How to fix this unusual looking valve stem to put air in the tire?

Question

picture of the valve stem

I'm wondering how do I fix this valve stem? I want to put air in the tire. But, i don't see the usual screw-on stem part. The other bicycle tire has such type of stem, so I am thinking this one is broken. How do I repair our replace it? Thanks for help,

update: thanks for the helpful info. i plan to get some more time on this during this week. this evening, i found a part with my pump kit that i was able to screw on. it didn't work with one of my pumps, but i have another pump i plan to try on it.

update: it was exciting to turn the top part from what i've learned from this thread and then be able to pump up this tire for my wife to have a working bike again. now, i know the usage of the other side of this pump attachment that i had never used before too. thanks for the help!

https://bicycles.stackexchange.com/questions/13439/how-to-inflate-a-tire-with-a-presta-valve basically back off the tiny nut by ~2 turns, press the stem to make sure its free, then screw or clamp your pump nozzle on. — Criggie, Feb 16 '20 at 06:31
On second glance, it appears to have a spacer ring around it. I bet someone fitted a Presta valve to a rim drilled for a Schrader (car) valve. — Criggie, Feb 16 '20 at 06:32
@criggie I assume you're referring to the small nut that's installed around the valve stem and can also be seen installed in this image: https://cdn.mantel.com/images/product.php?image_id=68219&w=760&h=570. This nut is used very often on Presta valves also when the valve hole in the rim isn't drilled out for a different size then Shrader. they come standard (installed on the valve stem) with almost all Presta inner tubes in my experience. I believe it's purpose is to keep the valve stem lined up and prevent it from being pushed down when installing the pump/inflating the tire. — Maarten -Monica for president, Feb 16 '20 at 08:25
I do not see anything strange with the valve and the stum. Can't you justt pull it a bit more from the rim? Or just use a new tube, much less hastle than valve extenders and similar. — Vladimir F Героям слава, Feb 16 '20 at 08:40
@Maarten-Monicaforpresident yep - it looks low in the rim. I've seen some nuts with a step in them, that is intended for exactly the schrader-hole to presta-valve setup. — Criggie, Feb 16 '20 at 18:44
@Maarten-Monicaforpresident conversely, there's a lot of rim visible between valve and the spoke, so its possibly a low-spoke count wheel, which implies road and high pressure, exactly where one would expect to find a presta valve over a schrader. — Criggie, Feb 16 '20 at 18:46
Note that the little knurled knob just above the larger threaded piece must be loosened prior to attempting to inflate. It should be loose enough that if you press it then you will hear air escaping. Study some cutaway drawings of the valve so that you know you understand it. — Daniel R Hicks, Feb 18 '20 at 03:10

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited Feb 16 '20 at 12:43

Your valve looks like a regular Presta aka 'french valve' to me. It's just a bit on the short side for your current rim.

I would recommend using a Presta valve extender, it could replace the small nut that is currently located on the valve stem assuming the valve hole in the rim wall isn't drilled out for a bigger size valve (the bottom of the valve extender will then push against the rim thus taking the function of the small nut that is currently installed). You could also just remove the small nut (once again assuming rim wasn't drilled for bigger size valve stem) so you have a bit more room to install a pump. just make sure to depress the tire at the location of the valve as to prevent it from being pushed down when installing the pump.

Presta valve extender(example):

You could also try using a adapter to go from Presta to Dunlop or Presta to Shrader, if you remove the small (currently installed ) nut it looks like you should have enough thread sticking out on your current valve stem in order to install such an adapter.

Source

bonus info: https://www.bicycling.com/repair/a20048610/the-difference-between-a-schrader-valve-and-a-presta/

thanks, i located something that looks similar to that last adapter there. i updated OP about it just now, and i'll update probably tomorrow when i get a chance to test it further. — Matthew Kooshad, Feb 18 '20 at 03:03

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 16 '20 at 12:54

As others have pointed out you simply have an inner tube with a 'Presta' type valve, and it's too short. Best solution is to buy a new inner tube with a longer Schrader type valve to match your other wheel.

Some pumps require reversing a component in the pump head (that attaches to the valve) to accommodate the different width Presta or Schrader valve stems. You don't want to have to do that every time you inflate your tires.

How to fix this unusual looking valve stem to put air in the tire?

2 Answers2