Pandemic, Presta tube and International shipping.

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horsefarmer

horsefarmer

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Picked up a mountain bike with 26" wheels off FB. Front wheel has crazy slow leak, goes flat overnight.

Suprise! funny forign' Presta valve on tube! luckily, my Aldis pump has a hole for Presta. I figure find the leak but soapy water on the tube only shows tiny bubbles at base where weird valve meets tube, looks fragile, maybe sealed with white epoxy stuff..

So order Continental tube off Amazon, 48mm threaded stem 26x1.95. Slam dunk.

Takes over a month to show up. Seller is in U.K. Tube was shipped from Spain, no tracking info, just shows up @ USPS.

After settin' in the sun to sanitize, I open box to see Schrader valve tube! Right size, threaded valve stem and all, but not right valve. Schrader to big dia to fit rim.

Turns out item description was Presta valve but pic was Schrader valve!
Funny, customer reviews on product shows seller ships whatever.
Default for North Americans is to ship a Schrader, everyone else gets Presta.
Seller, now out of stock, wants me to return it for refund, no way can you imagine freight back across pond for $8 tube?

So I believe Amazon refunded me under A to Z guarantee. but I've still got the bike with the flat to fix.

So do I drill out rim for Schrader or try my luck ordering Presta tube with new seller?

Has anyone repaired the area by the brass Presta stem to restore the seal?

Oh ya bike came with adapter for Schrader valve on leaky tube but no plastic cap.
 
Sounds like you had one of those days ?
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I was looking in our local Walmart for Schrader valve 26" tubes and found some of the others there. Almost bought them until I noticed the valve type.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
 
I've had a few parts delivery strangeness things since the lung fungus spread. I've learned to pay extra close attention to the sellers location before purchasing online. Drop shippers still happen and I've got a set of axle adjusters taking a wild tour of America right now.

For me it would depend on a few things. If it is a lower end bike that I was going to flip, cheap and quick would be the top choice but matching on both rims. If I was going to keep it and it is higher end, presta would stay on it with one tied under the seat for quicker field repairs. Presta is a bit more fiddly to repair in the wild.
 
I've drilled out a presta rim to fit a Schrader valve before when I bought the wrong tube and didn't have time to go back to the store. Regretted it ever since, it works fine, it just bothers me that it's not the way it's supposed to be because I didn't have a spare 20 mins.

I would be shocked that there's only two sellers on Amazon with presta tubes. They're not that rare

I say if you have the time get the right tube rather than modify the wheel

EDIT: Took a quick look, there's a few on Amazon. Get one that says Prime or Fulfilled by Amazon.
 
Last edited:
clamdigger said:
In that situation, Slime probably would of worked. Miserable stuff to work with when it's a Presta valve though. Glad to see that you will have a replacement.
Click to expand...

I was wondering about that, but the presta valve doesn't come out. :confused:

And Captain Awesome - true to his screen name - is providing a replacement! :thumbsup:
 
horsefarmer said:
I was wondering about that, but the presta valve doesn't come out. :confused:

And Captain Awesome - true to his screen name - is providing a replacement! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...


Should be leaving today if the USPS comes through
 

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