Schrader vs Presta: Understanding the differences

Check which valves you currently have on your bike, and buy the same one.

We've run through the differences and similarities between the Presta and Schrader valve now, so you should be able to handle this, but to recap: the Presta valve is skinny and pointed at the end, while the Schrader valve is wider, and rounded at the end. 

Of course, we're getting beyond the realms of the valve here, but the two are literally connected, so we feel it's relevant advice. 

Unless you're racing in the National Hill Climbing championships, you're likely to only need standard tubes, often made from butyl rubber. This is what the majority of inner tubes are made from because it's not only the cheapest, but it's the most robust. If you want a tube you can repair with a puncture kit, then standard butyl rubber will do.

However, if getting the lowest weight possible is crucial, then you can also opt for a latex inner tube. Latex is a lot thinner and lighter than butyl, which means a latex inner tube will help your wheels to roll much faster. This makes them a great option for racing, but be aware that it's more prone to punctures because the material is more delicate. They're also prone to leaking air more quickly than a butyl tube will, so you'll need to pump up your tyres before every ride. Once you do get a puncture, they're not repairable.

You can also get 'self-seal' inner tubes which are invariably made using butyl, but with 'slime' or sealant inside which fills holes before your tyre has the chance to totally deflate. In our opinion, while these do work, you will be better served by switching to the tubeless tyres, assuming your wheels are compatible. 

The inner tube size you need is dictated by the size of your tyres. It needs to be wide enough to fill them, but not too wide that it doesn't fit.

Luckily, most tyre manufacturers have made this a relatively easy process, because they often print the exact size on the sidewall of the tyre. Check for writing on both sides, and you should see a series of numbers that look something like 700c x 28, or 650b x 47. Or, if you ride a mountain bike, you could see anything from 26 x 1.25 to 27.5 x 2.2 or 29 x 2.8.

This series of numbers first tells you the diameter of your wheel. 700c is a standard road bike wheel, while 650b is slightly smaller and often found on extra small bikes to keep everything in proportion. Meanwhile, 26, 27.5, and 29 refer to inches, and these are reserved for mountain bike wheels and tyres. 650b is actually equivalent to 27.5 inches and is also commonly used on mountain bikes, as well as gravel bikes. 

The 'x' means 'multiplied by', or 'by', and is simply denoting a multiplier, in the same sense as a plank of 2 x 4 timber, or how a chessboard is 8 x 8. 

The second figure after the 'x' is the width of your tyre. For 700c and 650b wheels, tyre width is measured in millimetres, whereas mountain bike tyres, which are far wider, have their widths measured in inches just like the diameter.

Inner tubes will come in an array of size options. However, to make things easy, each option will fit a range of sizes. For example, a road-specific inner tube may have a size range of 700c x 23/28. This means it will fit a standard 700c diameter road wheel, with a tyre width between 23 and 28mm (inclusive). The same format is used for mountain bike inner tubes.

If you're still not sure, ask someone at your local bike shop. They'll be happy to help, and they deal with this question every single day. Most simply, take your tyre/wheel/bike to the shop and they'll be able to tell you. 

The critical piece missing to our tyre/tube/wheel combination is the bike pump, without which, we'd never get enough air into our tyres, no matter how hard we tried. 

When shopping for a bike pump, there are two main things that you want to be looking for: valve compatibility, and pressure ratings. 

First, you need to know what type of inner tube valves you have in order to figure out what type of pump you'll need. Presta-compatible pumps fit Presta valves, while Schrader-compatible pumps fit Schrader valves. There are some adapters that you can buy to make one type work with the other, but these accessories can be expensive and clunky, and they don't work as well as having two compatible devices. 

Thankfully most modern bike pumps offer the best of both worlds and have either two heads or a head that can be swapped between Presta and Schrader valve compatibility. Just make sure you secure the correct attachment when using these pumps, and they're usually clearly labelled. 

Second, you should consider a bike pump's pressure rating, and how it fits with your bike and tyre setup. Cheaper pumps may only be able to pump up to 100psi, and many other pumps sacrifice pressure potential for accuracy. Meaning, the higher the pressure, the less accurate the pump's pressure gauge becomes. 

Mini-pumps or frame pumps are great for a quick fix on the side of the road, but it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to get them up over 80psi. For more detail on this, we've got a whole buyer's guide to the best bike pumps.

Given presta valves are better designed for the pressures and the rigours of bicycle use, there is little reason that you would want to swap from Presta to Schrader, but even if you wanted to, it's unlikely you'd be able to, since the hole drilled in your rim is undoubtedly going to be too small for the thicker Schrader valve to fit through. 

Swapping in the other direction might seem more attractive, though. However, in our opinion, there's no need. Presta valves are designed to be able to handle higher pressures, but for a bike that came with Schrader valves in the first place, this is never going to be a requirement. What's more, you'll likely need an adaptor to fill the space in the larger hole, and you'll be less able to use a gas station to fill your tyres in a pinch. 

Unless you're in a real pinch and can only source a Presta tube to replace a punctured Schrader, then save your money, or put it towards another upgrade.