valve types and benefits.

[beachcaster]

My wife has just bought a new Marin bike and it is a Hybrid style with 26 in wheels and fairly chunky dual purpose tyres.
I was just about to put some air in the tyres when I realised that
it had different valves to my bikes. Probably a Schrader Valve but with no thread or nut
to snug it down on the rim .
Has the rim which is a narrow steep v shape been designed just for this type of valve?
Are they better worse or just different ?.......are they interchangeable with Presta valves ?
( the hole looks a little bigger in the rim ) and am I going to need to carry 2 hand pumps ?

thanks

barry

 

[anyuser]

Sounds like a Schrader, see here
http://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_u-v.html#valve

Both my pumps fit either. One you have to change the rubber bits around for presta/schrader, but the other has a 'Smarthead' that fits either.

 

[biggs682]

you need a dual headed pump loads about not sure if either type is worse or better