What is the point of a Presta valve?
Presta valves can hold more pressure and do it more reliably because the air pressure itself seals them tightly. They are also lighter and improve the wheel's rolling resistance. Plus, Presta valves are easily extendable with adapters, so the same valve or inner tube can be used on different types of rims.
The Presta valve (also French valve (FV) or Sclaverand valve) is a tire valve commonly found in high pressure road style and some mountain bicycle inner tubes. It comprises an outer valve stem and an inner valve body. A lock nut to secure the stem at the wheel rim and a valve cap may also be present.
To inflate a Presta valve, remove the dust cap, unscrew the brass cap, slide a pump onto the valve as far as it will go and flip up the lever on the pump to secure it in place. Pump away until your tire is inflated. Then, remove the pump, screw the brass cap back into place and replace the black dust cap.
Every now and again someone will ask me what is the difference between a Presta Valve and a French Valve on a bicycle tube. The answer is very simple: nothing! Some companies prefer to call them French valves, we prefer to call the Presta valves but it doesn't matter too much – they're 100% the same thing.
Why do bikes use Presta valves? They require a smaller hole in the rim, which improves rim strength. They're lighter, so high-performance wheels don't need to be counterbalanced for the stem weight in order to spin smoothly.
Valve types
For the most part, inner tubes and tubulars on road bikes will use Presta valves, and mountain bikes will use Schrader valves. The visual differences between the two are obvious, with the Presta (pictured above) being slimmer, lighter and having a lock nut to close that you can see on the top.
Presta valves are the most common type of bicycle tire valve and are used by most modern bikes. With their long thin shape, Presta valves have been the go-to choice for road cyclists for many years. At the same Presta valves have become popular with mountain bikers, especially those that ride tubeless wheels.
Bike Valve Types – Presta and Schrader Valves
There two main bike valve types used on bicycle inner tubes nowadays, are Presta and Schrader Valves. You can go bike touring with either bicycle valve stem types.
Presta valve gas station? Gas station air hoses are all designed to fit on to Schrader valves as this is what car tires have. If you have Presta valves on your bike tires you will need to use an adapter to sit between the air nozzle and the valve to give an airtight seal.
If your wheels don't have inner tubes in them at the moment, a Presta valve is probably your best bet, especially if your bike is modern. Almost all new bikes use Presta valves, and they're compatible with Schrader and Dunlop rims, so if you're unsure, Presta valves will be a fail-safe option.
Can I use a regular pump on a Presta valve?
To inflate a Presta valve you'll need a regular air pump and a special adapter. These can be purchased for about a dollar at your local bike shop. In this tutorial, we'll learn how to use the adapter to inflate your tire.
I'd say that ideal is about 1.25" sticking out of the rim. That's enough to accommodate most pump chucks without being so long that it increases the risk of damage. But mostly an over-long stem just looks ugly.
Presta valves have superior compatibility with Schrader. If you are going to be riding with spare valves on adventure gravel or mountain biking weekend, Prestas can be dual-purposed, working on rims shaped for both valve types. With a Schrader valve, you are mainly limited to the rims that it was intended for.
Re: Presta valve: how not to lose air after pumping
Once the pressure in the head drops below the tyre pressure, the valve should close itself thanks to the difference, then as long as you pull the head off straight (no wiggling), it shouldn't lose more.
With my Prestas I tighten the nut barely finger-tight before inflation, then tighten again after inflating, as tight as I can with my fingers. You don't want it so tight you won't be able to remove it if you have to do a roadside repair (without a pair of pliers), but you want it to stay on and not rattle.
The right valve choice means matching the valve's size to expected flow through the system. Know the chemical compatibility requirements. The valve materials need to be compatible with the gases or liquids flowing through it. Plastic valves usually resist harsh or corrosive chemicals better than metal valves.
There's no harm in using a valve longer than you need, although it might look a bit odd to use a particularly long valve on shallow wheels. If your wheels are even deeper than the longest valve you can find, you can buy valve extenders to add length to your valve.
