Bike tires in Japan have a valve that is known as a Dunlop valve. There’s an old, outdated kind of Dunlop valve and a new, more streamlined kind – guess which one is more popular in Japan?
The old kind have a rubber tube over the valve that’s supposedly intended to make air impossible to get out, but still possible to enter. But for me, whenever I try to pump it with air, it doesn’t inflate. It’s as if I’m pumping through a closed object. What the fuck do I do?
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The bikes I’ve seen here and one that i owned you need an adapter to pump it – the thing on the left here https://i.imgur.com/RODH6A4.png you have that right? And you have to twist the little knob thing on top to open the valve, then put adapter on, pump, then remove adapter + close valve
As above if you used a floor pump, there should be an adapter on a chain .
Unscrew the nut on the valve attach the pump, and hey presto.
This is going to sound rather stupid, but what happens if you try to pump just a bit harder? In my experience the Dunlop valves require quite a bit more force for air to enter.
You need a pump with a clip adapter for those stupid things. [You can buy the adapter separately](https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E8%87%AA%E8%BB%A2%E8%BB%8A%E3%83%90%E3%83%AB%E3%83%96-%E3%83%90%E3%83%AB%E3%83%96%E5%A4%89%E6%8F%9B%E3%82%A2%E3%83%80%E3%83%97%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC-%E8%87%AA%E8%BB%A2%E8%BB%8A%E3%83%8E%E3%82%BA%E3%83%AB-%E8%87%AA%E8%BB%A2%E8%BB%8A%E3%82%BF%E3%82%A4%E3%83%A4-%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%90%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC/dp/B07S7GTFLH). Just remove the dust cap, clip on the adapter, and pump it up. Do NOT loosen the collar on the valve.
You can also replace the tubes with standard Schrader valve types, the Schraders hold air better.
You go to a bike shop and use the hose attached to a compressor. Dunlop valves require a higher pressure at the pump, so this is the easiest way to get them inflated.
You can of course get a adapter that affixes either to the valve (and gives you the more common Schrader valve) or to the pump hose.
The third alternative is to replace your tire’s inner tube with one that has a Schrader valve (the one that comes on auto tires and most MTB tires), or a Presta valve if you so prefer.
Dunlop inflation depends on the waist; if you Dunlop well over your belt it’s rather difficult to see if the tire is full.