If you've ever ridden tubeless tires, you probably know that the little details matter in creating a reliable setup.
Whether you think tubeless tires are only appropriate for mountain bikes, use them only in cyclocross training, or rely on them to finish fourth at CrossVegas or in the top 12 at Worlds, reliability in your setup puts a lot of pressure on your oft-neglected tubeless valve.
Despite their small stature, there are several details of tubeless valves worth considering. Each represents a potential area for failure. We've heard them all before, and experienced most of them:
- Sealant leaking from the rim's valve hole due to an ill-fitting rubber grommet
- Clogged valve cores
- Stuck nut preventing valve removal when you want to insert a tube out on the trail
- Broken valves during pumping, or while removing a pump head
- Valves that sit taller than rim beads
- Difficult tire seating due to restrictive bore diameters
- Lost races due to heavy, non-color coordinated valves
Okay, maybe we've never heard or experienced the last one, but we won't diminish the confidence a touch of color or shedding a few grams might offer a details-obsessed racer.
Not all tubeless valves are the same, and different companies take different approaches to materials, fitting components and of course, colors. From L to R: standard brass tubeless valve, Slime's STR alloy valve, American Classic's alloy valve, Boyd's alloy valve with wingnuts, and Orange Seal's new RVC valve. Tubeless tire valve comparison and review. © Cyclocross Magazine
Sure, tubeless valves come in different materials, lengths and colors, but even bore diameters vary greatly, which can impact the speed and volume of the blast of air from your compressor or charging pump.
Bore diameter matters when you're trying to seat a loose tire with a charging pump or compressor. From L to R: "standard" brass valve, Slime alloy, American Classic alloy, Boyd Cycling alloy, Orange Seal alloy. © Cyclocross Magazine
Thankfully there are several companies working hard to address the other issues, and today, for Mechanical Monday, we're taking a close-up look at some tubeless valve options from Slime, American Classic, Boyd and a new design just released by Orange Seal. See the slideshow below.
Orange Seal Adds Flexibility
Orange Seal wants its tubeless valves to work with any rim and at Interbike unveiled a new valve package that seals up the holes in other offerings, except perhaps in pleasing the anti-aluminum crowd.
The new RVC (Removeable Valve Core) Valves, soon to be renamed the VersaValve, packages up two valves, two pairs of rubber grommets of different shapes (rounded, and boxy), two extra valve cores, and rubber O-rings and orange anodized nuts.
Orange Seal’s RVC tubeless valves come with extra valve cores, and two different shapes of grommets. Prices differ based on length but hover around $24 per pair. Tubeless tire valve comparison and review. © Cyclocross Magazine
The extra valve cores help extend the life of your valves when inflation becomes difficult after sealant clogs up your cores, while the two different rubber grommets help ensure an air-tight fit against your rims, or allow you to switch the valves between rims or adapt to a mismatched wheelset.
Orange Seal’s RVC tubeless valves have two different shapes of rubber grommets to ensure compatibility with different rim shapes. Tubeless tire valve comparison and review. © Cyclocross Magazine
The RVC Valves come in four different lengths (32, 48, 60, 80mm), and will retail for around $24, depending on length.
Orange Seal will also offer a shop kit for its valves, allowing shops to use and sell only the needed components for each wheelset.
Orange Seal’s RVC tubeless valves also are available in a shop kit, allowing shops to use just the parts they need. © Cyclocross Magazine
The Orange Seal RVC valves kits are expected to be available this month, although are not currently on the company’s website.
We just got our hands on a set. Stay tuned for a review.
More info: orangeseal.com
