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Adding Air to Your Tires

2K views 17 replies 6 participants last post by  WintrSol 
#1 · (Edited)
As you can see from the photographs, it is nearly impossible to check the air pressure, in my back tire with a common pressure gauge. I won't even talk about trying to add pressure to the tire with a pressure device found at most mini-marts. The air valve is too close to the spoke, without bending it out away from the spoke.
I ripped the one on my old tire, trying to add air to it. Just by trying to bend the air valve out enough to attach the hose. My solution was to buy 90 degree air valve extensions.
I did not know they were available until googling it. These are especially good if you have old tires with possible dry rotted valve stems. I didn't know mine were dry rotted until I was at the mini-mart, trying to add air to my tires.
I had to add some tire sealant that I had to buy after ripping the air valve. And then limp it home on very under inflated tires.
Now I use a bicycle, foot, air pump to keep the tires at the optimal pressure.
 

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#6 ·
Yes I did the same thing right after buying my bike. The stem almost broke completely off when I tried to bend it to the side. So I think it was dry rotted. If I would have put on these 90 degree valve extenders I may not have had to replace the tires so soon. And I certainly wouldn't have had to buy that repair a flat sealant, or drive it back from the mini Mart, on about 12 psi of air. Praying and praying that I would not bend the rim.

I had no idea that it was dry rotted. This was my first bike and if someone would have told me about this beforehand. I may have been better prepared.
 
#9 · (Edited)
[/QUOTE]
Sounds like the previous owner was too cheap to add a few $ for safety when he changed the tire. Yes, stems can last longer than a tire, but new ones are cheap insurance, IMO.[/QUOTE]

Just an update on those valve extenders follows:

Yesterday I went for a short joyride on my bike. I was out in the country enjoying the scenery when I felt my bike drifting. At first I thought it was from the high winds. Then it was getting sluggish to steer. So I immediately started heading back into the city. I stopped at the first mini Mart, got off the bike, and saw my front tire was almost flat.
I checked for anything puncturing the tire and could not find anything. So I aired the tire up. I still could not find any leaks. So I got back on and started heading home. My steering got sluggish again so I stopped at a mini-mart again. I bought some Fix-A-Flat put it in the tire to get me home. And sure enough some started leaking out of the base of the valve stem.
I could not believe it. I just got these tires put on less than 2 months ago! I thought the guy put on old valve stems or something. And then I figured out that, the weight of the valve extensions, caused the valve stem to break away from the rim, at highway speeds!
Yesterday was the first time I rode it out of the city, on the highway, since I put the valve extensions on.
I held the valve stem down until the fix a flat quit leaking out and it held enough air to get me home. Of course I removed the valve extender before heading out of the mini Mart.
So I will not be using the valve extenders anymore.
To fix my front tire valve stem. I got up this morning and gorilla glued the base of the valve stem, to the rim. And I weighed it down and let it sit all day and tonight. I'm praying it works or else I will have to pay to have it transported 15 miles north. And pay for a new valve stem to be put on.
And I don't need the valve extenders anymore cuz I'm using my bicycle air foot pump to air the tires up. It doesn't take much time and I can easily get them to just the right pressure. Saves $2 from buying air as well.
 
#11 ·
I got tired of the Out of Order" signs on the air pump machines so I bought an air pump (about 40 bucks) that runs off of the 12volt receptacle (formerly known as a cigarette lighter) in a car and now I have air on-demand in the driveway. Air used to be free even at night when the stations were closed as a courtesy, when repair shops still used the center-post hydraulic lifts that relied on air pressure. Now there is no need for a large air compressor since most lifts are electric today.
 
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