A bicycle valve – it's hard to find a more interesting topic for a blog. As we all know, it's used to inflate an inner tube, a tubeless tire , or a tubular tire. Nevertheless, frequent customer service with varying degrees of awareness of what's inside an inner tube compels us to address this crucial topic. Let's be honest, perhaps 5% of cyclists are aware that there are three basic types of valves currently available on the market.
Bicycle valve (Schrader)
The AV valve should be made inThe most well-known variant is the Schrader valve (symbol AV), also commonly known as a car valve. Patented in 1893, it has only been in the cycling world for the past twenty years. These valves, used in cars, are robust and don't require manual valve opening. Their main advantage is that they can be used with a compressor at any gas station. They are used on most bicycles not intended for sporting use. They have the same diameter as the DV valve. They are also used to regulate the pressure in shock absorbers. They are maintenance-free and resistant to damage.
Dunlop valve
The Dunlop valve (symbol DV) is another type of valve, currently on the verge of extinction, but until the early 1990s it was by far the most popular model, especially in Poland. Therefore, if someone asks about a "bicycle valve," they're probably referring to Dunlop. What can be said about this design? Currently, it appears to be the simplest valve variant available on the market. This is perhaps its only advantage. Of course, the design of the valve core may vary depending on the manufacturer. The most popular is the one with a steel ball inside. You can also find Dunlop bicycle valves with a rubber tube inside. This tube compresses and air escapes. The valve's simple design makes it more resistant to damage during inflation. It must be unscrewed to remove the inner tube. It's practically unheard of in new bikes, but years of production have taken their toll, and it can be found in older models. Fortunately, because it has the same diameter, it can be easily replaced with a car valve, which we recommend doing.
Presta bicycle valve
The last of the three valve types is the so-called "French valve" or "Sclaverand valve" – Presta (symbol SV or FV). This valve also boasts considerable popularity. It is used on all road bikes and other sports bikes. It is often chosen because, compared to other valve types, it has the smallest diameter, which translates into rim stiffness. The larger the valve hole, the greater the stress on the wheel's strength and construction. Thanks to its easy-to-use mechanism, we can also reduce the pressure without tools if necessary. For these reasons, it is used, for example, in our women's bikes . And it looks elegant. Although inflating a tube through a French valve is done with a bicycle pump, you can purchase a car valve adapter for this type of valve. This way, if you only have a car pump on hand (or at a gas station), after unscrewing the Presta, you can screw in a car valve and inflate the tube. The French valve has one drawback: due to its small diameter, it's susceptible to mechanical damage, such as breakage or bending. The Presta valve is also almost always used in tubeless systems. Learn how to adjust bicycle tire pressure.
How to pump
Regardless of the valve type, we need to learn how to properly inflate our bike. So how do we inflate a bicycle tire without damaging the valve? It's basically simple, although we need to know which valve we're dealing with. The previous section describes three types of valves, but the most common are car valves and Presta valves. Inflating begins by removing the plastic cover from the valve. Then, make sure the valve is upright to prevent bending. Besides using the right type of pump, the most important thing (seriously, this isn't common knowledge) is to unscrew the valve on a Presta. You can also gently press the valve to ensure it operates smoothly. You'll find the recommended pressure on the sidewall of the tire. With hand pumps, it's a good idea to hold them in place to prevent bending the valve. And that's it! As you can see, bicycle valves aren't complicated!
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