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Was not expecting the nut to be the problem there; I was sure that story was going to go the way of 'The tube was fused to the tyre with sealant' purely because I once volunteered to fix a friends flat (5min job I thought) whilst their bike was lodging at my house for a few days, half an hour later I ended up cutting the valve just to get it past the hole so I could remove it (after having a violent meltdown over it).
monkdagola
@Eejit
A long while back I got a puncture that wouldn't plug whilst out on a ride and I banged in a tube "to get me home". Fast forward a couple of months to Friday gone and I'm out on a ride with said tube still firmly in place cos I'm a lazy bastard. 6 miles from home, coming back up the last hill of the day, basking in the sun under Stanage Edge and it's "PSSSSHHHH THHHHBBBBTTT". Ok, fine, I've got a flat, whatever, I'm a modern man, I can repair things myself. Guess that tube had a good life.
You know who else had a good life? All the sealant that has spent the last couple of months gently oozing up the tube valve and seeping into the valve nut and then drying hard and making it impossible to remove the fucking valve nut, especially when you're at the side of the road with a faceful of wind and cold hands. I tried clawing at it, attacking it with a flat head and phillips screwdriver, hitting it with a rock, viciously swearing at it, bribing it and offering it sexual favours. To no avail.
All out of ideas, I had to walk the last 6 miles home. Fortunately, the wind was at my back, the sun was shining, and I was in a weirdly good mood. I scooted some of the flatter and more pavement-y bits, but even that was p sketchy with a flat af tire squirming away underneath me.
Have learnt my lesson now. Took some pliers to convince the valve nut off. Cleaned everything up, fresh rim tape, fresh sealant, fresh tire. Next time I have to stick a tube in it will only be as a temporary measure. Or maybe I just won't bother with the valve nut, to be on the safe side.