My first "Proper" bike had Presta valves when I bought it and I've used Presta valves, and indeed the same bike, ever since I've never had any problem with them and I like the aesthetics and the way the pump fits over them. although I understand the advantages of Schraeder valves in a world where they're fitted to cars.
In Germany Woods valves are very common, almost standard on bicycles, although they're known as "German" or "Rocket" valves here. I personally dislike them: they're ugly and awkward to fit a pump properly. They seem to get bunged up easily so they frequently don't work when I'm trying to pump them, need completely to be dismantled when changing a tube, in which case you can bet the core sticks so you have to yank it out, often with pliers. When taking the cap off the core sometimes comes with it, and they're easy to vandalise because you can just unscrew the collar leaving the bike not only with a flat tyre but no means of pumping it back up. I try to avoid them when customers don't express a preference.
