Schrader and Presta valves
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
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
#2
Advanced Slacker
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 6,210
Bikes: Soma Fog Cutter, Surly Wednesday, Canfielld Tilt
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2762 Post(s)
Liked 2,537 Times
in
1,433 Posts
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
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.
Last edited by Kapusta; 11-08-21 at 07:12 AM.
Likes For Kapusta:
Likes For 10 Wheels:
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Georgia
Posts: 654
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 236 Post(s)
Liked 196 Times
in
130 Posts
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.
Why was presta invented? Supposedly to allow for narrower rims than schrader or dunlop valves.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,490
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1084 Post(s)
Liked 688 Times
in
441 Posts
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)
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)
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,496
Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE
Mentioned: 144 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7653 Post(s)
Liked 3,485 Times
in
1,840 Posts
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.
Likes For Maelochs:
#7
Zip tie Karen
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
Posts: 7,004
Bikes: '13 Motobecane Fantom29 HT, '16 Motobecane Turino Pro Disc, '18 Velobuild VB-R-022, '21 Tsunami SNM-100
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1465 Post(s)
Liked 1,542 Times
in
806 Posts
^ 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.
Likes For Phil_gretz:
#8
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,619
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10971 Post(s)
Liked 7,498 Times
in
4,194 Posts
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.
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.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,490
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1084 Post(s)
Liked 688 Times
in
441 Posts
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.
Likes For Jeff Neese:
#10
working on my sandal tan
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,629
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3871 Post(s)
Liked 2,568 Times
in
1,579 Posts
The always-overlooked Woods valve cries in the corner...
Likes For ThermionicScott:
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,496
Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE
Mentioned: 144 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7653 Post(s)
Liked 3,485 Times
in
1,840 Posts
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.
Likes For Maelochs:
#12
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,369
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Mentioned: 152 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6222 Post(s)
Liked 4,222 Times
in
2,368 Posts
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.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,490
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1084 Post(s)
Liked 688 Times
in
441 Posts
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.
Likes For Jeff Neese:
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: northWET washington
Posts: 1,197
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 383 Post(s)
Liked 690 Times
in
396 Posts
Likes For kahn:
#15
I'm good to go!
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 15,009
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Mentioned: 51 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6202 Post(s)
Liked 4,816 Times
in
3,323 Posts
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.
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.
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,552
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5224 Post(s)
Liked 3,585 Times
in
2,344 Posts
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
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
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sin City, Nevada
Posts: 2,886
Bikes: Catrike 700, Greenspeed GTO trike, , Linear LWB recumbent, Haluzak Horizon SWB recumbent, Balance 450 MTB, Cannondale SM800 Beast of the East
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 523 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 230 Times
in
182 Posts
"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.
#18
Advanced Slacker
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 6,210
Bikes: Soma Fog Cutter, Surly Wednesday, Canfielld Tilt
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2762 Post(s)
Liked 2,537 Times
in
1,433 Posts
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.
But I am sure this discussion will still go on for pages.
Likes For Kapusta:
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: NJ, USA
Posts: 1,282
Bikes: two blacks, a blue and a white.
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 445 Post(s)
Liked 847 Times
in
410 Posts
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.
#20
working on my sandal tan
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,629
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3871 Post(s)
Liked 2,568 Times
in
1,579 Posts
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.
Likes For ThermionicScott:
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,490
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1084 Post(s)
Liked 688 Times
in
441 Posts
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.
#22
Senior Member
Thread Starter
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
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Georgia
Posts: 654
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 236 Post(s)
Liked 196 Times
in
130 Posts
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.
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.
Likes For gpburdell:
#24
working on my sandal tan
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,629
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3871 Post(s)
Liked 2,568 Times
in
1,579 Posts
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.
#25
I'm good to go!
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 15,009
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Mentioned: 51 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6202 Post(s)
Liked 4,816 Times
in
3,323 Posts
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.
If I flatted often I'd probably patch and use patched tubes till the patches needed patching.