My family have 2-3 bikes each and a couple of pumps. To convert them all would cost me about £40-50. Given how annoying the current valve options are, I'm sorely tempted. Perhaps just for the...
True to the motto "Better late than never," Schwalbe presents, over 100 years after the invention of the first standardized bicycle valve, the Schwalbe Clik Valve, a revolutionary click valve for bicycles. Unlike the famous and infamous Sclaverand, Dunlop, and auto valves, the pump head can be clicked onto the bicycle valve with minimal effort and easily removed after successful pumping.
My family have 2-3 bikes each and a couple of pumps. To convert them all would cost me about £40-50. Given how annoying the current valve options are, I'm sorely tempted. Perhaps just for the daily rides at first.
My family bikes a lot. We have multiple bikes per adult/kid. I have 3 floor pumps, an air pump wired into my truck, a battery powered pump, hand pumps, CO2 adapters and compressor. The tubes and...
My family bikes a lot. We have multiple bikes per adult/kid. I have 3 floor pumps, an air pump wired into my truck, a battery powered pump, hand pumps, CO2 adapters and compressor. The tubes and stems are least of my concern, if they have cheap shrader adapters, then maybe.
Schrader adaptors are £5 a set, when I looked briefly today. There are two issues this system solves for me (other than my 40 year+ annoyance at the shitty experience of using either Presta or...
Schrader adaptors are £5 a set, when I looked briefly today.
There are two issues this system solves for me (other than my 40 year+ annoyance at the shitty experience of using either Presta or Schrader valves) - firstly it lets my kid pump their own tyres, which was part of the design concept. Six year old fingers can't really cope with using our track pump. The second is that it means when we're out riding I only have to carry one pump. Currently I have a Presta and Schrader mini pumps because that's just how it happened. My bike uses Schrader, Kid's newest ride is Presta. And yes, I could buy a multi-valve mini pump but at that point I might as well just convert everything to SCV.
Also it's such a good idea that I kinda want to spend money on it to encourage it's adoption. I want Schwalbe to be able to go to tube and pump manufacturers and say "look, we've sold x million adaptor kits, people want this"
Unless it's royalty free, I don't see much adoption, Schrader and Presta and so entrenched and patent free at the point. If it's royalty free, then it might catch on, but most tubes are made in...
Unless it's royalty free, I don't see much adoption, Schrader and Presta and so entrenched and patent free at the point. If it's royalty free, then it might catch on, but most tubes are made in China/Taiwan and they aren't retooling the machines unless it's free.
Enough of them will set up production if people want to buy SCV tubes, otherwise Schwalbe are going to eat all the sales themselves. Sometimes capitalism does work. Also there's no way it's going...
Enough of them will set up production if people want to buy SCV tubes, otherwise Schwalbe are going to eat all the sales themselves. Sometimes capitalism does work.
Also there's no way it's going to completely replace the existing valve options. Same way UDH hangers aren't on every bike, nor (Super) Boost wheels - yet those things are still popular enough to be called 'standards'. It's nice to have a better valve option at last, for those that want it.
I eagerly await running into someone with these valves on a ride with a flat tire... and then having to explain to them that Big Bike made a new valve standard and my 10 year old pump won't help...
I eagerly await running into someone with these valves on a ride with a flat tire... and then having to explain to them that Big Bike made a new valve standard and my 10 year old pump won't help them.
Presta valves work amazingly. I really do not understand the argument for replacing them. The bike industry really loves reinventing new standards that create more problems than they solve.
I've never even heard of presta valves until now. Everything I've ever known uses Schrader. I guess if I ran into you on the trail, none of my pumps would help you either.
I've never even heard of presta valves until now. Everything I've ever known uses Schrader. I guess if I ran into you on the trail, none of my pumps would help you either.
Presta is pretty popular among the more expensive side of bikes. IIRC you essentially need to use Presta to go tubeless because you can remove Presta cores -- I've never seen a Schrader valve with...
Presta is pretty popular among the more expensive side of bikes. IIRC you essentially need to use Presta to go tubeless because you can remove Presta cores -- I've never seen a Schrader valve with a removable core, so it would be really hard to 'top off' your sealant with that kind of valve.
In my personal experience, Presta seems to hold air better than Schrader. But it doesn't matter that much.
Prestas DID confuse me an awful lot when I first got them, though! Unlike Schraders (which I grew up with), you need to twist the valve into the open position (though it won't leak without pressure) before you attach the pump. Otherwise it's impossible to add air!
FWIW an awful lot of modern pumps support both Presta and Schrader, usually with a switch on the pump head. My setup certainly works for both, thougbh I've only ever used the Presta side to help anyone out!
If you're worried about helping them, carry an adapter. If they're worried about a flat, they should probably have their own pump. Maybe they need some assistance in strength terms but they should...
