Ask MBAction
LOOKING FOR HELPFUL TIPS
Q: In your April issue of “The Trail Starts Here,” steps six and seven showed what to take with you on a ride.
What do you use to loosen the ring nut on the valve stem? This nut is torqued down so it will not leak air, and my old fingers can’t undo it, making it hard to put the spare tube in. I also found out that if your spare tube’s valve stem is too short because of the rim tape or rim depth, you need a screw-on inflation device and/or a valve extender. I am asking this because I learned the hard way.
I am 68 and have been reading your magazine for 15 years.
Keep up the good work; and, at my age, your coverage of e-bikes is very much welcomed.
Michael Surrency
Atlanta, GA
A: You bring up a great point. Sometimes the nut on the valve stem can be quite tricky to break loose. The best thing to do is either pack a small pair of pilers or purchase something like the Nutcracker tool from Ryder Innovation. This handy little tool can be used to remove that pesky valve stem nut.
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