Whats the advantage of Presta over shrader stems?
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 6
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Whats the advantage of Presta over shrader stems?
I'm talking 700C 25s here and tired of the hassle of the Presta valve stems. I'm sure there are good reasons why these stems predominate the 700c market but WHAT ARE THEY?
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Montreal
Posts: 6,521
Bikes: Peugeot Hybrid, Minelli Hybrid
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Prestas have a simple non-return valve in them that is closed by the pressure of the air in the tire. It doesnt open till the pressure in the pump is greater than in the tire. This reduces the leakage of air when you remove the pump from the valve. I also think they are easier to pump to high pressure, but this is only my feeling and I dont know if this is really true. The Schraders are closed by a spring which is opened by a bump in the middle of the pump head - this means the valve is opened for air to leak out as you attach the pump and also as you remove it.
#4
opinionated SOB
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Branson, Missouri USA
Posts: 968
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I have used and like both. Prestas take longer to bleed down and the lock-nut prevents the valve stem from slipping.
For long distance riding I prefer Schraeder because I can air them up at any gas station. A well prepared bicycler always carries a pump but pumps can get broken or lost so it is reassuring to know I can get air at a gas station if I need to.
For long distance riding I prefer Schraeder because I can air them up at any gas station. A well prepared bicycler always carries a pump but pumps can get broken or lost so it is reassuring to know I can get air at a gas station if I need to.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Madison, WI USA
Posts: 6,154
Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2363 Post(s)
Liked 1,749 Times
in
1,191 Posts
You can get the best of both worlds by running prestas, which you can indeed pump more easily to higher pressure (one problem with Schraders is that, since the valve is open the whole time you're pumping, it's harder to keep the pump tight on the valve). For long rides, carry a Schrader-to-presta adapter in case of a situation where your only choice is to fill from a gas station.
#7
blithering idiot
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: beautiful coastal South Carolina
Posts: 1,263
Bikes: 1991 Trek 930, 2005 Bianchi Eros, 2006 Nashbar "X," IRO Rob Roy
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
presta valves are lighter than schrader also, if i remember correctly.
also, on a narrow 700c rim, it can be very difficult to mount a clincher tire with a schrader tube (since the stem is like twice as thick)...
also, on a narrow 700c rim, it can be very difficult to mount a clincher tire with a schrader tube (since the stem is like twice as thick)...
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Cleveland, OH
Posts: 2,304
Bikes: 2004 Trek 4600 SS, 2016 Cannondale Cujo 2 SS
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 13 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I use the presta to schrader adapter, and it rides with me everywhere, just in case.
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: portland or
Posts: 1,888
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Sailorman
OK guys, you have convinced me - I'll stick with the prestas!!
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: in bed with your mom
Posts: 13,696
Bikes: who cares?
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
May be BS, but something I heard once: skinny rims are weakened by the big hole required for the Shraeder valve - the smaller hole required for a Presta valve maintains more rim strength...
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Beaufort, South Carolina, USA and surrounding islands.
Posts: 8,521
Bikes: Cannondale R500, Motobecane Messenger
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Originally Posted by randya
May be BS, but something I heard once: skinny rims are weakened by the big hole required for the Shraeder valve - the smaller hole required for a Presta valve maintains more rim strength...
Also, Scharder valves have a srping in them that can jam open. The jam is easy to fix, but can sometimes be irresverable, making you replace the valve core.
#15
put our Heads Together
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: southeast pennsylvania
Posts: 3,155
Bikes: a mountain bike with a cargo box on the back and aero bars on the front. an old well-worn dahon folding bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Never seen rim failure because of hole [for tire valve].
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: So Cal
Posts: 4,665
Bikes: 2012 Trek Madone 6.2
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by steveknight
I put a little locktite on the knob in the open posision and put on the presta adaptor. this way I can use my compresor or service station to air it up. or take off the adaptor to use co2 to pump the tire. you need locktite in this case because the knob tends to get screwed down.
#17
Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Kansas
Posts: 33
Bikes: Bianchi Strada Frankenbiked into a racer.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I think he keeps the presta-to-schrader adaptor on the stems full-time, so he loctites the presta's open so that when he has to use a gas-station pump, he doesn't have to worry about the presta valve being screwed closed.
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Left Coast
Posts: 1,717
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
A schrader valve is too fat for a typical road rim. If you were to drill a hole that big, it would go into the sides.
Also the bigger the hole, the weaker the rim is at that point. If you don't think it's true, go ahead and drill a nice big hole in your road rims and tell us how your ride goes.
Also the bigger the hole, the weaker the rim is at that point. If you don't think it's true, go ahead and drill a nice big hole in your road rims and tell us how your ride goes.
#19
Recovering Retro-grouch
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Some call it God's country. I call it Acton, Maine
Posts: 5,008
Bikes: Too Many - 7 or 8
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by shokhead
Never seen rim failure because of value hole.
I think the biggest reason for presta is tradition and they do take air faster. Just my opinion though.
#20
It tastes like burning!
Join Date: May 2002
Location: SOUTH Jersey
Posts: 1,014
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by DieselDan
Also, Scharder valves have a srping in them that can jam open. The jam is easy to fix, but can sometimes be irresverable, making you replace the valve core.
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Mountain Brook. AL
Posts: 4,002
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 303 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 136 Times
in
104 Posts
Delirious: schraders have an inner core which can be unscrewed and replaced by
using those caps that have a ~2.5mm cylinder on the end that is notched. I had
a German presta with a somewhat similar construction but most are not designed to
be repaired. A not unusual failure mechanism with a presta is for the whole valve to
tear out of the tube. Steve
using those caps that have a ~2.5mm cylinder on the end that is notched. I had
a German presta with a somewhat similar construction but most are not designed to
be repaired. A not unusual failure mechanism with a presta is for the whole valve to
tear out of the tube. Steve
#23
It tastes like burning!
Join Date: May 2002
Location: SOUTH Jersey
Posts: 1,014
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by sch
Delirious: schraders have an inner core which can be unscrewed and replaced by
using those caps that have a ~2.5mm cylinder on the end that is notched. I had
a German presta with a somewhat similar construction but most are not designed to
be repaired. A not unusual failure mechanism with a presta is for the whole valve to
tear out of the tube. Steve
using those caps that have a ~2.5mm cylinder on the end that is notched. I had
a German presta with a somewhat similar construction but most are not designed to
be repaired. A not unusual failure mechanism with a presta is for the whole valve to
tear out of the tube. Steve
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Pasadena, CA
Posts: 3,162
Bikes: Litespeed Firenze / GT Avalanche
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
another bit of useless (to me at least) trivia to add to my collection