If you're worried about helping them, carry an adapter.
If they're worried about a flat, they should probably have their own pump. Maybe they need some assistance in strength terms but they should be packing what they need.
I'm the support bike for family outings and long rides, so I'm no stranger to having a bike shops worth of odds and ends on my bike. You never truly get a faster horse if you're only every allowed to make non-horse objects.
Is the only difference the locking mechanism? I find presta valves to be incredibly easy, this doesn't seem convincingly moreso to make the switch. Has anyone tried one?
Is the only difference the locking mechanism? I find presta valves to be incredibly easy, this doesn't seem convincingly moreso to make the switch. Has anyone tried one?
50% better airflow and a more robust valve are both useful improvements over Presta. Ease of use as well, of course. Which is good both in terms of lowering barriers to entry for cycling (we...
50% better airflow and a more robust valve are both useful improvements over Presta. Ease of use as well, of course. Which is good both in terms of lowering barriers to entry for cycling (we really don't need to have to explain how to pump up a tyre to new users), and in general use - fiddling about with a Presta valve while cold/wet/muddy/etc is annoying. Or at least, it's more annoying than SCV looks to be in the demo videos.
These sound nice, but realistically, does saving a few of seconds once every 3 months if/when you get a puncture make that much of a difference? Also what do you mean by more robust? Short of...
50% better airflow and a more robust valve are both useful improvements over Presta.
These sound nice, but realistically, does saving a few of seconds once every 3 months if/when you get a puncture make that much of a difference?
Also what do you mean by more robust? Short of purposely bending it off, I have no idea how you'd break one...
In reference to your other comment - Yes UDH isn't on every bike, but it's a godsend for small bike makers and repair shops who increasingly don't need to stock dozens of different hangers. I'm not yet seeing the same benefit from these valves, but I'm happy to be proven wrong!
Yeah, all good points. I don't really mind if these take over the market, I guess I'm just not going to be first in line when they hit stores. Though I would like to see how well they work so...
Yeah, all good points. I don't really mind if these take over the market, I guess I'm just not going to be first in line when they hit stores. Though I would like to see how well they work so maybe I will. I'd be interested to know how much cleaning/fiddling is required when it's muddy because unlike a preta with a cap, it looks like it just goes straight onto the mechanism. Wouldn't a valve covered in mud affect air getting in? I realize I sound like a grumpy old man about it. It looks like a cool invention, but a little like some of the other gimmicky stuff that's come out recently like 3 point drive trains or inverted rear suspension. But I'll stop grumphing until I try it myself.
I've seen it a couple of times in blogs by software engineers, but this is my first time outside that context. It surprises me each time how disheartened I feel to see someone cite an LLM as a...
I've seen it a couple of times in blogs by software engineers, but this is my first time outside that context.
It surprises me each time how disheartened I feel to see someone cite an LLM as a primary source.
With bicycles, anytime there is a new revolution I can’t help but be skeptical. For a new bike part to succeed, it needs to be durable. The bicycle suffers incredible wear and tear, parts need to...
With bicycles, anytime there is a new revolution I can’t help but be skeptical. For a new bike part to succeed, it needs to be durable. The bicycle suffers incredible wear and tear, parts need to be either easy to swap, universal or built like a tank.
I like Presta valves, but being able to use gas station pumps is why I ended up switching all my bikes to Schrader. But I also sold of all my road bikes with really high pressure tires. I just have a comfortable city bike, foldable Brompton and a tandem now.
I really dislike Dunlop valves, in my experience, they will start to leak sooner than other valves. It’s also annoying how you only see the tire pressure as you let air in.
I don’t think the new valve offers enough advantages to become the next big thing. As long as it’s somewhat backwards compatible with schrader pumps, it shouldn’t be too annoying to have those.
My family have 2-3 bikes each and a couple of pumps. To convert them all would cost me about £40-50. Given how annoying the current valve options are, I'm sorely tempted. Perhaps just for the daily rides at first.
My family bikes a lot. We have multiple bikes per adult/kid. I have 3 floor pumps, an air pump wired into my truck, a battery powered pump, hand pumps, CO2 adapters and compressor. The tubes and stems are least of my concern, if they have cheap shrader adapters, then maybe.
Schrader adaptors are £5 a set, when I looked briefly today.
There are two issues this system solves for me (other than my 40 year+ annoyance at the shitty experience of using either Presta or Schrader valves) - firstly it lets my kid pump their own tyres, which was part of the design concept. Six year old fingers can't really cope with using our track pump. The second is that it means when we're out riding I only have to carry one pump. Currently I have a Presta and Schrader mini pumps because that's just how it happened. My bike uses Schrader, Kid's newest ride is Presta. And yes, I could buy a multi-valve mini pump but at that point I might as well just convert everything to SCV.
