Different Valve Systems
03-29-16, 04:52 PM
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Different Valve Systems
What are the differences and advantages/disadvantages of the two different tire valve systems? I'm most familiar with the old Schrader valves. Thanks in advance.
03-29-16, 05:01 PM
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Never had a bike with schrader valve. They're only on my car tires. All the bikes I've owned since 1999 had/have presta valves. Much easier to use IMHO.
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03-29-16, 05:03 PM
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Presta valves are smaller diameter which means smaller holes in the rim which means more rim integrity.
03-29-16, 05:09 PM
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I prefer the the modern rendition of the original Dunlop valve. It's robust and reliable like the Schrader, plus it's easy to use and compatible with presta pumps.
Last edited by kickstart; 03-29-16 at 09:34 PM.
03-29-16, 09:30 PM
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How do you pump up your tires? Hand pump or air compressor?
Hand pump = presta valves.
Air compressor = schrader valves.
Hand pump = presta valves.
Air compressor = schrader valves.
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03-29-16, 10:07 PM
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Every hand pump I have, be it a mini pump or a floor pump or a frame pump, supports both Schrader and Presta. For the floor pump, you don't even need to do anything to set up the head for the valve type.
03-29-16, 10:35 PM
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Oh sure, it'll work but, if you have an air compressor you can just push the chuck against a schrader valve. You don't have to thread it on. Much, much faster and easier. That's why I asked the question.
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03-29-16, 11:47 PM
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The rest of my pumps all just use force insertion (with the typical quick locking lever) for both Schrader and Presta.
03-30-16, 12:01 AM
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The drawback of a Shrader valve is that it uses an internal spring and will not open by air pressure alone. Instead it wants a depressor to hold the valve open during pumping, meaning you need a pump with valves, and risk losing some air when the pump is disconnected. Years ago, the valve cores had springs that extended deeper into the stem, and we'd often cut them off converting them to springless like the Woods or Presta, so we could pump them by hand with less effort.
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03-30-16, 06:57 AM
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The only pump I have which threads onto the valves, Presta or Schrader, is a very small mini-pump with a flexible hose that seats inside the pump body. The head had to be made to store in a tiny circular space, so they used a round threaded nozzle featuring threads for both head types.
The rest of my pumps all just use force insertion (with the typical quick locking lever) for both Schrader and Presta.
The rest of my pumps all just use force insertion (with the typical quick locking lever) for both Schrader and Presta.
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03-30-16, 07:08 AM
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What does that entail? My Bike Friday has 20" wheels with Schrader valves. I simply push the pump head onto the valve and inflate. Is that what you mean by "threading a schrader valve onto your pump head?"
03-30-16, 07:11 AM
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That depends. Taking a floor pump and inflating a tire is pretty easy. Using an air compressor, finding a nearby outlet, maybe getting out an extension cord, putting it all away, etc., can get involved.
03-30-16, 07:14 AM
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Also Schrader values are too wide to work with many tire/wheel combinations on performance road bikes
03-30-16, 07:19 AM
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Yeah, you have to push it down far enough to drip the valve stem. If I was inflating with my air compressor I'd be done by the time you got your chuck pushed on.
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03-30-16, 07:22 AM
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That's funny. You've created a whole universe just to argue a simple, and not very important, point.
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My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
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03-30-16, 07:25 AM
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And you've responded a few times, proving once again that there is absolutely nothing too trivial for two people to argue about on BF.
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03-30-16, 07:27 AM
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The rim normally limits this selection so the choice is made for you in many cases (I've not a single wheel that can take shrader of any of my current fleet of road bikes).
I have an air compressor, plenty of shrader fittings, it's always plugged in, but still it's quicker for me to pull out the floor pump and inflate with that by hand versus waiting for the compressor to build up pressure.
If I had a mountain bike or something that came with shrader I'd probably just use that. While presta has some advantages like it leaks less air while filling, the difference isn't a huge deal and pretty much all of my pumps will accept either.
I have an air compressor, plenty of shrader fittings, it's always plugged in, but still it's quicker for me to pull out the floor pump and inflate with that by hand versus waiting for the compressor to build up pressure.
If I had a mountain bike or something that came with shrader I'd probably just use that. While presta has some advantages like it leaks less air while filling, the difference isn't a huge deal and pretty much all of my pumps will accept either.
03-30-16, 07:28 AM
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03-30-16, 07:32 AM
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I also like the Dunlop valve which is very similar to a Woods valve. It was marketed for years as the EZ pump valve, and like a Presta valve, lacks an internal spring. That means that it functions as a simple check valve allowing air flow in but not out. These are still popular in the UK, but not so much here.
03-30-16, 07:37 AM
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03-30-16, 07:47 AM
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For me, the functional difference between the two is that presta are more aero-dynamic. Second would be that they allow for a stronger rim (theoretically). To be honest, though, I've broken a lot of valves on prestas, and think that schraeder is a lot less fuss. If the whole industry suddenly reverted back to schraeder, I'd have no problem with that.
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03-30-16, 07:58 AM
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Presta valves can lose their core when you try to open them up. Like this day when I needed to dump some air for fresh snow, but lost my core and took a walk.
Warning: bad words used in this video
This has only happened to me once on the road and once at home. With seven "Presta bikes" in the house and over 25,000 miles among these bikes, it's not really an issue. I just thought you'd enjoy laughing at me whining in this edit.
Warning: bad words used in this video
This has only happened to me once on the road and once at home. With seven "Presta bikes" in the house and over 25,000 miles among these bikes, it's not really an issue. I just thought you'd enjoy laughing at me whining in this edit.
