Summer is almost here in the USA. Time to switch out wheels and get those fast deep carbon back on. Here are some tips to being prepared.
Problem : You are crushing along then it happens, you get a flat or your second flat. By accident the current tube you brought was a 48mm valve stem length and needed to be a 60mm to fit your rims! or you have used a tube already and are out of options and you have to borrow one – you flag someone down, they will give you a tube, but it’s a 32mm stem length. How do you get it to work with those 45mm deep carbons?
Clockwise from bottom – Spare core, Zipp tool, Zipp extender with core inserted in top, Spare core, Black standard valve extender. All sat on a Park Tyre boot.
It’s light and small no excuses to carry a good get out of trouble kit.
- Standard Valve stem extender – (black tube in the image) this does not relocate the core, it simply screws on-top of the existing valve and extends through the rim (make sure you leave the core in the open position). This is my backup option to the valve core extender, mentioned below.
- Type 2 of the Valve extender – Valve core relocate / extender – this physically places the valve core at the end of the the extender. This is the better way. you need to carry the extender and the tool to unlock the core. Often the tool is very small and built into the spoke wrench, see photo. These are made by Vittoria or Zipp.
- Park TB1 – Should the worst happen use the tyre boot to repair sidewall cuts. Like a super adhesive sticker, this will be more reliable than a folded candy wrapper, and you will feel safer going fast and finishing your rides.
- Zipp Spoke tool – This tool has a nipple wrench at one end (5mm) and a Valve core remover at the other (4mm). Available via many brands. Stans make one, so do Park, but I like the core removers that are built into spoke tools, 2 in one action and super portable.
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