Is it a really bad idea to drill out the valve holes in yer rims? I just do not get on with my presta valves and hate having to mess about with adaptors or fiddle about reversing mini pumps.
Sorry if it's been covered before (I'm sure it has) but I couldn't get anything out of the search function...
i just dont get why on earth you would ever need to drill out a rim, all my pumps work on both types as does my co2 and never had a problem, lock rings a bonus too
presta is no faf drilling holes is...
dobo - have to disagree - sorry. I've had several mini pumps and maybe I'm just a f£ckless twunt, but I almost always seem to have trouble geting air into presta valves.
On my recent Skye jaunt, I wanted to put a bit more air into both my tyres as the first section was all on fire roads. I managed to let more air out of the rear than I got in. The front one went up after a bit of removing the pump and screwing / unscrewing the valve lock thingy.
And I also like to be able to use my car pump on my tyres as I always seem to forget my track pump.....
9mm... tidy the edge
you can always put a mavic insert to convert back to presta....
it makes that day when you grab the wrong tube (The wifes spare) not an issue!
You'll be fine. I've been drilling all my rims for years and years now because I can't see the point of those crappy presta valves that always seem to snap and fail.
It's tiny amounts of metal that's removed, just carefully file the edges smooth afterwards
can you be trusted with a drill!
if you can't even use a pump
only joking but presta is easy,
dunno if it will affect the rim strength,
it will if you mess it up,
very unhelpful comment i know
I've drilled mine... I'm a Beadlehands when it comes to trailside puncture repairs and have snapped the valves from presta tubes too many times. I insist on schrader valves for reasons of numptyism.
No issue with rims breaking yet.
Always drill my rims for schraeder valves.
Presta valves are as gay as you like.
Cool-o, cheers for the help. I'll get the drill out tomorrow and probably end up with loads of neat little 9mm holes in my hands 
How the hell do you snap a presta valve fixing a puncture?
Wouldn't it invalidate any warranty if the rim was to fail at the point you drilled it out?
snap a presta valve... cant inflate presta... cant pick a right tube...
you do know you can get little brass convertors for presta if you really cant manage..
lol crazy thread
Don't want to be messing on with any more adaptors if I don't have to. Can't say I've ever snapped a vavle but they are such daft, fiddly wee things I can see how it might happen.
As above, my issue is with the fact that I always seem to have to fully unscrew the locking thingmy, then screw it up again by an indeterminable number of turns before I can actually get any air in. Pain in the neck - rather not have to deal with it.
maybe you had some cheapo tubes, i usually unscrew them to get air in :), i think continental tubes are very good though
lol i'm only trolling badly dude.. but i'm hanging tough on the presta though :0
You'll die if you drill a 9mmm hole. 8.5mm is fine though.
nah you dont want to drill it you want a tapered hand reamer!!!! that will sort it.
seriously though, you are going to get somebody else to do this arnt you?
what rims btw? please not blingo rims /o\
MUST.....NOT......FEED......TROLL
Either a 8.5mm or 9mm drill is fine, or, if you've got the time, use a round, rat tail file and file 'em out! ( make sure you remove any burrs tho' whichever way you choose!).....Presta is another roady jeyboy leftover!!! shrader is the way.
drilled mrs scrapriders 12 months ago with no probs at all , all good advice above , makesure all swarf is removed and clean the edges with a fine file. pestas are pants.
yea dont forget the rat tail file, that is one tool you must have 
why all the presta hate?
why all the presta hate?
coz they iz shite :o)
Honestly, I've never got on with them and had endless trouble getting air in. Many others seem to have the same problem.
Well said that man! they are too fiddly for ham fisted mountain bikers like me!.....(and there still a roady throwback!!!!?)
Ham fisted right enough. You need the hands of a lover, not a fighter.
you valve haters.. just because they are french, i know your sort..
STW put this to the VOTE NOW!!
I've actually not bought particular full bikes cos they've got a presta valved wheelset..... I hate them that much. Also very glad to hear that I'm not the only one who has problems blowing the b@st@rd things up.
Aaaaargh! The way all the air starts p1ssing out as soon as you touch them with a pump.
Phew...
I almost drilled out my traversees, just because I had a ****load of schrader tyres, and my cheapy track pump doesn't deal that well with prestas. Given the choice I'd always have schraders- just for the better compatability (almost every garage has a schrader pump, my compressor came with a schrader air gun...)
I know a downhiller who drilled his rims and his wheels buckled on his next run, and this was at the Fort Bill worlds, he was a French man. 
The only person I've ever seen pull apart a Presta valve while removing the pump was a Frenchman.
Juan, come on down!!
Hal - Member
I know a downhiller who drilled his rims and his wheels buckled on his next run, and this was at the Fort Bill worlds, he was a French man.
Not planning on doing too many 30 foot gap jumps.....
I use an 8 or 8.5 mm drill on mine, that said the Mavic rims I've bought recently are already drilled the correct size but fitted with a plastic adapter for people who want to use the stupid roadie type valves 
schraeder=tractor
presta=bicycle
[nichemodeon]
Woods valves's where it's at.
[/nichemodeoff]
Break your pump in the middle of nowhere, walk miles to the nearest farm/house/garage and see which type of valve fits the pump they'll have. Simple logic.
you do know you can get little brass convertors for presta if you really cant manage..lol crazy thread
a) Why is it crazy to have a more reliable part on your bike?
b) Why bother faffing with adaptors that add another place for air to leak when 30 seconds with a drill sorts it?
ANd when you've drilled them out, you can delve into the wierd and wonderful world of £1.50 supermarket innertubes. Which is handy.
9mm hole allows for all schreader types and makes! Not all schreader valves are the same... oh yes! 
Oh yeah... king of drillin me... hell yeah!
As said before will be fine. Just take it slow with the drill and watch for it catching. If you cat drill from the outside in as filling the rim will potentially damage it, or use a De-burring tool http://www.toolbank.com/p/MON3020
Just dont do what I have seen a few weight weenies do and drill holes everywhere lol. I think that might weaken the rim.
I'm boggling slightly that people have problems getting air into tyres with presta valves. Unscrew the little locking nut, tap the end to break the seal that you sometimes get, and the jobs a good'un.
And you don;t need the dust caps like you do for schrader, which is handy because I always lose the little bastards if I have to fix a flat on the trail.
On the other hand, they're your wheels, just be careful and steady with the drill, and make sure you clean up all the swarf.
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