Tuesday 27 April 2010

ScootRS tubeless rims - a safety warning about chrome rubber-type valves

Yesterday I received this email from ScootRS:

"> Hi. We are recommending that anyone using a CHROME rubber-type tubeless tire valve change it to a non-chrome (brass) valve. Over many years we have only seen a couple valves come apart at the stem, one with a non-standard cap, so it may just be random but they were CHROME rubber ones so possibly the chrome reacted to road salts, or some such thing. We included this type with some of our tubeless rims before, so we are sending this note to you. Of course the same recommendation applies to ones obtained elsewhere. This is ONLY about a valve of the following flexible rubber type AND ONLY if CHROME - not the brass color shown here: http://scootrs.com/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=1661 If you have a CHROME one: change it to the exact same type shown in the photo - brass color, non-chrome. These are standard valves available at any tire shop or from us. If you have a brass one already or different type: don't do anything. You should replace old valves when changing tires, or if leaving tires on for years, but if you haven't done so yet and you have a CHROME rubber valve on one of our tubeless rims, you can change it without removing your tire. Let the air out, push the tire over, and the valve can be replaced. It is much easier to let a tire shop handle it, but if you need a replacement valve, let us know and we can send you some. To avoid misinformation, please note: - this is NOT related to our tubeless rims at all. Our current v.3 design was released in 2006 and has earned a PERFECT record on both the road and track, greatly enhancing rider safety over regular rims by preventing blowouts. We have always included valves as an extra at no charge and simply included this chrome rubber type on some rims before. Our apologies if any actual problem has since appeared with that type. - there is NO problem at all with any other valves, especially the same rubber tubeless type but non-chrome. (Older bolt-in type valves are OK too, even if chrome. Do NOT change this chrome bolt-in type: http://scootrs.com/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=1189) Again, there may not be any problem at all with the CHROME rubber valves either, this is a very rare occurrence we've seen, but we are recommending you change them to non-chrome. Cheers. Customer service~ http://scootRS.com"

Allow me to translate. If you've got one of these (see below) in chrome then change it. Brass ones are ok. Chrome bolt-in ones are ok.


While we're on the subject, I should add that after 500km my rims have proved great. The only small problem I had was slow deflation on the rear tyre. This was due to the valve core not being fully screwed in, probably by the tyre fitter. I bought one of these cheap valve core tools and tightened it up, and it's been fine ever since: