When airing up my tires yesterday, I noticed that both of my valve stems are heavily cracked along the rounded base. The tires are newish, have less than 1000 miles on them. They are Michelin pilot powers and were put on at the beginning of this riding season.

I've never noticed this before, wondering if this is normal for dry climates like AZ or if I should take the bike back to the shop and make them replace the stems. I lose about 2 psi a month, but I assumed I just had a ding in my rim somewhere.

Sorry for the quality of the pics, the cell phone camera doesn't have a good enough focal length to get a good shot.



Thoughts?

 

No, that's not normal.

New tires should always get new valve stems. If you're tires are that new, you most likely didn't get those new valve stems when you had the tires replaced.

If the agreement at the tire shop was to get new stems w/ new tires, you probably didn't get them & they should replace them. Either way, they need to be replaced.

 

Yeah, when I took my rear to Cyclegear they stated clearly if my stems were plastic they were required to replace them at my cost ($2).

 

Called the shop and asked, they say they replaced the stems in march when the tires were put on. I've got to go by tomorrow after work for them to look. They claim it's "Impossible" for the stems to be cracking.

I'm trying to think of anything I could have done to cause the damage. I'm pretty sure it's not my fault, as all I've done is checked the tire pressure a couple times a week and put air in once a month. I don't think either of those should have caused the damage on there.

 

Extremely doubtful.

If they are an honest shop, they should see that the stems were NOT replaced...&...should make it right by replacing them.

You are correct...its not your fault. That would not happen in that little amount of time if they had been replaced at the same time as the new tires.

Again, if they are an honest shop, they'll make it right. I know if it were my shop, I certainly would. I would replace $2 stems to keep your $100's in tire purchases.

Good luck.

 

Now would be a good time to switch to metal valve stems. Then you don't have to worry about that anymore.