Valve length
There's no standard as to how much longer a long valve tube is, but most are around 60-80mm. For comparison, a standard length tends to be around 40mm.
They are linear, rotary, and self-actuated. There are a variety of valve types within each of these categories each having its own benefits. This training course is focused on rotary and linear actuated valves.
Very often, you'll see a product's promotional material boast of the fact that the two-wheeler's engine has four valves per cylinder. Many of us often wonder whether it is really an advantage to have more than two valves per cylinder.
What is the most popular valve?
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4 valves per cylinder allows for more airflow than 2 valves per cylinder, as there is larger open area when the valves are open. Having a configuration with DOHC and four valves per cylinder means better airflow, especially at high engine speeds, resulting in better top end power.
Pump it up.
Proper tire pressure lets your bike roll quickly, ride smoothly, and avoid flats. Narrow tires need more air pressure than wide ones: Road tires typically require 80 to 130 psi (pounds per square inch); mountain bike tires, 25 to 35 psi; and hybrid tires, 40 to 70 psi.
Inflating a tire can be done without using a pump by using an inflating tool that is made by you. This method requires some Do-It-Yourself skills and your creativity to pull it off. In making the inflating tool, you will need a siphon hose which will be used to transfer the gas to the tire.
Before we get into the detail of how to pump up a bike tyre, it's important to know you'll come across two different types of valves; Presta and Schrader.
For flow control applications where a ball valve is possible, such as filling a tank to a reasonable degree of accuracy, a trunnion or v-port ball valve design is usually the best choice.
A 8v1 Tyre Valve is the standard Schrader car tyre valve size found on the majority of tyre valves.
Valve Compatibility
Virtually all bike tubes use either Presta or Schrader valve stems. A third option, Dunlop, is rarely encountered in U.S. but can be found on some bikes internationally. Bike pumps generally can handle either valve type.
Presta valves also perform better over time compared to Schrader valves, in that they hold air more effectively and don't degrade as quickly. They can also hold higher pressures, which makes them a must for track cycling where tyre pressures typically exceed 120psi.
If your wheels don't have inner tubes in them at the moment, a Presta valve is probably your best bet, especially if your bike is modern. Almost all new bikes use Presta valves, and they're compatible with Schrader and Dunlop rims, so if you're unsure, Presta valves will be a fail-safe option.
Who uses Presta valves?
There are two universally used options: Presta or Schrader. You might not use valves often, but they are working all of the time to keep the air inside your tires. Presta valves are most commonly found on mountain bikes. Depending on trail conditions, riders might adjust tire pressure on a ride.
Re: Presta valve: how not to lose air after pumping
Once the pressure in the head drops below the tyre pressure, the valve should close itself thanks to the difference, then as long as you pull the head off straight (no wiggling), it shouldn't lose more.
You can inflate your bike's tires with a gas station pump, but they must have a Schrader valve (or a Schrader adapter for a Presta valve). Inflate in small, quick bursts and watch the pressure so the tire doesn't blow out. Air pumps at gas stations are meant for quick inflation of car and motorcycle tires.
A typical range for these would be between 80 and 130 psi, although racers can sometimes go as high as 160 psi. Quick tip if you're caught inflating a road tire without a gauge and need to ballpark it: at 100 psi, a tire can barely be compressed with your thumb.
Proper tire pressure lets your bike roll quickly, ride smoothly, and avoid flats. Narrow tires need more air pressure than wide ones: Road tires typically require 80 to 130 psi (pounds per square inch); mountain bike tires, 25 to 35 psi; and hybrid tires, 40 to 70 psi.
There are three types of bicycle innertube valve: Schrader, Presta, and Woods. Tubeless valves come in two types: Schrader and Presta. Found on all motor vehicles as well as bikes with wider tyres, the Schrader valve is user-friendly.
For the most part, inner tubes and tubulars on road bikes will use Presta valves, and mountain bikes will use Schrader valves. The visual differences between the two are obvious, with the Presta (pictured above) being slimmer, lighter and having a lock nut to close that you can see on the top.
