized floor pump with flip lock chuck - I had to push it on the valve pretty hard to get a good seal and taking it off required a good hard pull but it wasn't near as bad as OP described - there are lots of good floor pumps out there , Topeak , Lyzyne , SKS , etc .

Oh, and currently I'm using an EVT inflator connected to a Craftsman 1 1/2 gallon compressor .

3-in-1 Inflator — Efficient Velo Tools (EVT)

zacster

Maybe some of the problem is the flip-lock head, you are applying pressure to flip it but in the meantime the valve stem is somewhat delicate.

ThermionicScott 

If you're not already holding the valve with one hand while applying/removing the pump head, it's worth a try.

79pmooney

Zephal HP and HPX are easily up to being every day pumps. I used nothing else for a decade including all of my racing riding sewups only. Yes, it takes longer than floor pumps. But on and off are fast and reliable with decent technique. (The simple karate chop.) And those 100 or so pump strokes? A little arm exorcise never hurt a cyclist.

smd4

Hey, have at it! Want bigger arms? Use a mini-pump!

Anyway, I doubt those pumps could get to the 140psi I need.

blinky

I struggled with my floor Specialized to achieve 120 on 700x25s - now have a compressor - what are you using to get 140 ??

smd4

Silca Pista Plus. It’s a track pump that can pump even higher.

Price isn’t for the faint of heart. But it’s built to last forever.