All of the information here is good, but whichever way you go, it doesn't matter much. Not only that, it's not a permanent decision. You can switch any time you want.

Either is OK, but just be sure to use the right chain lube! You're in for real trouble using the wrong stuff

Seriously, it makes little difference, if the wheels you have use presta then use presta, if they're sized for schraders use schraders.

depending on the pressures needed an air nozzle used to blow dust and a rubber hose work well to fill a presta valve if one doesn't need high pressures. This is how I cheat when I take the 29er down to the tire store for a quick fill up.

The Presta valve was designed for narrower bicycle rims where drilling a larger hole would reduce rim strength and because they are also easier to fill with a hand pump, especially those frame pumps of yesteryear. They are also immune to contamination from dirt and this is why Shrader valves needs caps, Presta valves only need them for storage to keep the point of the valve screw from puncturing the tube.

There is less resistance at the valve stem with a presta and this can be tested by trying to blow up a presta tube by mouth and then trying to blow up a Shrader.

From a functional point of view they both work equally well on bicycles, everywhere else in the world Shrader valves are used on everything where high pressures are required... like compressors and jet airplane tyres.

I run them both depending on the wheels and carry the appropriate pump... if the bike runs Shrader valves I also carry a modern pump which makes filling them easier

Almost all the information provided in this thread was good; not so for the stuff about "most decent" rims" are used only with Presta tubes or that the disadvantage of Schrader tubes is that they are only found in "obscure" sizes.

Ditto "Appropriate Pump"

Bike with P/V tubes has a P/V pump, on it , likewise the opposite way around, if tubes on bike are S/V..

Dang, and after all those years commuting on unsealed 23c road tires with no problems, I now realize I've been doing it wrong

Thanks for confirming what I said directly after the line you quoted.

How is this a valid comparison? A spring holds a Schrader valve closed. Is it even possible to inflate a Schrader tube by mouth?

If your tongue is strong enough to push the valve open, yes.

Watched a guy blow out a side wall of an 10 year old MTB tire using a compressor on a Schrader valved tube. Scared the jeepers out of both of us, then the humor of it set in. He had his own pump the next time we met. Not sure the need for Schrader valves on a any bike tire. Get a little sand in one when you pump it up and the valve core is almost always ruined, in my case anyway. I was raised using Presta and all of the pumps at my home and on my bikes are set up for them. They are available at just about anywhere I buy cycling supplies.

Problem is,some gas stations limit their compressors so people don't blow up their tires. Most car/motorcycle tires don't go past 40psi;that's a low pressure balloon tire,and pinch flats waiting to happen for skinny tires. I've also never been near a gas station when I've gotten a flat. What use is a gas station if you're on a MUP?

Had a bike that came with Slime tubes. Never again. Mess to deal with,and didn't prevent a flat. I've picked FOD out of proper puncture protected tires without getting a flat.

OMG! Presta, without a doubt! They are so much more streamlined, lightweight, and aerodynamic. It's like the difference between carbon fiber and hi-tensile steel. Swear to God, as soon as I switched to Presta valves I knocked 30 mins. off my commute.

Could you explain what you mean by the "right chain lube"...Because I've been using a 50/50 mix of motor oil and WD 40 for many years with zero problems. Riding in bad weather kills chains so fast anyway, that it's not worth it for me to buy overpriced chain lubes sold through LBS.

I don't give a rat's a** if you use tube sealant...whatever works for you. But saying "If you're commuting, sealant in your tubes is a must" is a pretty sweeping statement that is clearly not true. But congratulations on effectively deploying the "anyone who disagrees with my overly broad assertion is a 'cycle snob'" defense...very effective.

Tire slime doesn't work for high pressure tires, it doesn't prevent flats and it doesn't work in cold weather...It messy and PITA to deal with... If you want to prevent flats then just buy high end tires with good flat protection.

Presta tubes and Mr Tuffy liners for me.

Wow, that's the exact opposite of my experience. I've tried Slime twice, once came from the factory with Slime, another I tried adding it. I have never seen it actually seal even the tiniest hole. It just make a huge damn mess and makes it difficult to patch the tube.

If I got another bike with Slime in the tubes, I wouldn't ride it a foot without replacing the tubes with ones without that horrible cr4p in them.

30 minutes off your commute, eh, Swear to God?
Yeah, OK, sure, I suppose the without a doubt essential carbon fiber knocked another 30 minutes off your commute and you get to work before you even leave home.

The day I switched to presta valves and I started pedaling I was like Marty McFly in the DeLorean. I made it to work so fast I was right back where I started.

Whoosh, ILTB, whoosh

This is pretty grand. Make an absolute statement that flies in the face of most peoples experience, and immediately follow that with an insult directed at anyone with a differing view.

You can try and characterize me as a bike snob for disagreeing, but you'll have a hard time making it stick, as I ride a very Fredly, low-end, old mountain bike that has been converted for city riding and do it in a goofy mix of clothes. Once I switched to tires with good flat protection, I have had almost no problems with flats. One puncture and one slow leak in the past year and half/4500 miles. With that level of rarity for flats, I'd never consider messing around with sealant, much less a "must".


As far as the original question goes, I'm slowly converting our fleet over to Schrader. I have to top off my Airzoundz horn every couple of days and it uses a Schrader valve, so I'd prefer to not be messing around with putting the adapters on and off the tires or messing around with the guts of the pump head of the floor pump I have everyday. I also just prefer Schrader, partially because it seems quicker and easier to not be messing around with unscrewing the valve to air up, or with the retaining nut when changing a tube. With Schrader, you also don't have to worry about ending up with a goofy looking freakishly long valve, had an LBS hand me a couple of these one time and I didn't notice until I went to mount one of them later. I still always put an adapter into my patch kits so that I have one with me, whether it is for myself or someone else. I've only used a gas station pump twice that I can recall in the past three years, but when you need it, you need it. Unfortunately, a lot of times, the gas station pumps fitting at the end of it has been ran over so many times it is hard to get a seal, adapter or no.

No Dunlop valve fans?

You don't see many of these on this side of the pond unless one has a thing for Dutch bicycles and even then, many end up being converted to use Shrader valves.