Bicycle Pump Valve Types

There are two common valve styles.

Bicycle pump valve types. Learn the difference between presta and schrader valve stems on bicycle tubes and how to use different pumps to inflate them. What is a presta valve bike pump. This is typically found in bicycle tubes on many road bikes and some mountain bikes. Compared to schrader valves presta valves are ideally suited to bike wheels.

The good news is that some bike pumps are compatible both presta and schrader valves. It is cheap but inefficient due to higher risk of air leaks through multiple joints. Pumps that work for both will either have a flip head two different holes next to each other or some sort of internal switch mechanism. Presta valves were invented by the same guy who went on to found zéfal one of the leading bike pump manufacturers.

Because the two valve types are different they require two different types of head on a pump or as is often the case an interchangeable head. The schrader valve is the same valve that s used on car tires. So a bicycle tube with the schrader valve can be pumped up at your local gas station if no hand pump or co2 cartridge is available. This type of hand pump features a separate tube which connects the bike pump to the tire valve.

In a nutshell you need a bike pump that s compatible with the valves on your bike tires and capable of providing enough pressure. This is a type of positive displacement air pump whose small and lightweight design is specifically designed for inflating bike tires its functioning entails connection an adapter or the pump valve with the valve used on a bicycle s tires to allow pumping of air into the tube. When the pump fits most bicycle pumps such as the topeak joe blow sport ii are compatible with both presta and schrader valves. How to pump up a bike tyre presta type valve oli woodman immediate media.

There is minimal chance of air leaks making it more. Several pump designs can handle presta valves including pumps dedicated solely to presta valves those with separate connectors for each type a unit with a reversible gasket that handles both valve types or one equipped with an adapter that converts from presta to schrader. Presta and schrader so get a pump that s compatible with your valve type. The presta valve is on the left.