Schwalbe wants to change all bike valves with its CLIK VALVE system

Schwalbe aims to revolutionize the cycling market with the launch of a new valve. The German company has joined forces with engineer John Quintana to develop the Click Valve system, which they hope will become a medium-term standard. For now, the invention has been awarded a Eurobike Award 2024 and will be available for sale in the coming months.

Schwalbe Click Valve: the valve that is ready to become the new standard in all types of bikes

The evolution of cycling is unstoppable, and a good example of this is the constant stream of innovations that shake the market. An open battle between manufacturers, who are in a race to stay ahead and set the pace for the rest of the competitors. Components and bikes themselves have undergone transformations, adaptations, and minor tweaks since the early days of the sport. However, valves are one of those parts that have remained unaffected by this constant wave of changes.

Schwalbe has announced its intention to establish a new standard to replace the three types of valves that dominate the industry: the well-known Presta and Schrader valves, and to a lesser extent, Dunlop. Thus, the Schwalbe Click Valve has been conceived as a revolutionary invention that aims to be a turning point.

The Schwalbe Click Valve (SCV) is designed with ease of use in mind. It claims to solve the problem of traditional valve systems, which lack a method to indicate when the pump is correctly attached. The SCV does so with an intuitive click system, which also eliminates the need for certain knowledge required for inflating with some valves.

The 'click' allows even children to inflate tires, referring to the principle that motivated John Quintana to embark on this project, now under collaboration with Schwalbe.

The operation is simple: the pump head can be easily attached and detached with little force. One of its main advantages lies in tubeless systems, as the system offers a 50% higher air flow.

However, the strong point is that Schwalbe offers conversion kits to transform almost any existing valve and pump into an SCV. To perform the conversion, simply remove the core of the Presta or Dunlop valve - tool included - and install the SCV core; for Schrader, just mount the SCV core on the valve.

The same procedure also applies to pumps, as there is an adapter that is compatible with most models.

In addition, according to the manufacturer, the only air that comes out is from the pump, air from the tire is never lost; to release air, a small object or the nail itself can be used.

The system relies on an audible and tangible connection - firmly seated and remains on the valve even at high pressure- to prevent errors. On the other hand, unlike other systems, the dust cap is removable.

Schwalbe has not provided information on the price, although it has stated that it will be available from the third quarter of 2024. Only time will tell if cyclists are convinced by the benefits and if this invention displaces the valves that have dominated the sector until now.