So I learned something new yesterday. Apparently there are two different valve stems offered for bike tubes. I found this out the hard way when I has a slow leak in my front tire and I pulled out my trusty compact bike pump to fill it up. Wouldn’t you know it, I had a Schrader valve and my bike pump was for Presta valves…

This totally blew my mind as I walked my bike back to my house. If you have read this blog before then you know how I get so I got home, jumped on the Internet and did some research. I wanted to know why there are two different valve types, which one is better; Schrader or Presta valves and get a little back story about them.

WHAT IS A SCHRADER VALVE?
The Schrader valve (aka American valve) was invented by August Schrader in 1891 and consists of a valve stem into which a valve core is threaded. This valve is found on virtually all automobile tires and most wider rimmed bicycle tires. The valve core is a poppet valve assisted by a spring.

WHAT IS A PRESTA VALVE?

The Presta valve (aka Sclaverand valve or French valve) is a valve commonly found in many mountain bicycle inner tubes and other high pressure road bike inner tubes. It is also now used on all tubeless bicycle rims. 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.
WHY ARE THERE TWO TYPES OF VALVES?

I have absolutely no clue. To me, it sounds like the Schrader valve is a US technology and Presta is a European one. They both sound like they serve different purposes for cyclists. For example, the Presta valve is thinner and therefore requires a smaller hole for the the valve to fit through the rim. Having a smaller hole means that the area around the hole has more material and makes the rim stronger.

WHICH VALVE IS BETTER – SCHRADER OR PRESTA?

Some advantages of the presta valve are the smaller hole required in narrow rims and the fact that there is no return spring, which allows for easier hand pumping. Opinions vary on which is the better valve type. The Schrader is far more prevalent in automotive applications, and most compressor fittings are designed for Schrader valves.

The standard Presta valve has an external thread. An adaptor can be fitted onto this external thread to permit the Presta valve to be connected to a pump with a Schrader chuck. The same adapter can convert a direct-fitting Schrader pump into one that can connect to flexible adaptors of either kind. This is due out of pure coincidence that they both valves the same thread sizes. Therefore, there adapters and bike pumps out there that are valve specific — or — as mentioned above, adapters can be used to switch between the two. There are even bike pumps out there that are outfitted with both valve styles.

So next time you need a portable bike pump, make sure you get the right one for your style of tubes.

See you on the trails.

Mike!