Also it's such a good idea that I kinda want to spend money on it to encourage it's adoption. I want Schwalbe to be able to go to tube and pump manufacturers and say "look, we've sold x million adaptor kits, people want this"
Unless it's royalty free, I don't see much adoption, Schrader and Presta and so entrenched and patent free at the point. If it's royalty free, then it might catch on, but most tubes are made in China/Taiwan and they aren't retooling the machines unless it's free.
Enough of them will set up production if people want to buy SCV tubes, otherwise Schwalbe are going to eat all the sales themselves. Sometimes capitalism does work.
Also there's no way it's going to completely replace the existing valve options. Same way UDH hangers aren't on every bike, nor (Super) Boost wheels - yet those things are still popular enough to be called 'standards'. It's nice to have a better valve option at last, for those that want it.
I eagerly await running into someone with these valves on a ride with a flat tire... and then having to explain to them that Big Bike made a new valve standard and my 10 year old pump won't help them.
Presta valves work amazingly. I really do not understand the argument for replacing them. The bike industry really loves reinventing new standards that create more problems than they solve.
I've never even heard of presta valves until now. Everything I've ever known uses Schrader. I guess if I ran into you on the trail, none of my pumps would help you either.
A lot of pumps can handle both
Presta is pretty popular among the more expensive side of bikes. IIRC you essentially need to use Presta to go tubeless because you can remove Presta cores -- I've never seen a Schrader valve with a removable core, so it would be really hard to 'top off' your sealant with that kind of valve.
In my personal experience, Presta seems to hold air better than Schrader. But it doesn't matter that much.
Prestas DID confuse me an awful lot when I first got them, though! Unlike Schraders (which I grew up with), you need to twist the valve into the open position (though it won't leak without pressure) before you attach the pump. Otherwise it's impossible to add air!
FWIW an awful lot of modern pumps support both Presta and Schrader, usually with a switch on the pump head. My setup certainly works for both, thougbh I've only ever used the Presta side to help anyone out!
If you're worried about helping them, carry an adapter.
If they're worried about a flat, they should probably have their own pump. Maybe they need some assistance in strength terms but they should be packing what they need.
I'm the support bike for family outings and long rides, so I'm no stranger to having a bike shops worth of odds and ends on my bike. You never truly get a faster horse if you're only every allowed to make non-horse objects.
Is the only difference the locking mechanism? I find presta valves to be incredibly easy, this doesn't seem convincingly moreso to make the switch. Has anyone tried one?
50% better airflow and a more robust valve are both useful improvements over Presta. Ease of use as well, of course. Which is good both in terms of lowering barriers to entry for cycling (we really don't need to have to explain how to pump up a tyre to new users), and in general use - fiddling about with a Presta valve while cold/wet/muddy/etc is annoying. Or at least, it's more annoying than SCV looks to be in the demo videos.
These sound nice, but realistically, does saving a few of seconds once every 3 months if/when you get a puncture make that much of a difference?
Also what do you mean by more robust? Short of purposely bending it off, I have no idea how you'd break one...
In reference to your other comment - Yes UDH isn't on every bike, but it's a godsend for small bike makers and repair shops who increasingly don't need to stock dozens of different hangers. I'm not yet seeing the same benefit from these valves, but I'm happy to be proven wrong!
Yeah, all good points. I don't really mind if these take over the market, I guess I'm just not going to be first in line when they hit stores. Though I would like to see how well they work so maybe I will. I'd be interested to know how much cleaning/fiddling is required when it's muddy because unlike a preta with a cap, it looks like it just goes straight onto the mechanism. Wouldn't a valve covered in mud affect air getting in? I realize I sound like a grumpy old man about it. It looks like a cool invention, but a little like some of the other gimmicky stuff that's come out recently like 3 point drive trains or inverted rear suspension. But I'll stop grumphing until I try it myself.
Unrelated to the article, but I think this is the first time I've seen an explicit citation for ChatGPT. The History of Valves bit has this below it.
I've seen it a couple of times in blogs by software engineers, but this is my first time outside that context.
It surprises me each time how disheartened I feel to see someone cite an LLM as a primary source.
With bicycles, anytime there is a new revolution I can’t help but be skeptical. For a new bike part to succeed, it needs to be durable. The bicycle suffers incredible wear and tear, parts need to be either easy to swap, universal or built like a tank.
I like Presta valves, but being able to use gas station pumps is why I ended up switching all my bikes to Schrader. But I also sold of all my road bikes with really high pressure tires. I just have a comfortable city bike, foldable Brompton and a tandem now.
I really dislike Dunlop valves, in my experience, they will start to leak sooner than other valves. It’s also annoying how you only see the tire pressure as you let air in.
I don’t think the new valve offers enough advantages to become the next big thing. As long as it’s somewhat backwards compatible with schrader pumps, it shouldn’t be too annoying to have those.