The design combines elements of French and American valves, with an emphasis on simplicity.
Schwalbe hopes that its new Clik valves will become the industry standard for bicycle valves, replacing the Presta (French valve) and Schrader (American valve) valves.
Although French and American valves have been around almost as long as bicycles, in the opinion of John Quintana, the inventor of Clik, French and American valves are too complicated.
Quintana wanted to invent a new valve that was simple enough for his children to inflate bicycle tires, and the Schwalbe Clik Valve (SCV) was born.
Named for the noise the pump emits when clicked on the valve, the SCV also offers increased durability, better airflow, and fewer tubeless sealant clogging issues compared to existing designs.
A combination of French and American valves
The Schwalbe Clik valve combines elements of a French valve and an American valve.
Launched at the Eurocycle, Schwalbe says the SCV avoids the shortcomings of French and American valves and combines their best characteristics.
Schwalbe's Tim Ward said: "I think a lot of people would agree that existing valves – whether French or American – have inherent problems. ”
These problems, Schwalve says, include the nuts of French valves that are difficult to unscrew, prone to bending or corroding, and the fact that the outside of the threads can wear out the rubber seals in the pump.
The American valve needs to have a larger hole in the rim and a lever on the pump head to hold it in place when the valve is inserted.
"I think the combination of these factors leads Quintana to believe that in a hundred years there will be someone who can come up with something better," Ward said. ”
"Once people use it, I think they change their minds," he added.
You can use your fingernails to release air through the valve.
The external dimensions of the SCV are the same as those of the French valve.
However, as with the American valve, the poppet valve opens when you place the pump head on the SCV.
This means that you don't have to unscrew the nut like you would with a French valve, and you don't have to lock the pump head into place.
The length of the poppet valve can be extended long enough to expel air with a finger.
Provide the valve cover for the SCV (left), but you don't necessarily have to use it.
The SCV does not require the use of a valve cover, but one is available, and it has advantages over other valve covers.
"The valve cover can be pushed open, so there's no need to screw it onto the valve," Ward said. "Twisting the valve cover may cause it to jam.
You also don't need to expose too much of the SCV valve to snap the pump head into place. That could mean people can use shorter valves, providing a weight or aerodynamic advantage, Ward said.
Schwalbe claims that when inflating tires with the SCV, the airflow velocity is 50% higher than that of the French valve. This can be advantageous for tubeless, as greater airflow can make it easier for the tire to be inflated.
Available as a conversion kit
You can convert other valves to standard valves.
The SCV standard can be used as a tubeless valve and will be applied to Schwalbe inner tubes next year.
Schwalbe offers SCV conversion kits, which means you can convert other valve types, including the less common Dunlop English valves, to the new standard.
Ward says it should be easy to swap the valve for an SCV: "As far as converting the French tubeless valve is concerned, all you have to do is remove the existing valve core and replace it with a new one. ”
The kit includes a pump head or adapter that can be integrated into most existing pumps.
According to Schwalbe, pump manufacturer SKS already has a pump with an SCV pump head in its product range, which will also be available at Eurocycle, and other manufacturers will also introduce pumps with this design.
Become the industry standard
Being an industry standard means becoming a global standard.
Schwalbe expressed a desire for SCV to become the new industry standard, while Ward clarified what that means: "If it's going to be an industry standard, it needs to be a global standard." It will take a while for it to become widespread. ”
Schwalbe has exclusive access to the valve in Europe until 2030, according to Ward. Therefore, at least then, the valve will become a global standard.
Starting in 2030, SCV will be adopted as an open-source standard for major European brands – a standard that Ward says is already being implemented in other parts of the world.
"As far as I know, in North America and Asia, everything was ready from the start. So we'll see what happens there," Ward said.
Ward said the French and American valves may be here for a long time, but Schwalbe is committed to this new standard and improving bicycle tire valves, and the brand will support Quintana's vision and bring its resources to it.
"If you don't take some brave steps, you're never going to change anything, are you?"