Why do all nicer bikes use presta valves when shrader valves are easier to pump?
The valve inside the presta has a better fit where it meets the tube, so your tube can actually handle more air pressure. You can run narrower rims, too, since the typical Schrader valve is bulkier. But schraders are also more protected and burlier, so bike companies put them on lower-end bikes where tire pressure isn’t a priority, but durability is.
—Hunter Allen, professional cycling coach and owner of Peaks Coaching Group in Virginia.
