a small benefit, but a benefit none the less is that the presta valve is held closed with air pressure only. Schraeder valves use a spring in addition to the air pressure, and every time you have to pump a tube up at road/trailside, you have to defeat that spring and work that much harder with your frame/mini pump. in short, prestas are slightly easier to inflate at any pressure (you can even blow them up like a baloon to get things started).