What a tire valve does
A tire valve is the small fitting that lets you add air to the tire and keeps it from escaping. On a tubed bike it is attached to the inner tube and pokes through a hole in the rim. On a tubeless setup the valve is fitted to the rim and sealed against it. Choosing a valve involves two things: the type, which has to suit your pump, and the fit, which has to suit your rim and your tube. See our guide to bike tube sizes for the rest of the tube checklist.
Presta valve
The Presta valve (also called a French valve) is long and slim, with a small threaded locking nut on the tip.
- How it works: you unscrew the small nut at the tip, press the pin briefly to free it, attach the pump and inflate. After inflating, close the nut by hand. Air pressure inside the tire also helps keep the valve shut.
- Where it is found: commonly on road bikes, gravel bikes and many performance mountain bikes.
- Advantages: it is slim, so it needs only a small hole in the rim, which leaves the rim stronger. That makes it a good fit for narrow rims, and it is often seen as easier to set precise pressures with. It can be easy to use with the right pump head.
- Drawbacks: the thin pin can bend if you push the pump head on at an angle or wobble it, and you need a pump or adapter that fits it.
Schrader valve
The Schrader valve is wider and looks like the valve on a car tire.
- How it works: a spring-loaded pin in the center opens when the pump head presses on it. There is no nut to loosen.
- Where it is found: commonly on kids bikes, commuter and hybrid bikes, and many mountain bikes.
- Advantages: it is sturdy and simple, and you can inflate it with many standard pumps, including those at service stations (though take care with high-volume car compressors on small bike tires, because it is easy to overfill them).
- Drawbacks: it needs a larger hole in the rim than a Presta valve, so it does not fit many narrow road rims.
Dunlop (Woods) valve
The Dunlop valve has a similar width to a Schrader but a different internal design. It is more common on city bikes in some regions and seen less often elsewhere. Many pumps are designed to work with it, and some pump heads handle all three types. Some Dunlop valves have a nut on the top that should stay tight rather than being loosened, so check the manufacturer’s advice before taking one apart.
Clik and tubeless valves
Some systems add their own features:
- Clik valve: a variant with a head designed to make connecting a compatible pump quick and secure, while remaining compatible with other pump heads in many cases. Check the manufacturer’s information for your setup.
- Tubeless valves: these are designed to seal against the rim, usually with a nut or rubber base, and often use a Presta-style head with a removable core so sealant can be added.
Side-by-side
| Presta | Schrader | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Slim, with a small nut on the tip | Wider, car-style |
| Rim hole | Smaller | Larger |
| Opening | Unscrew nut, press pin | Spring-loaded pin opens by pump |
| Common on | Road, gravel, performance MTB | Kids, commuter, many MTB |
| Pump head | Needs a Presta-compatible head | Standard Schrader head |
A rough way to remember which is which: Schrader is the wide, car-style valve and Presta is the slim one with a nut.
How to put air in a Presta valve
- Remove the dust cap if there is one.
- Unscrew the small nut at the tip of the valve a few turns. Do not remove it entirely.
- Press the tip of the valve briefly to release the seal, which sometimes lets out a puff of air.
- Push the pump head straight onto the valve without tilting it, and lock the lever if your pump has one.
- Inflate to the pressure you want, watching the gauge. For guidance on how much, check the range printed on your tire and use our bike tire anatomy guide to find it.
- Release the lever and remove the pump head straight off.
- Close the nut by hand, lightly. Replace the dust cap.
If air hisses out when you try to inflate, check that the pump head is fully seated and the valve is not damaged.
Pumps and adapters
Many modern pumps have a head that handles both Presta and Schrader, sometimes by switching or flipping an internal part. If yours does not, small adapters let you inflate a Presta valve with a Schrader-style head, or the reverse. Whatever you carry, confirm it works with your valve before you need it on the road. Step-by-step guides: pumping up a tire with a Presta valve and checking tire pressure on a Presta valve.
Choosing or replacing a valve
- Match the rim hole: a Presta valve in a Schrader-sized hole can rattle and risks damage, and a Schrader valve will not go through a Presta-sized hole. Do not enlarge a rim hole yourself, because it can weaken the rim.
- Pick the right length: deep-section rims need longer valves, so make sure the valve extends far enough above the rim for the pump head to connect.
- Check removable cores: some valves have a removable core, which is handy for adding sealant or fixing a leaking core.
- Use caps: a dust cap keeps dirt out of the valve.
Frequently asked questions
What is a tire valve?
It is the fitting through which you inflate the tire and which seals the air in.
What are the key differences between Schrader and Presta valves?
Schrader is wider with a spring-loaded center pin, while Presta is slimmer with a locking nut and needs a smaller rim hole. They also use different pump heads, unless your pump supports both.
What are the advantages of a Presta valve?
It suits narrow rims, helps keep the rim strong, and is common on road and performance bikes. It does need to be handled carefully so the pin does not bend.