taco2ewsday

I just grabbed the cheapest thing from my LBS that had multi-valve and a pressure gauge that went up over 100 psi ~$40

MilfordJohn

Like you, I grew up with Schrader valves (not "American" valves), but since moving to Presta I would never go back. It is much easier and faster to inflate a Presta-valve tire, all you need is a decent pump that will set you back perhaps $20.

PaulRivers

I think people just adapted to one kind of valve as a kid, now they use the valve without looking at it, their brain doesn't adjust because they're doing it from memory, it's not in front of them. One of them you have to unscrew the mini-valve, the other you don't...like if they got a million dollars to do it perfectly every day for a week I'd bet most of these people would suddenly have issues figuring it out, but they don't, so it's easier/more fun for them to make conversation with everyone about how the new valve sucks. :-)

The one thing I know of that actually sucks about either valve, once you get used to the new valve, is finding a pump that does a decent job at both. I can get a pump that's good with shrader. I can get a pump that's good with presta. But a pump that can switch from pumping one to pumping the other in my garage with no leaking/grabbing at all? Nearly impossible to find. You can't adjust the head right for both...and even the dual-head designs for some reason always seem to be crappy at one or the other.

InfinityMPG

I'm glad someone else remembers that thread. That thread was one of the most painful reads I've seen in these forums. The OP was like a terminator troll; he couldn't be reasoned with, and he absolutely did not stop. People gave him hoards of evidence justifying why Presta valves are favored over Schrader on performance bikes, but he kept pretending that no one was speaking. Thankfully, a moderator shut it down.

That sounds like a biased (small) sample size. You should consider building a larger network of knowledgeable cyclists around you.
For one thing, what kind of high performance bicycles was he using? If he's an actual, knowledgeable person, I suspect we're talking mountain bikes. Schrader valves tend to be more popular on older bicycles and bicycles with wider rims. The old thinking was that a mountain bike could benefit from the protection of the thicker Schrader valve. Not so anymore; you'd be hard-pressed to find a Schrader valve on a new performance mountain bike. They're still out there, but Schrader on a flagship bike is not a choice you're likely to see in a high-end shop.

Pros have shifted the market to Presta, even for mountain bikes. And for road bikes? Riding a performance road bike with Schrader valves is near sacrilege. It's like putting a kickstand on a Dogma F12. I agree with PaulRivers; I think the error comes from people upgrading from their neighborhood cruisers into something a little faster. They don't understand why the new bike doesn't have the same old Schrader valves that they saw growing up, so in half-knowledge they revert back to Schrader. It's a performance compromise, and those add up fast if you're not careful.

cp256

I bought my orange one in 1980, made with Columbus tubing!

BCDrums

All his threads are like that.

harryquinn

Been using presta valves for over 60 years without problems and wouldn't use anything else on my bikes. I use a Lezyne floor pump that has a screw-on chuck. On the road, I carry a Lezyne mini pump and a CO2 adapter, both of which also screw on to the valve,

surak

My wife has started riding one of my older bikes on a trainer. I usually pump the trainer tire up before use, but based on this thread, was curious how tricky it would be if I gave my wife literally four simple verbal instructions without a demonstration (unscrew the valve tip a bit, depress to let a tiny bit of air out, put the end of our $25 Nashbar Earl Grey pump head on and turn the lever, finally pump to 120 psi). It took her 30 seconds, she encountered zero issues, and said, "was that it?," looking at me like I was crazy for making it sound difficult.

Hmm...

Happy Feet

...but avoid metric drill bits.

Hiro11

I know this is an awful attempt at a troll thread, but Schrader valves really are better in two meaningful ways for cyclists:
1. Much stronger, more reliable and and more robust valve stem. As many (many) of us will tell you, this is particularly important if you're on the side of the road in the rain pumping up a tube with your friend's worthless, tiny hand pump because you've already burned through the CO2 you brought along.
2. Has much high throughput than a Presta, allowing easier tubeless setups.
In every other way a Schrader is just as good or marginally better than Presta. Presta is a snobby bike-guy thing and should be ditched.

Note: every bike I own is Presta and has been for decades, no big deal either way.

Barry2 

I've had the same Joe Blow track pump for 2-3 decades.
I replace the head once in a while, it "goes both ways"
Topeak Twinhead Bicycle Floor Pump Upgrade Kit - About $25
Use it as a replacement, or to upgrade any existing pump.
Last one I got came from Amazon.

Barry

InfinityMPG

That's terrifying.

Don't get greedy! The two things that you listed have some truth to them, but don't bait people with a false statement about some imaginary total Schrader supremacy. The facts don't add up for that claim.