Cycling & Bike Maintenance

Bicycle Valve Types & Tire Pressure

Decode skinny Presta valves vs wide Schrader car valves. Learn how to inflate without breaking the brass core and check recommended tire PSI.

Select A Bicycle Inner Tube Valve Type:

Valve Engineering Profile

Presta Valve (French Valve / Sclaverand)

Rim Hole: 6.0 mm (Narrow)

How To Pump / Inflate:

Unscrew the tiny brass lock nut counter-clockwise, tap it once with your finger to release stuck seal pressure ("burp"), attach pump head, lock lever, and inflate.

Common Bike Categories:

Road bikes, high-end gravel bikes, tubeless mountain bikes, fixies.

Primary Advantage:

Narrow 6mm hole preserves rim structural integrity on skinny aerodynamic carbon wheels. Threaded locknut prevents road vibration leakage.

Recommended Bicycle Tire PSI by Discipline

Road Bike (25c–28c)75 – 95 PSI (5.2 – 6.5 Bar)

Higher pressure reduces rolling resistance on glass-smooth asphalt.

Gravel Bike (38c–45c)35 – 50 PSI (2.4 – 3.4 Bar)

Lower pressure absorbs gravel chatter and increases cornering grip.

Mountain Bike (Tubeless 2.3"–2.6")20 – 28 PSI (1.4 – 1.9 Bar)

Tubeless sealant prevents pinch flats at ultra-low traction pressures.

City / Commuter Bike (32c–38c)50 – 70 PSI (3.5 – 4.8 Bar)

Balance of puncture protection and bump dampening over potholes.