On Sun, 29 Oct 2006 17:40:01 GMT, "nash"
wrote:

NE one heard of adapters if you use presta tubes. When I got my new GT MTB
they said I had to use adapters. They had none so now I have schrader
again. What is the deal really. My old MTB took them but he said they can
be damaged easily.

Just your thoughs thanks.

Some rims are so narrow that drilling them for Schrader valves leaves
a weak spot; others need such a long valve stem due to aero designs
that the only tubes made which will work with them are the long-stem
Prestas. In such cases, the Presta valve has what is needed to solve
a problem. If, however, the rim doesn't really need to be set up for
a Presta valve, then the Scrader provides a more useful result, since
it is much easier for the average rider to find a tire pump or
inflation source (be it service station compressor hose or whatever)
that is Scrader-accessible than one which works with Prestas. The
adapter that you mentioned is a common way to overcome the
lack-of-compatibility problem with Presta valves, but it has one
drawback; the nut on the end of the Presta core can't be loosened or
tightened with the adapter in place. (I think it's possible to make
an additional tool which would do this, but I haven't tried to do so
yet.) Since the most common way to store the adapter is on the valve
stem, adding air to the tire on which the adapter is stored has two
additional steps; the adapter has to be removed in order to loosen the
nut before air can be added, and then it must be removed again in
order to tighten the nut after the tire is inflated properly. With a
Schrader valve, it's strictly pump-and-go.


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