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The main thing is that the Presta valve is thinner, and takes less of a bite out of the rim. This is quite important as the rims get narrower. Further, the Presta works better with hand pumps in that there's no spring that the pump needs to overcome to get air into the tire. Also, the Presta always has the fully-threaded body (which is possible with ...

This primarily comes up as the pressures in the tires get higher. With lower pressure wider tires, Schrader makes the most sense, if only because you can hit a gas station for some air pressure. Presta makes more sense on higher pressure tires, since it allows you to pump in higher levels with a floor pump. Per the comments let me try and clarify. When ...

smaller hole in the rim is good (presta +) schrader has piece that inserts into the valve (screws in) with a spring mechanism to seal it - these parts sometimes fail (schrader -) presta uses tire pressure to seal it (presta +) rocks can lodge in uncapped schrader and cause leaks (schrader -) presta does not need a valve cap to keep rocks out (presta +) ...

Nobody has noted this yet, so maybe I'm particularly clumsy. The caps prevent you from bending the somewhat delicate presta valve stem if, like me, you're fitting a fairly beefy lock between your spokes every day. I smacked mine pretty good after a groggy morning commute, and it bent the valve stem pretty severely. They're somewhat known for snapping off ...

Schrader valves are more robust, this is the reason why you see them universally in use for vehicle tires. With Presta, you have to be more careful when putting in or taking off the pump nozzle or you might bend or even break either the rotating (locking) tip of the valve. You could also go to literally any gas station to pump air to your tires if you are ...

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 ...

It is for adjusting the suspension on a medium to high-end mountain bike (fork), hence the lack of 'Presta' option. Since you will be returning it, to keep the shop happy and get what you really need, consider getting: A track pump with gauge and aluminium body. Look for one with a well engineered head that does Presta and Shrader valves. The easiest ones ...

Schrader valves are stronger, for one. Breaking a weaker, smaller valve that has a (perhaps just in my experience) frustrating attachment mechanism for pumps on a $1,000+ fork would be unacceptable. Road Bicycles Schrader valves have at least one valid disadvantage on a road bicycle: their larger diameter is a deterrent for use because it reduces the ...

I swapped out both tubes on my mountain bike with Presta (less chance of crap getting in to the valve and it means I can carry the same CO2 inflator as I do on my road bike) and got the bushings - once they were in I've had zero issues with the valve stem. I'd definitely recommend putting one in since there's the chance that the valve stem could rub against ...

They have one big benefit on road / commuting bikes - they stop the valve corroding and seizing due to the salt and crap they get exposed to. On a mountain bike, this isn't such a problem, as the salt gets washed off by puddles and mud (and you tend to wash your mountain bike more). That's been my experience in the muddy, wet UK, when the roads are salted ...

Yes, you can remove the adapter and put it on the rear tire. The reason for putting on an adapter is so that you can use air-compression equipment which is available at gas stations etc. You don't actually need it if you have a good pump at home which is two fit (presta and schrader).

Make sure you unscrew the presta valve first. There is a small top piece that must be unscrewed before you place the pump onto the valve. If all is correct, you should be able to press onto the presta valve and air will be released. Once your presta valve is open, place the pump nozzle over the valve with the locking tab DOWN. Press firmly (you might ...

First you need to make sure you have the right chuck setup. If the pump you have is the one in the link then it claims to be auto-converting between Schrader and Presta -- you can skip to the next paragraph. But if you have a slightly different pump it may require manual conversion. As you press the chuck onto the valve you should feel some resistance as ...

There is a valve in the floor pump, yes, so it is supposed to press in the presta valve the whole time it is attached to it. I too have seen the problem you refer to in the comment on @Useless's answer - diagnosis has always shown this to be down to the presta valve either catching on the side of the pump fitting or just being stiff and refusing to budge. ...

The adapter is only meant to be used while pumping up the tire. You shouldn't keep it installed while riding. Many bicycle pumps can be used with both presta and shrader valves, but I'd reccomend that you keep a pump around that can pump presta natively so that you never need to mess with the valve adapter.

Keep the cap on to protect the valve from accidental damage, dirt, salt and oxygen. There is a bit of rubber inside the Presta valve: Leave the valve cap off and oxygen in the air gets to the rubber causing it to perish. This problem will take time to develop, however it will do regardless of where you live, where you ride and how often you clean your ...

I used to skin my knuckles every time I took the chuck off the valve. Then I figured it out (pain is a learning curve accelerator). Position the wheel so the presta valve is closest to you and pointed away from you. Use your thumbs on either side of the wheel to push the chuck straight off (toward the hub of the wheel). This prevents the presta stem from ...

It may be that your current pump actually supports this valve, but the application may not be obvious. You may need, for example, to push the valve deeper into the pump than may appear possible at first; only then the corresponding valve or rubber o-ring in the pump will yield. If this is the first time you see this valve then maybe you just don't know that ...

The valve on the tube (Schrader or Presta) will stay open the whole time your pump head is attached. It knows nothing about the pump state. The valve is kept closed in normal operation by the pressure inside the tube + the threaded collar pushing it up (Presta) or a spring (Schrader). The pump is where the one-way valve lives. Air is only supposed to leave ...

When I press my pump head onto the (presta) valve, I can feel & hear air escaping until I twist the hose/head junction to lock it on. When I unlock and remove the head, some more air escapes until it is fully clear. To me, this indicates that the pump head holds the presta valve open, and the pump head must have its own return valve. This pump head is ...

It sounds like either the valve core is slightly loose, which you can correct by tightening it with a valve core tool, or that the valve core seal is leaking, in which case you can replace the core, which may work, or the tube which is your pretty much guaranteed fix.

You can see some images of alternative valves at the Schwalbe page. Your local bike shop is certainly familiar with Schraeder (aka "Auto") and Presta (aka Sclaverand) valves. It's difficult to tell from your description, but it's therefore likely either a Regina or a Dunlop valve.

Yep, it appears to be what it says (though not very clearly) -- a "shock pump", intended for pumping up shocks in bike suspensions, not for pumping up tires. And, frankly, I've never seen a "mini" pump that could do even a halfway decent job of pumping up high pressure tires. You need a full-sized frame pump to do it reasonably well.

Inside the Presta pump head there will be a peg behind a rubber washer, which depresses the valve on the stem which is engaged when you move the lever into the elevated position. At the same time, typically a set of jaws will clamp onto the body of the stem holding it in place. It sounds very much as if your pump isn't able to activate the valve sufficiently ...

"Remove valve cap, unscrew thingy in valve, and tap it a little - a jet of air shoots out. OK." You've got that right. If you have the proper pump, and the chuck is working properly, then simply pushing the chuck on and flipping the lever should do it. Normally, when you press the chuck on far enough a little button in the middle of the chuck will press ...

The pump appears to have a valve which is supposed to switch automatically between Presta and Schrader as needed. In my experience, these valve don't always work. I have a similar pump where the valve has become stuck, and I can only use it for inflating Schrader valves now. If this is at the root of your problem as well, among many alternatives, you can 1) ...

Invest in a track pump with a dual Presta/Shrader head and a 'lock lever' that you flip over to get a snug fit, regardless of the valve type. Make sure the pump comes with a gauge and keep your tyres at pressure because they are then less likely to become punctured. Check the pressure every fortnight or every month depending on how important speed is to your ...