Schrader vs Presta

[Badger]

I did a search and didn't find any discussion on this so I can ask.  Many of you who have done long tours what is your preference between the two valves.  I have modified my mountain bike to Schraders and now I'm looking at my touring bike wheels and considering  doing the same. What is the general consensus.

[scott.laughlin]

I've run both. They'll both stand high pressure.  Shrader is a bit more friendly away from home.  

[roadrunner]

I converted my touring bike wheels to Schrader for ease of finding tubes if needed out in the boonies.  It's paid off for me when the only source was Wal-Mart.   Having the same type valve on the bike and BoB trailer (and my other bikes) makes life simpler.

[staehpj1]

OK.  I will be the dissenting voice.  I find Prestas to be a bit easier to get to higher pressure with slightly less effort due to having to overcome the valve each stroke.  This is worthwhile when you are pumping them up with a frame pump day in and day out for months.

If you are worried about finding tubes while on the road then go with rims drilled for Schrader and use grommets for presta.  That way you have the best of both worlds.

Different strokes though...

[whittierider]

OK.  I will be the dissenting voice.  I find Prestas to be a bit easier to get to higher pressure with slightly less effort due to having to overcome the valve each stroke.  This is worthwhile when you are pumping them up with a frame pump day in and day out for months.

If the pump is made correctly, the pump head will go down on the valve and seal, then push the pin on the valve and open it.  Then the only valve you have to overcome is the one in the pump.  I generally liked schraeder more, but I can see the logic behind reducing the size of the valve hole in the rim so you don't take away so much strength in the case of narrow road-bike rims.

The best frame pump I ever had was the No.1 Pump (that was the brand), which was extremely light, pumped in both directions, and had an 18" hose and the fitting to screw down on the schraeder valve.  That pump allowed pumping wildly fast without breaking the valve off.  On more that one occasion, I got a flat on the road and replaced the tube and was rolling again in three minutes with full pressure.  Can't do that with today's pumps.

This message was edited by whittierider on 11-12-07 @ 4:36 PM

[ptaylor]

Interesting topic Badger. I just wish the pneumatic tire industry would settle on one standard. All my bikes (but not my Bob Trailer) have Presta. My wife has Schrader. I think I prefer Schrader because it seems a little easier to attach a pump head.

Paul

This message was edited by ptaylor on 11-13-07 @ 11:41 AM

[staehpj1]

> If the pump is made correctly, the pump head will go down on the valve and seal, then push the pin on the valve and open it.  Then the only valve you have to overcome is the one in the pump.

That makes the head more fussy regarding both design and how well they work as they wear.  To me simpler is better for an item like a pump that gets used so often on a long tour.  I was especially sensitive to this this summer because I was maintaing all three of the bikes in our group on the TA that was a lot of pumping over the ten plus weeks.

Sheldon Brown says, "Presta valves are easier to pump than Schrader, because they have no valve spring to overcome. Although a valve depressor for Schrader valves could alleviate this, it would require a check valve, impractical to house in lightweight pump heads."

In my experience pump heads for presta are more reliable that Schrader heads that have the depressor and check valve.

Use whatever works for you though.

[whittierider]

That makes the head more fussy regarding both design and how well they work as they wear.

I've been a cyclist for 30 years and never had any trouble with any of mine.  I definitely have had trouble with presta pumps leaking around the valve though, because they don't screw onto it like the old schrader ones did.

As for what Sheldon Brown said, all of the pumps I've ever owned had the checkvalve in them, right down to the $2 Yungfang minipump.  It's such a tiny, inexpensive part of a presta tube-- why would anyone make a pump without it?  Besides, without it, you could not get an accurate pressure reading on a schraeder tube; but as it is, the pressure gauges work right.

[webfoot]

I run presta on my Road bike, touring bike and mountain bike, I carry the .95cent adapter to shrader in case I need to use a gas station or others pump, My ibex is shrader which is inconvienent, so I mounted a small frame pump to the trailer.
I run armadillo tires, with liners and slime tubes.
and carry 2 xtra tubes,even for the bob.
I dont know why, I guess because all my rims came presta, Dura Ace, ultegra, and mavic cross max sl's.
I thought of drilling them, but I hate modifying stuff on such expensive rims. More weight to carry, but where I go there are not many stores around anyway

May the wind always be at your back,
David

[jimbeard]

WebFoot-This Presta Valve Saver looks like it would work to convert you Trailer to Presta
http://biketrailershop.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=56&osCsid=78210c98b8c77f7169f2031c1c4b4688


Jim

[Badger]

Just to let you know that drilling the rim is very easy and with a little care you won't damage the rim.

[WesternFlyer]

Dont most new bicycle pumps work on both Presta and Schrader valves?

I use Presta valves and converted my trailer to Presta also.  For me it is more an aesthetic and social statement that I am not connected to cars.  I am considering going back to sew-ups, tubular tires, just to make sure I am following a different branch of pneumatic evolution.

My biggest problem was breaking Presta valve stems off while attaching and detaching the pump.  I broke three valves in a month using no name inner tubes.  I now pay a little extra for Michelin and other name brand tubes  and dont seem to have any problems.


Western Flyer