[bike] Am I the only one in the tri-state area who loathes Presta valves?

[Seacrest]

Broked another one today.
Ugh.

Why are these preferred over the other kind again?

[Black]

I haven't broken one in years, but I've learned to be extra careful about putting any lateral force on the stem (pull the hose straight off, etc.)
Why are they preferred? Dunno, really.

[Dennis S]

I am about to buy 2 new tires and tubes. My current ones are Presta valves. I'm ignorant about this, so can I get Schrader valves on my new tubes and be set, or is there more to it than that?

[iaJim]

I think if you're inflating with a hand pump, you don't lose so much air when you remove the pump. It's pretty tough with a schrader.

[GGD]

Dennis S wrote:
I am about to buy 2 new tires and tubes. My current ones are Presta valves. I'm ignorant about this, so can I get Schrader valves on my new tubes and be set, or is there more to it than that?

The valve holes in your rims might not be large enough.

[Gareth]

I just switched my mountain bike's tubes to Presta when I swapped my tires out. Biggest reason being that with a threaded Presta valve, you can secure the valve to the rim. When my Shrader tubes were low, every time I tried to get the pump on it, the valve would disappear into the rim and I couldn't get a good seal. Spent 5 minutes fighting with it one day and said screw this, I'm switching to Presta (which I've had on my road bike for 7 years and changed one tube).

[freeradical]

Presta valves do not compromise the strength of the rims as badly as much as Schrader valves.

[Racer X]

I'm split 50/50 on which is better.

[cbelt3]

If you like schraders, get tubes that have a thread all the way to the tube. Then you can lock the tube to the rim just like a presta.

[mattkime]

presta valves are "standard" because they screw shut....hm, why wouldn't cars need that? does the lower pressure in car ties make a difference? the nut that secures them to the rim is helpful. and the smaller diameter is good. yeah, need to be careful with lateral force.

i'm still not sure how you're breaking them.