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How to Convert a Hybrid Bike from Dunlop to Presta Valve on a $15 Budget
Posted at: Dec 9, 2020
This article explains how to convert a Hybrid Bike with Dunlop valves to Presta valves on a budget of $15. It includes the parts you'll need and a step-by-step replacement guide.
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Understand the Structure of a Bicycle Wheel First
Before changing your bicycle’s tire valve, it’s important to understand how the wheel is structured.
A bicycle wheel consists of:
- Tire
- Inner tube
- Rim (wheel)
Among these, the two parts relevant to the valve are the inner tube and the rim.
While inner tubes can be purchased for under $10, the main issue lies with the rim. This is because the diameter of the valve hole differs between Presta (French) and Dunlop (English) valves.
Presta valve rims have a hole diameter of 6.3mm, whereas rims designed for Dunlop or Schrader (American) valves have holes of 8.2mm. Therefore, inserting a Presta valve into a rim designed for a Dunlop valve leaves a gap of around 2mm.
This gap can lead to damage to the valve or inner tube. To prevent this, you should use a valve hole spacer, a product designed specifically for this purpose.
Prepare the Necessary Parts
Now let’s gather the parts needed to convert to a Presta valve.
You’ll need the following items:
- Inner tube with a Presta valve
- Valve hole spacer
- Presta valve cap
As mentioned earlier, the type of valve does not affect the tire itself, so in most cases, simply changing the inner tube and associated parts is enough to convert from a Dunlop valve to a Presta valve.
Replacing the Inner Tube and Installing the Spacer
Once you have all the necessary parts, you can proceed with replacing the tube and installing the spacer.
When it comes to replacing the inner tube, it’s best to follow a professional method. We recommend the YouTube tutorial by GCN:
The only difference when converting from a Dunlop to a Presta valve is using a valve hole spacer with a Presta lockring. This ensures the smaller Presta valve is firmly secured in the larger Dunlop-style 8.2mm valve hole.
We’ve now covered how to convert a Dunlop-valve hybrid bike to a Presta valve setup for under $15.
While Presta valves are standard on road bikes, Dunlop valves are still commonly used. However, once you start riding road bikes, most maintenance tools—like pumps—tend to be designed for Presta valves, making it inconvenient to keep separate tools for Dunlop valves.
In such cases, why not consider converting your Dunlop valve to a Presta valve using the method we’ve outlined today?