Ruining inner tubes

xloly
xloly Posts: 140
edited April 2011 in Road beginners
A couple of times now I've pulled the pump off of the valve only to tear the valve out of the inner tube. How am I doing this? I am using the release lever on the pump and have tired all sorts of wiggling to remove it without damage but I usually have to resort to force and extreme VIOLENCE. :evil:

Any advice appreciated.

Oh and the retaining nut on the valve is always fixed.

Comments

  • emx
    emx Posts: 164
    either you are a gorilla, or there is something wrong with the fitting between valve and pump....
  • Peddle Up!
    Peddle Up! Posts: 2,040
    I had a cheap eBay track pump that did this, so I ditched it.
    Purveyor of "up" :)
  • xloly
    xloly Posts: 140
    Turns out I am King flipping Kong.

    10 minutes after writing this I was getting ready for todays ride. checked the rear tyre and blew the pump hose up (it has a small split now) and ripped the valve at the same time (It was a £30 Bonty track pump). Then pumpless, I fitted my only spare inner tube, attached a C02 cannister and KABOOM :shock: the spare tube exploded. I thought those cannisters only inflated to about 70 PSI?

    The ride was good though even if I did have to stop at the LBS for more tubes and to borrow a pump..
  • kayakerchris
    kayakerchris Posts: 361
    I suspect the inner tube exploding is because you had caught the inner tube between the rim and tyre. I have done it myself and it is quite interesting!

    I dont have any good ideas about removing the pump except less force and more of a wiggling.
    www.hand-surgery.co.uk
    www.dupuytrens.co.uk
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Turn the wheel such that the valve is at the top - when you release the valve simply push down on the pump head to remove it. If you twist or bend, you'll break the valve.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • craker
    craker Posts: 1,739
    this happens with my Blackburn mini pump. One unproven solution is to unscrew the valve less so there's less of it sticking out.
  • Berk Bonebonce
    Berk Bonebonce Posts: 1,245
    Some inner tubes have removable valve cores, so that if you do break the valve you can simply replace it without the need to fit a new inner tube. See the Vittoria website.
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,120
    I've done this more than once with more than one type of pump

    I'm constantly bending valve stems as well - the tip about not fully unscrewing is a good one

    Also - at work I've got a 'converter' which you screw onto a presta valve so a Shraeder head will fit (as someone's left a Schraeder track pump down stairs) - this works well, less likelihood of damage.
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • MichaelW
    MichaelW Posts: 2,164
    Dont use a valve that is loner than neccessary. Most tubes come with long valves for deep section rims.
    Keep the pump at the correct angle at all times to prevent bending forces on the valve. Keep a thumb on the rim to ensure you dont wave the pump around.
    To release, unlock then give a firm slap to the pump in the correct direction. Putting the valve at the top helps but with practice you can do this at any rotation of the wheel.
  • xloly
    xloly Posts: 140
    MichaelW wrote:
    Dont use a valve that is loner than neccessary. Most tubes come with long valves for deep section rims.
    Keep the pump at the correct angle at all times to prevent bending forces on the valve. Keep a thumb on the rim to ensure you dont wave the pump around.
    To release, unlock then give a firm slap to the pump in the correct direction. Putting the valve at the top helps but with practice you can do this at any rotation of the wheel.

    This seems to have been the culprit. Still I can't work out how the C02 blew the tube? It wasn't caught but it was totally solid - are they supposed to inflate that much?


    I went and bought some new hose for the track pump today - it's braided haha!

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