Jeff Neese

I might be misunderstanding your comment, but first you open (unscrew) the presta valve, then you screw on the adapter and fill your tire, then you remove the adapter and screw the presta valve closed. What are you doing that's different than that?

Notso_fastLane

My limited experience seems to be that tubes with presta valves hold air better, but that could be due to just tubes getting better in general (I only in the last ten years or so got bikes/tires with prestas).

njkayaker

Failure of technique (AKA "doing it wrong").

Trakhak

You don't even have to do all those steps. Unscrew the Presta valve, screw on the adaptor, fill your tire, done. No need to screw the Presta value closed.

Some guys I rode with back in the 1960s, when all of our racing bikes had tubular tires, would snap off the tiny knurled fitting at the top of the Presta valve so that they wouldn't have to bother with it thereafter. That works fine unless the tire loses all of its pressure, allowing the valve core to disappear into the tube.

cyccommute 

In terms of pressure, neither valve has an advantage over the other. They seal much the same internally. The Schrader just uses an internal spring to pull the poppet into place.

I agree that the Presta adapters are a hassle which is why I don’t use them. Use the proper chuck and there isn’t a hassle at all.

I don’t know how you can lose are while closing the lock screw on a Presta valve. You shouldn’t be pressing down on it at all. Even when I’ve bent the stem, I’ve never released air from a Presta when closing the lock screw. You could probably even leave the screw open without any negative effect. It doesn’t really need to be screwed down as it will stay closed as long as the pressure in the tire or tube is higher than atmospheric pressure.

The problem with Schrader valves and losing air isn’t when removing the chuck. People often can’t get the angle of a Schrader chuck correct when using a compressor for filling tires. They don’t angle it right and just spray air out of the hose. Since the Schrader has to hold the valve open to fill it, any air leakage is air lost from the tire. A Presta valve can be filled with a compressor as well but the adapter used doesn’t press down on the stem so any air lost out of the hose has no impact on the pressure in the tire.

When using a hand pump, seals aren’t always in the best of shape either so some air leaks around the seal. For a Presta valve, this isn’t a problem. But, again, for a Schrader any leakage is leakage from the tire.

Jeff Neese

So you're riding around with those adapters on the stem all the time? Wow.

Trakhak

I don't use adapters, since all my pumps work with Presta (and Schraeder) valves, but why not leave them on all the time? (Unless "Wow" meant "I never thought of that---mind blown!")

Jeff Neese

Wow - as in "Why would anyone do that?"

It's funny to me that so many people seem to have trouble with something as simple as a Presta valve. There are reasons that better bikes use Presta, while almost all of the BSOs sold by Walmart use Schrader. Presta is a better valve and it's quite easy once you know how it works.

HerrKaLeun

Before I had a floor pump, I used my compressor and that only has the shrader chuck. So i learned to hate those adapters :-) I assume there are chucks that do Shrader and Presta. But iIimagine if I'm some where and have no pump, some car infrastructure (gas station, car driver has compressor etc.) is more readily available.

Maybe this is user error and I just do it wrong. but the few times I had Presta when tightening the nut I move it a bit laterally, which lets some air escape. Those were tubes with non-replaceable cores. Not sure if that is typical since the Presta valve only opens when pressurized from the outside. which is a good idea compared to Shrader.

I'm sure half my Presta hate is based on not being experienced with it so the little exposure I had wasn't great.

As I said, both work and are fine. Just preference. For me also based on always having had Shrader and keeping things consistent made sense.

I grew up with dunlop valves that had their own pump. then came bikes with Shrader valves and i all of sudden could use the pump AND car compressors (I lived across a gas station and compressed air is free) and this seemed the best idea ever to me. I never had road bikes or other bikes where the diameter of the valve matters for the rim. so that is just me, and I totally understand when someone prefers Presta.

dabac

What good are you expecting the insert to do there?

Sure, if you ride through deep water, it’ll slow down the flow rate of water into the rim, but that’s about it.
If you are concerned about damaging the tube at the valve base, the insert needs to go into the tubeside layer of a double-walled rim.

Gresp15C

In short, there are many solutions to the inherent problems with Presta valves, and with care they can work properly. Likewise for Schrader valves.

The thing that makes this such a great debate is that few of us will ever actually need to choose one or the other. We'll just use whichever one came with the bike.

cyccommute 

Okay. I’m starting to see the problem here. Those thread-on adapters are a poor design. They are kind of the tire equivalent of a pair of visegrips. They will do the job but they will do it poorly and they will likely damage what you are trying to use them on. They completely defeat the check valve nature of the Presta valve.

If a compressor is being used, an SKS Presta adapter works far better without all the fiddling. It slides on and you just press the air hose against it in the usual manner.

In regards to use car infrastructure for filling tires, I’m not sure that it is all that useful anymore. Modern coin operated compressor struggle to get to 35psi.

Iride01 

If you come from Schrader and treat a Presta as a Schrader, then you'll have issues. You will either figure out that they work differently and require a different technique with the air chuck or you won't. Adapters to make them work with a Schrader chuck in general will suck and not do anything to make you like Presta's.

I struggled a little at first coming from 27" tires with Schrader's to 700C's with Presta. But I currently have no issue with either. Are you saying you can't learn new things?
<grin>

79pmooney

Prestas are really easy to fill with a frame pump, can even filled with a very old and tired pump. Every bit of air you get in stays in. Removal is easy. The work to pump up a tire is just the work it takes to compress that much air. I see no reason to switch.

