# Valve Extenders



## Special Eyes (Feb 2, 2011)

I'm about to put on a set of medium depth carbon clincher wheels for the first time (303's). They come with valve extenders. Aren't there some good light tubes with the correct length valve stems available? If I do use the extenders, I see I need teflon thread tape and then should carry a piece with my spare tube. Any other advice I should know?


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## Special Eyes (Feb 2, 2011)

Yeah, never mind. I found the solution. No messy extenders, tape, leaks, or removable cores. Just use tubes with 80mm stems!


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## Special Eyes (Feb 2, 2011)

Uh oh, the 80mm's are too long. Need to find 60mm. 

Who cares, no one's reading this anyway!


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## JaeP (Mar 12, 2002)

Special Eyes said:


> Yeah, never mind. I found the solution. No messy extenders, tape, leaks, or removable cores. Just use tubes with 80mm stems!


Good to know! I've been thinking of building a track wheelset using 88mm rims. I wonder if tubular tires come in 80mm valve stems?


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## Special Eyes (Feb 2, 2011)

I don't know much about tubulars.

I did, since I do not have the long stemmed tubes yet, install the Zipp valve extenders that came with the new wheels, on shorter stemmed tubes, according to instructions using plenty of teflon tape. Everything looked fine last night, but this morning both were totally flat. The Zipp extenders do not require core extraction but rather simply screw onto the existing stem after the little valve knob is left open. How the hell is this supposed to work? Now I can't ride until I get long stemmed tubes......stupid idea, Zipp.


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## AvantDale (Dec 26, 2008)

I have a pair of 404 tubulars using the Zipp extenders. I have no issues with the tires staying inflated. Once the tires are inflated...even with the valve left open...the tires should not deflate. The Teflon tape and valve extenders have nothing to do with keeping the air in the tires.


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## Mackers (Dec 29, 2009)

Tubular tyres pretty much all come with a 38-42mm valve.

If they're not the really basic type (think Giro, Rally, Vulcano) they will have removable valve cores, or removable valves, so you can mount extenders.


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## Special Eyes (Feb 2, 2011)

Further research shows that AvantDale is correct. Still, my tire went flat overnight. I finally installed the 60mm tubes (bontrager) last night and this morning all is well.

60mm is the perfect length valve stems for Zipp 303's.


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## rearviewmirror (Aug 20, 2008)

I'm looking for some info on valve extenders. I do not understand the extenders where you leave the valve open and screw the connector on. You then ride with the valve always open? If the valves don't need to be closed why do they close to begin with?  How do you let some air out if you're not happy with the pressure? It seems like a terrible setup. 

What about removable valve core tubes? Who makes them? I didn't see any from Continental. I have some Vittoria Red valve extenders, they have their own valve core, I assume if I can find some removable core tubes then I can install these with some teflon tape? 

Any insight into the best setup for clincher valve extensions would be great.


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## Rustyrus (Nov 21, 2011)

Best setup is get the correct Valve length for your tubes. Then carry the extenders with you in your bag in case of emergency.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

I use 60mm stems in my Cosmics and carry extenders in my bag along with two standard tubes. I'm a little wary of a 60mm stem tube riding around crammed in a saddle bag. I haven't used them for my wheels on the road but I did help someone out last summer when their stem wasn't sticking out far enough for a CO2 cartridge adapter.


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## rearviewmirror (Aug 20, 2008)

Rustyrus said:


> Best setup is get the correct Valve length for your tubes. Then carry the extenders with you in your bag in case of emergency.


The longest tube I know of is 80mm, I use these on my Hed Jet 6 wheels. I have a set of 85mm track wheels coming, so I need to figure out what the best extender option would be. I reckon a removable valve core tube with an extender like the Vittoria that includes a locking valve would be the best bet. But I'm struggling to find tubes with removable cores. I still think the extenders w/o a valve seem quite strange and they're not something I'd want to deal with long term.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

I use Vittoria valve extenders. These require removeable valve cores but don't need any teflon tape. Works great, until you have a flat and loose the little plastic tool they give you to fit the extender =/. Also, as most road bike stuff is, they are really pricey for what tehy are.


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## rearviewmirror (Aug 20, 2008)

^ What kind of tubes have removable cores? I haven't found any on the popular UK online sites.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

The Vittoria ones I use have removeable cores.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Open valve*



rearviewmirror said:


> I do not understand the extenders where you leave the valve open and screw the connector on. You then ride with the valve always open? If the valves don't need to be closed why do they close to begin with?  How do you let some air out if you're not happy with the pressure? It seems like a terrible setup.


The closed valve is to prevent contamination from the road getting down the valve stem. In the winter when we're riding the rollers, I don't close the valve nut and it makes no difference. The pressure in the tire is what holds a Presta valve shut.

If you over pressure the tires, you obviously could stick a short piece of stiff wire down the extender to press on the valve stem, or you could take the extender off.


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## mando54 (Jun 6, 2012)

Special Eyes said:


> Yeah, never mind. I found the solution. No messy extenders, tape, leaks, or removable cores. Just use tubes with 80mm stems!


That's what I did. Took all the trouble away. I'm using 60mm now, but they are still more trouble than an 80mm. I carry an 80mm in my bag in case I flat.


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## simonaway427 (Jul 12, 2010)

The vittoria red extenders are for their tubular line with removable valves no?


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## mimason (Oct 7, 2006)

Rustyrus said:


> Best setup is get the correct Valve length for your tubes. Then carry the extenders with you in your bag in case of emergency.


This is good advice. In addition if you ride deep wheels and you double flat you may not be guaranteed a riding mate has long valve tubes for you. If you have a valve extender in your flat kit at least you can use someones 32mm tube with your extender. Btw you can reuse Teflon if you flat since you only need a small piece and even in a pinch you can get by without it.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

The vittoria screw on valve extenders don't need teflon tape.


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## David23 (Jun 5, 2012)

I use inexpensive simple screw on extenders, no tape, with the valve left open on tubulars. My pressure stays unchanged for days.


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## nhluhr (Sep 9, 2010)

I've definitely had air released from my 404s at extremely high speeds (50mph+) using the valve extenders. Because of this, I only use the valve extenders as backups when I am forced to borrow a tube. I almost always use 80mm smooth valve stems.

That said, I think the 60mm stems would work on 303s and they are far easier to find than 80mm stems.


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## Special Eyes (Feb 2, 2011)

nhluhr said:


> That said, I think the 60mm stems would work on 303s and they are far easier to find than 80mm stems.


Yes, the 60mm are perfect for the Zipp 303's.


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