Whenever I re-tape a wheel and install a tyre there is a leak at the valve hole. I never seen to be able to sort that problem out. I’ve even tried small rubber o-rings between the rim and valve washer. Tonight’s effort resulted in a few of the spoke holes leaking air too as sir gets round the valve stem and then travels inside the double wall of the rim.

Had anyone got any ideas how I can stop this happening? How do you sort the valve hole?

I use a dab of mastic

Not all air leaking from the valve hole is from the valve seat though – that’s just the biggest outlet once it’s escaped the “sealed” chamber

… so I always put in a tube overnight after taping to be sure it’s well stuck

Someone on here gave me a great tip to avoid this and I’ve done it ever since.

If you can get hold of a soldering iron, “burn” the valve hole just big enough to get the valve in.

Worked for me every time.

If you can get hold of a soldering iron, “burn” the valve hole just big enough to get the valve in.

You can also just heat up an awl on a gas hob.

I’ve generally found that a leak round the valve is caused by the tape leaking somewhere round the rim, and the air has traveled around the inside of the rim and escapes around the valve. I have a pair of asymmetric rimmed wheels that are a nightmare to tape as the spoke holes aren’t central and there’s little for the tape to stick to on one side. Once very carefully taped they will finally seal.

I use a self glueing patch over the valve hole. Make a small cut and screw the valve through rather than push. Has worked on a few sets of rims which just wouldn’t play

It helps if you use tape wider than the internal width of the rim so that the seal is between tyre and tape, not tyre and rim.

I’ve always kept it simple- tape it, squeeze it down well then just slice round the hole with a good sharp scalpel blade. No mucking about with crosses or anything.

That, and using good valves. Which ime means, something that looks like this:

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/613p6WWEjJL._SY879_.jpg

I did have one rim they didn’t work with (a BOR of some sort) but for everything else, these are the best imo. Why some valves are square I don’t know, it’s a round hole.

” I’ve even tried small rubber o-rings between the rim and valve washer”

Doesn’t help, this- the seal has to be on the inside of the rim, all you’re doing is trying to seal the outside which has another 32 or so unsealed holes in.

I usually coat the sides of the rubber end of the valve in Vaseline lip balm.

Mrs Beagle has shouted at me once or twice. Solved the same issue for me.

Current set up has a regular puncture repair patch acting as a grommet on the valve seat. Seems to work.

Mavic 821 rims, Mavic valves, no taping, no issues. Other wheels came pre-taped, no idea of the valve but again no issues. Procore tubes with conical rubber seal on them always try to avoid sealing though, it’s the most depressing part of the whole process when you’ve finally got all the beads in and stuff then the tubeless chamber decides to leak through the valve.

I’ve given up on tape for my road wheels for exactly this reason. Tried numerous tapes and numerous applications and all end up leaking around the valve from failed tape. Just ordered some caffelatex rim strips to try. They sound much easier thought a little more about expensive.

I had this issue over the winter, the tape was okay, but for some reason the valve seemed like it wouldnt go tight enough to be airtight. I picked up a pack of the Problem solver super P nuts havent had any issues since.

I have the valves glued into one set of wheels … I wouldn’t recommend it, but it was the only thing that worked for those rims. Normally, just pin picking the tape, and forcing the valve through, works fine.

Some wheels just seem to need the right valves. Shimano road wheels just wont seal with anything other than shimano valves. Which is a PITA as they’re stupid money and don’t have removable cores.

For everything else I’ve got a box of old valves with different seats, some are square, some half cylinder some convex cones, some domes, some rims are just a bit fussy and others are quite happy with just a valve cut from an old tube!

I’ve had this issue on and off in the past. I also had a habit of tightening the valve too much and pulling it through the rim by mistake. FAFF! But following advice on installing fatty-strippers on the fat bike wheels…

I use a small rectangle of old inner tube, folded over into a square, burn a small hole in it and force the valve through, then screw up as usual from the other side.

Seems to be ok.

I’ve generally found that a leak round the valve is caused by the tape leaking somewhere round the rim, and the air has traveled around the inside of the rim and escapes around the valve

This (that) ^^

A related question, I remember seeing some valve caps with a valve core extractor on them, but I cant remember who did them. Any ideas?

peatys do I think. I’ve seen that feature on several brands.

I tend to push the valve into the hole with the blunt end (exit; handle) of a screw driver.

I remember seeing some valve caps with a valve core extractor on them, but I cant remember who did them

Muc-Off
Not sure if that little feature is worth over £20 for a pair of valves though. Just buy 10 of these alu removers so you’ve always got one with you https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/lifeline-valve-core-remover-tool/rp-prod155551