There’s a lot of ways you can accessorize a bicycle and as you search around on the Purely Custom website you’ll find it easy to be overwhelmed with plenty of options.  There’s everything from colored cable covers to unlimited ways to customize a headset cap, even that seat post can be laser engraved or wrapped in carbon fiber.  There’s just no reason to have a boring bicycle when you have this many options.  Some bicycle accessories might require a tool or two to put on your bike: however there is one that simply takes a decent working finger and a thumb and few spare seconds and you made your first steps at customizing your bike.  The easiest bicycle accessory to put on your bike has got to be the Purely Custom bicycle valve stem caps and you’ll find they’re pretty inexpensive as well.

The Difference between a Schrader and Presta

So first things first, you should know the difference between a Schrader bike valve and a Presta bike valve so you know which cap to get.  Your higher road bikes will almost always have Presta valves because they allow for higher air pressure and require a smaller hole in the rim.  The cap for a Presta is thinner than the Schrader cap and can be used with a matching collar nut.  I use a Presta valve stem on my mountain bike because the valve stem color holds the stem upright and keeps the tube from slipping inside the tire and puncturing itself on the rim if it should get at an angle. 

I’ve found The Schrader Valve to be the type most people had on their bike as a kid, they’re a little more robust and durable and can be filled up at the gas station with the same air pump you fill up your car tire.  The Presta valve is noticeably thinner and requires a specific head on the pump to inflate.  you’re out of luck filling up with air at the gas station with this valve stem.

Where Does Purely Custom get their Valve Stem Caps

Here’s the great part about that answer…We make them!  That’s why our name is Purely Custom; we get to take any wild idea and pretty much run with it.  We’re proud to say Made in the U.S.A. and even more proud to say, Made in Twin Falls, Idaho, right here in our plant.  Purely Custom is part of much larger manufacturing company so we have extensive custom capabilities.  So along with creating valve stem caps for both Schrader and Presta, in both those styles we make a multitude of colors in the shapes of dome, dagger, and bullet and they can also be used as brake stud caps.  If you’re really looking for some creativity, Purely Custom offers a great selection of spinners in both Schrader or Presta cap style.

Spinners You Say

We use a variety of manufacturing processes to create our valve stem caps from a multi-spindle screw machine for regular Schrader and Presta stem caps and for some of the complex work it takes some skill on a wire EDM to cutout the top of our spinners.

We can mix and match our spinner tops to Schrader or Presta bases and in a variety of colors.

Our spinners are available in a variety of great designs from colored ribbons to support a cause, a Canadian Maple Leaf, even a flame.  Some caps like the heart spinner offer enough space to be custom engraved with a personal message.  I’ve included some images of some of the spinners we create and I encourage you to check our website for all the different styles available.  Our spinners are very eye-catching and many people like to have an assortment so they can change out according to their mood or even time of the year.   Interesting fact:  the most popular spinner we create appears to be the cracked skull, and many times in toughest of all colors…pink.

Custom Spinners

Apparently our purchasing agent Betsy is married to Santa Claus or something like that and came to our graphic designer with an idea for a spinner cap with a Santa hat. 

In no time they had designed and created a custom spinner just to her liking and I’m guessing “Santa” liked it as well.  I imagine he must have a fat tire bike decked out for snow with a pair of pretty cool valve cap spinners right now.  If you have some ideas, send them our way and let us make them a reality.

Stock Up On a Few

So let’s review, valve stem caps are probably the easiest way to accessorize your bike, they’re easy to install, if we can even call it that, and they’re pretty inexpensive.  There are also Presta valve stem collars that we have in a variety of colors, you can have them match the cap or pick any color you prefer.  I would recommend a valve stem collar if you have a Presta valve on a mountain bike.  So check out all the valve stem caps on www.purelycustom.com and let’s get that bike of yours looking custom.