That time I fought a stubborn Presta valve core for 45 minutes on a gravel road outside Omaha

I got a flat on my rear tire about 8 miles into a ride near the Keystone Trail, so I pull out my spare tube and realize the valve core is seized solid from old sealant gunk. It took me almost an hour of fiddling with a tiny tool and some cussing to finally get it loose enough to swap, and by then the sun was going down. Has anyone else had a valve core fight them like that, or am I just unlucky with the buildup?

3 comments

3 Comments

karencampbell28d ago

Is a seized valve core really worth 45 minutes of your life on a gravel road?

robert65928d ago

Man I read somewhere that a seized valve core on a gravel road is basically a right of passage for anyone who drives a truck or SUV lol. @karencampbell I get the frustration but 45 minutes beats waiting three hours for a tow truck out in the middle of nowhere. Had a buddy tell me he spent a whole afternoon trying to patch a tire on a dirt road and the valve core gave up before he even got the tire off. A multitool with a core remover is like ten bucks and fits in your glovebox, saves you that headache. Plus the dust and grit on gravel roads just loves to gum up those little brass cores. I'd take the 45 minutes and call it a win.

the_olivia28d ago

Wait, 45 minutes on a gravel road is supposed to be some kind of badge of honor now? I guess I'll take my "wasted afternoon" trophy and put it on the shelf right next to the snapped off antenna from backing into a low tree branch. Honestly though, if you haven't spent half your day fighting a tiny piece of brass stuck in a wheel you're not a real truck owner you're just someone with a big car who's afraid of dirt. The multitool thing is smart but let's be real the real right of passage is throwing that stupid core remover across the field after it slips off for the tenth time.

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