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What kind of valve is the best one, a Presta valve (6mm) or a Schrader valve (8mm). Which has the best reliability, which one is easiest to fix a flat on?

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5 Answers

up vote 8 down vote accepted

Presta's main benefit is more about how the valve functions, in regards to getting pumped up to higher pressures. Because the stem of the valve needs pressure in the pump head to get high enough before it pushes the valve stem in, and start flowing air into the tire, when you try to get to 120 to 160 lbs of pressure it works better than a Schrader valve where the valve stem is depressed the whole time, back pressure can leak out.

Otherwise I would say tomato - tomahto (potato - potaato?)

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I would add that Schrader valves are better where it's important that you be able to use a gas station pump. – Neil Fein Aug 25 '10 at 22:40
@neilfein: If you have presta valves, you should definitely carry an adapter so that you can use normal pumps. If not, you aren't properly equipped! – Dan McClain Aug 26 '10 at 13:54
@neilfein I use presta, and picked up a valve adapter for under a buck. keep it in my panier in case I need to use gas station pumps (or other non-presta pumps). works great. weighs maybe a gram. – D'Arcy Norman Sep 20 '10 at 2:55
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I have read this a few places and I am not sure why people are saying that you need air pressure to depress a Schrader valve. There might be some pumps that do this, but all the pumps I have ever owned use a small rod to push the core down, absolutely independent of air pressure. – BillyNair Jun 1 '12 at 7:16
up vote 13 down vote
  1. smaller hole in the rim is good (presta +)
  2. schrader has piece that inserts into the valve (screws in) with a spring mechanism to seal it - these parts sometimes fail (schrader -)
  3. presta uses tire pressure to seal it (presta +)
  4. rocks can lodge in uncapped schrader and cause leaks (schrader -)
  5. presta does not need a valve cap to keep rocks out (presta +)
  6. presta has a locknut to prevent valve movement (presta +)
  7. You can prep a presta valve tire for installation without a pump - using your mouth (presta +)

Presta is better but is insignificant for most people. Use the tube that fits your rim.

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Continental makes a schrader tube with a lock nut on the valve stem - it works great. I wish this would become standard practice! – KennyPeanuts Sep 3 '11 at 19:57
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to be fair "the Presta core bolt will sometimes get bent and make it difficult or impossible to open the valve (Presta-)" And... I use my mouth to blow up a schrader all the time!! just push the core in with your canine... – BillyNair Jun 1 '12 at 7:08
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Too many broken presta core bolts. No good! (presta -) – heltonbiker Oct 29 '12 at 20:42
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Schrader valves are compatible with car tire pumps (schrader +) – GordonM Oct 30 '12 at 17:15
up vote 3 down vote

The best one is the one that fits your rim, as all rims are drilled a specific diameter for either Presta or Schrader.

Presta adds a very small amount of ease-of-use when it comes to letting out pressure with it's 'quick-release' valve, but the difference is trivial.

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up vote 3 down vote

A Schrader valve can be pumped up with a car pump, often it is easer to find someone with a car pump than a bike pump when needed. (You can also use a bike pump when needed)

Also a cheap car foot pump is a lot better than most bike pumps.

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up vote 0 down vote

A schrader valve require air pressure to open, A presta does not.

The biggest difference will seen when airing up a tire past 100+lbs, A shcrader will take more pumps to get from 100 to 110, because at that high of a pressure, more air is required to open the valve, whereas on a presta all the air goes into airing up the tire.

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This is actually the opposite of the truth. A schrader valve requires the pin to be pushed mechanically (it's normally held closed by a small spring). Therefore the valve is open the entire time that the pump is attached. The reason that the schrader takes longer to pump from 100 to 110 is because you are losing air between strokes of the pump whereas the presta valve is only open when the pressure in the pump exceeds the pressure in the tire, so you are not losing air between strokes. – Yes I use MUMPS Mar 21 at 15:35

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