HerrKaLeun

I'm sure there are also actual bike (Native Shrader and Presta) chucks that can be fitted to the quick-connects of air compressors (the the connectors the nailers and other air tools use). I actually recently set up a fat tire tubeless and first used a Presta valve but didn't have the adapter. I just put the regulars Shrader chuck over the opening and even with some air bypass it inflated the tire fine. Brute force will overcome those issues :-)

So not a real problem. I never measured a gas station compressor, but all my tires are 2" or larger, so 35 psi would get me home :-)
But the car infrastructure is only useful 0.00000001% of the time since every rider who even knows how to fill a tire, has a pump. Unless the pump is broken, which again is unlikely. Only Walmart pumps don't have Presta, and they don't work on Shrader well to begin with.

Doug64

[QUOTE=dabac;21975224]What good are you expecting the insert to do there?

Sure, if you ride through deep water, it’ll slow down the flow rate of water into the rim, but that’s about it.
If you are concerned about damaging the tube at the valve base, the insert needs to go into the tubeside layer of a double-walled rim.[/QUOTE
\
The insert allows you to use Presta, or Shrader valve tubes. It has nothing to do with sealing the valve hole. If we need to replace a tube while on a tour, and can only find Shrader tubes; remove the insert (furnished by the wheel maker), and use a tube with a Shrader valve. The insert reaches both walls of a double wall rim. There are some other inserts that are instalied from inside the rim. I've got thousands of miles on those wheels and never had a valve problem with Presta valves. I've never had to pull the nylon inserts on my wheels out. I carry enough spare Presta tubes to cover me until I can get to a bike shop. I also carry a patch kit.

https://wheelsmfg.com/pss-1.html

The nylon insert is flush with inside wall of the rim. My wife used this wheel to ride across the U.S., using Presta valves. The wheel was removed after 10 years of use due damage caused by dropping into a "bike" dangerous storm grate.

dabac

[QUOTE=Doug64;21975610]I know what they’re for.
But used as that their function is entirely marginal.
What CAN happen is that a Presta tube in a Schräder rim begins to herniate into the rim around the valve stem.
If you want any significant benefit from it, it has to be on the side that sees pressure.
Keeping the valve stem centered and keeping water out - which is all you get from installing it in the hubside layer of a double wall rim - is quite unimportant.
I’ve used Prestas in Schräder drilled rims ”forever” w/o any grommets or inserts w/o any issues at all. I do cut the valve holes in the rim tape quite tight though.

Doug64

[QUOTE=dabac;21975632]The inserts were installed by the wheel manufacturer, and I have over 20,000 of touring miles on my wheels and the inserts have never moved. "Forever" is a long time.

Troul 

If taken off, everything is fine. If you leave the adapter on with the presta loose, it will not be fine.

Jeff Neese

You are not supposed to leave the adapter on the stem. It's only for inflating the tire using a Schrader-style air chuck, such as is found at a gas station. When you're done inflating the tire, you take off the adapter and tighten down the Presta valve.

Troul 

using my common sense, that is how I've used them. Going against the grain of logic, I experimented leaving it on as described. Wanted to know if being lazy could have a benefit. Big whopping nope!

Jeff Neese

The thread-on adapters are actually a perfect design for the intended purpose. What's not fine are the cheap aluminum ones from China that don't thread on right. Otherwise, the good ones are a breeze to use, it takes only seconds to screw it on, you can both inflate the tire and check the pressure with a standard tire gauge, and when you're done you just take it off, tighten the Presta valve, and you're done.

It literally couldn't be easier. Nearly 40 years of using Presta valves and those adapters, and never had one problem with either a valve or an adapter, anywhere, and that includes home, gas stations, or sitting by the side of the road. Presta is definitely the better design, but it looks like it's too complicated for some folk.

Troul 

To be clear, when I said "that is how I've used them" means that I loosen the presta, tighten the adapter over the presta, inflate as needed, remove adapter, tighten presta, stow the adapter.

What I was testing out is the adapter's ability to be left on if the presta is left loosened. THAT I DONT SUGGEST.

So, if you're leaving it on the presta you might want to remove it so you dont risk a low or flat tube.

cyccommute 

The poor design part is that they take the simplicity of a Presta valve and makes in to a poor Schrader valve. They could be made so that they just slip on to the valve they’d work better.

But, honestly, I’ve been using Presta for over 40 years and in all that time I’ve never run across a bicycle pump that didn’t have the ability to pump both types of valves. Every floor pump and frame pump I’ve ever had had the conversion hardware in the pump head and could be easily converted when needed.

50PlusCycling

I prefer presta valves as they are smaller and add less weight to the wheel. I have no problems using pumps or CO2 cartridges when I have to pump up my tires, and I like that presta valves come in various lengths, which comes in handy when I have a bike with deep rims.

The valve I most hate is the Woods valve, which most Americans have never seen, but which most bikes here in Japan come with. In Japan they are called English valves. These valves suck donkey *****. They require a special adapter which you must attach to your pump, the valves have a cap which has to be threaded out like a presta valve, the adapter hooks under the valve head, the top of the adapter has an o-ring which seals the top of the adapter to the valve. The adapters like to pop off your pump if you are not careful, and the inside of the Woods valve has a small rubber tube which must be replaced if the valve leaks. The Woods valve is 19th century technology: primitive, inconvenient, and unreliable, yet for some reason Japan is attached to these stupid valves, and many the new Japanese power-assist bikes which can cost thousands of dollars are still fitted with these valves.