Schrader and Presta valves
 

Good morning all. I was at walmart recently, looking over their bicycle inventory to see if they had the inner tubes for my bike. I saw that they had the tube, but it came with a presta valve. My bike has the shrader type. will the presta fit in my rim? I have a Marin hybrid bike. also, why would they design two different types of valves? Thanks

There are two different valve types because three would be too confusing.

The hole in the rim for Schrader is larger than for Presta, so in a pinch you can stick a presta tube in a Schrader rim to get you home (I would not pump it up to high pressures, though), but it is not optimal and I would definitely buy a Schrader tube instead for your rims.

My understanding is you can use a presta valved tube in a schrader rim, though best to use a presta/schrader grommet to prevent the valve stem moving around.

Why was presta invented? Supposedly to allow for narrower rims than schrader or dunlop valves.

First, don't buy your tubes at Walmart. Even your LBS is unlikely to have good ones. If you stick with Continental, Schwalbe, or other top brands you're going to have a lot fewer flats. I've had Kenda tubes not make it out of my driveway, for example, and those QTubes that are sold everywhere are also cheap made-in-China garbage. The difference in price is well worth it.

If you had to use a Presta tube in a Schrader rim with the bigger hole, it might get you home in an emergency but you really don't want to leave it like that. Even those adapters are not ideal. Just buy the right tube for your wheel, which in this case is Schrader. I love these tubes for my Schrader bikes - they even have a threaded stem with a screw-on locking ring like a Presta valve, which I really like.

Schwalbe AV13 MTB Inner Tubes - 26in x 1.50-2.40, Schrader Valve (2 Pack)

I have also heard that, while using a sleeve as mentioned in post ## is the preferred method, if you tighten the knurled nut on the Presta valve as tight as possible, it will help keep the valve from rubbing on the rim and abrading a hole or slice.

^ further, there is a type of knurled nut that has a flange on one side that just fits within a Schrader-sized hole. This will self center the Presta stem.

I have an old 26" MTB wheelset where one rim is drilled for Presta and the other for Schrader. The tubes are both Presta and I just use a simple aluminum adapter for the rim that is drilled out wider.
That wheelset has been on 3 bikes over the span of over a decade and the adapter has always been fine. Its on one of my kids' MTBs right now and I have no reason to think it will suddenly explode.

This is just commenting based on prior posting over how the adapter/grommet isnt ideal. Sure, a new wheelset is more ideal...but with that thinking, an entirely new modern MTB is also ideal. Use doesnt justify either though.

Yes, those hacks are available. But so are Schrader tubes. It's a lot easier and better to just buy the right tube for your wheel, instead of buying gizmos to make a Presta tube fit. I prefer Presta valves myself, but I have bikes with Schrader too and it's not a problem. They both work perfectly fine, so just buy the ones that are supposed to go in that wheel.

The issue for me would be more, if I went to some stores and only Presta were available ... or maybe this guy didn't want to try six different stores to see who carried what at that time. The "hacks" aren't like "Duct-tape it in place and hope it holds" type hacks ... they are viable solutions and in fact were designed for those very situations.

The number and frequency of flats has nothing to do with who makes the tube. Flats are random events and no tube unless it is a heavy thorn resistant tube is going to stop a puncture. Even the thorn resistant tubes aren’t impervious and usually not worth the extra weight.

People have used Scharader to Presta adapters for decades without any harmful side effects. Even the simple Presta to Schrader nut is an effective and safe method for the adaptation.

If I were touring off the beaten path, I might carry one of those adapters just in case a Presta tube were somehow the only thing available. But if the OP is looking to just buy a spare, he should buy the right ones. There's no reason to "decide" to convert from Schrader to Presta. Do it in a pinch if you have to but then order the right tube.

Years ago, I used one of those rubber grommet adapters when I finally decided to standardize my valve types for pumping convenience. It worked like a charm and I never had any problems with it. Presta is just easier to pump.

If you haven't used it already, I'd take it back and get one with the correct valve. Walmart sells Bell tubes and in the 700C sizes they make both Schrader and presta valve models. Might be the same for others too.

Since Schrader's are used typically on wider width rims then I might also double check that you got the tubes width range is proper for the width of your tires. Even if it is, why bother with an adapter or something to make it fit when Walmart has such an easy return policy.

I buy mine at Amazon or bike shops. make sure you get the right size

700 x 40-45
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

700 x 20-25
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

"why would they design two different types of valves? Thanks" There isn't a "they" involved here. Presta valves were standard in European countries while Schrader valves were standard in the US. I first saw them in the 1970s while working in a bike shop as we imported bicycles from Italy and France. They came with presta valves. Most of the racers I knew also used them on high pressure.narrow, sew-up tires. It was easier to pump them up with the frame pumps available at that time as you didn't have to also overcome the pressure required to open the spring loaded Schrader valve. I've used them exclusively since then and never broke a valve pumping up a tube that was on a rim drilled for the Schrader valve. I did install the "valve saver" spacer on some wheels and always carry a valve adapter.

How well adapter work or do not work is a bit beside the point in the OPs case. He should just buy tubes with the proper valve type for his rim.

But I am sure this discussion will still go on for pages.

Actually... I think my two most recent fails were structural. One was at the junction where the valve stem meets the tube, another was a couple of very small, slow leak holes along a manufacturing seam. There may have been some "circumstantial causes," but not that I could find. I think it was the admittedly-low-cost tubes. Will never know for sure. Or care <snicker>

I'm actually a little surprised OP found Presta but not Schrader tubes at his Wal-Mart. I'd assume it would be the other way around.

Well that is certainly not true. Cheaper tubes have less consistent seams, more variation in the rubber thickness, lower quality of the valve materials, and the QA is by sampling rather than testing each tube. I've had more than one QTube come apart at a seam, and lots of Kendas or other cheap tubes that just didn't hold air very well, even overnight. And, better tires do have better puncture resistance.

I switched to "premium" tubes a while ago and never looked back. I have a lot fewer flats and I don't have to pump up my tires as often.

Thanks every one for your input. yep, they only had the size for my bike with the presta valve. looked high and low. saw the inner tube with the correct valve on Amazon. so, will purchase on line. another question, can you ride with a patch tube indefinitely? if you can, would you, or would you stick a new tube on? Pros and cons. thanks again

Yes you can ride on properly patched tube as long as you wish. Some folks will patch and swap tubes so their spare is the unpatched one.

Personally I tend to just replace vs patch since it's all of $9 for a tube of the size I use since I don't get flats often and the cost is all of $9 at REI or LBS.

Do put a little air in any brand new tube and leave it overnight to make sure there's no major defects.

Sure, once you've got the process down it's kind of fun to see how long you can keep a tube going, or how many patches you can accumulate on a tube before something irreparable takes it out of service. :thumb:

I flat rarely. So I too just replace the tube. The glue and patches I kept in my saddle bag just took up space and the glue was dried up by the time I needed it. Or, since I only patched once every couple years, I just did a crappy job from inexperience and the patch leaked.

If I flatted often I'd probably patch and use patched tubes till the patches needed patching.