Hate presta valves, always bending and snapping. Thing is my mavic rims will only take this type of valve. Was thinking of drilling the hole wider to take a schreider valve. Is that wise? Was thinking it might fatally weaken the rim. Any thoughts or experience of doing this?

Take the insert out if it’s a mavic rim!

What do you want to achieve?

How do you think Mavic make a bigger hole in the rim? 😉

In other words, been done many many times and it’s fine

No problem with drilling the rim but if you find presta valves keep bending and snapping then you may want to get a friend with a little more finesse to do the drilling for you.

All my mavic non ust rims have had a spacer mounted in the rim, pinch it with your nails and lift it out and it leaves a Schrader sized hole.

What rim is it?

Used Presta for years, love them, never bent one, and great open and close valve action. Schraider needs banning 😀

It’ll be fine to drill but the question is, how are you damaging your presta valves? It’s pretty weird that.

If you’re clumsy enough to keep bending and snapping presta valves then you probably shouldn’t be going near your rim with a drill 😯

Stop being so gibbon fisted?

I always manage to bend the valve pin bit on presta valves, dunno how as I’m not exactly forcing things. Maybe its my pump.

I bend all my Presta valves with the track pump, flimsy as hell they are. Much prefer schrader for their more robust character but like you have shyed away from drilling.

Yes. Drill it. It’s tiny fractions of metal that come out.

Went ahead and drilled the rim so it now takes a schreider valve. Easy and worked perfectly.

What size bit did you use? I am going to do this.

PRESTA VALVES SUCK

Sorry for the hijack but,

Is there any compelling reason not to do it the other way around? Ie, I’ve taken to carrying spare Presta tubes regardless of rims for a ‘one tube fits all’ solution. I know you can get adapters to fit them to Shrader rims (I’ve got a couple, little aluminium tube things) but I don’t see as there’s much point.

Will I die?

PRESTA VALVES POOR MECHANICS SUCK

@Cougar – I run presta tubes in the schraeder drilled rims on my unis – one has an adapter in, the other has I think a Schwalbe tube in, the stem nut which comes with those has a little step on it which fits neatly in schraeder drilled holes.

Oh, now that’s clever.

Still don’t understand why (if?) it’s needed though. Am I risking damage to the tube without it or something? It’s not going anywhere once inflated.

It will just wobble about a bit – which might not cause you any problems but could result in the rubber at the base of the valve getting cut. Not that big a deal to use an adapter is it?

Well, no, it’s not a big deal at all. It was more that I was curious as to what the point was, really.

You’ll be suggesting not aligning valves and logos next

presta valves aren’t the problem – your pump is worn out

most pumps come with plastic clamps and these wear out from use, both the rubber grommet and the nylon clamp around where the valve goes in. this makes the clamp flex when pumping and bends the pin.

Also don’t screw the pin all the way out, just enough for the air to flow, and give it a little push to unseat and let a little air out to aid flow

presta valves aren’t the problem – your pump is worn out
most pumps come with plastic clamps and these wear out from use, both the rubber grommet and the nylon clamp around where the valve goes in. this makes the clamp flex when pumping and bends the pin.

I’d suggest the pump is wont out through poor technique. Thrashing away with the pump will bend vales even with a new pump, it will also wear out the rubber seal. Just learn how to use a pump, it’s not hard.

Just learn how to use a pump, it’s not hard.

Or just replace the tubes with ones with more robust valves as the OP has done. Presta valves break. Its easy to be careful in the workshop but by the side of the road, in the rain, when I’m tired I prefer have a valve that can take me making a slight mistake and not leave me with a long walk.

There are two valve standards. Both perform equally well at keeping air in the tyre. One is more robust and easier to use.

There are two valve standards. Both perform equally well at keeping air in the tyre. One is more robust and easier to use.

Agreed. There’s no reason not to use Schrader valves.

interesting debate, what are the pro’s then for presta?

Presta valves break.

No they dont. Thousands of people manage every day.

Its easy to be careful in the workshop

Its holding the pump straight relative to the rim, how is that so hard?

The only times I see people break presta vavles they are standing up with both hands on the pump flailing away like the tyre will go down if they don’t pump fast enough, so the wheel is flapping about all over the place. Its amazing they manage to break the valve before they rip the stem out the tube! either that or people writhing the pump about to get it off rather than just pulling straight.

interesting debate, what are the pro’s then for presta?

Most road rims will only take Presta as they are too narrow for Schrader.

Presta adapter, were can you buy these from.

No they dont. Thousands of people manage every day.

I don’t think that constitutes a proof that they don’t break. They do break. That’s a fact. In fact…

The only times I see people break presta vavles…

.

interesting debate, what are the pro’s then for presta?

I’d be interested in that, too. I can’t think of a single one for MTBs but can think of lots of pros for Schrader. Typing that I’ve just thought of one for Presta; its easier to spell 🙂

Presta adapter, were can you buy these from.

Presta adapter from your local bike shop
or wilko

i do like the idea of presta, being able to blow them up a bit without pump and one tube will fit both sizes but have seen loads fail on the trail leaving you with a long push, and who wants that? anyone who says user error may be right but who wants to take the chance?

found them on amazon , many thanks

Aren’t tubeless valves all presta?