At 04:53 PM 18/04/2009 -0400, Bianca Pratorius wrote:
>If they can send a
>man to the moon, you'd think they can figure out a way to get a presta
>pump head from leaking air, blowing off or requiring the strength of
>Steve Reeves to pull it off.
"They" figured that out a long time ago for Schraeder valves. Even the
cheapest automotive (Schraeder valve) pumps have a locking chuck, like this
one: http://www.smiwholesale.com/pump1.jpg Since Presta valves aren't used
by "the great unwashed" and we Presta valve people are old and set in our
ways, few manufacturers have thought it profitable enough to offer quick
release Presta heads. When I first wondered why, I thought it was just that
a regular Presta head wouldn't leak or pop off so long as the rubber washer
was soft and pliable. This is true, but we all know natural rubber hardens
and disintegrates with age. Someone already suggested Robbie Fellows should
make repro Presta head washers. I bet the right durometer urethane or
silicone rubber would last much longer than the originals.
In searching for an image of a locking Schraeder valve head I came across
this locking Presta valve head that's a lot cheaper than the Hirame one:
http://tinyurl.com/chrldj