The question, “Presta or Schrader?”, may seem like black magic when you’re new to cycling and head to a bike shop to buy a replacement inner tube.
For the vast majority of bikes, there are two types of valve: Presta and Schrader.
These two valves are most commonly found on a bicycle inner tube and are the mechanism that enable you to inflate or deflate the tyre.
While they both perform identical functions, there are some differences between them. Crucially, you need to know what valve type you have when replacing an inner tube or pumping up a tyre .
In this guide, we’ll run you through what exactly Presta and Schrader valves are, the pros and cons of each, as well as which valve and pump you need for your bike. We’ve also got a separate guide to inner tubes , covering sizes, materials and more. What is a Presta valve?
A Presta valve is bicycle-specific, found on the vast majority of bikes over £500 / $500.
This type of valve is a lot thinner than a Schrader valve, with a skinnier base where the metal bottom of the valve meets the butyl rubber of the tube. There is a core at the top of the valve.To inflate a Presta valve, you simply unscrew the valve stem anti-clockwise and then attach a pump. Once the desired air pressure has been reached, remove the pump and screw the valve stem clockwise to ensure it is airtight.The vast majority of tubeless systems (where there is […]
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