Still, the base of the valve sits noticeably higher than any other valve I’ve used. I think the large openings play a major part in this, but I also think the height (which I’d considered a negative at first) also helps keep the valve clear of obstructions. First, there was virtually no sealant inside the valve and the base inside the tire was surprisingly clean. The photos above show what the valves looked like after over a month of riding, including my scouting mission on the recently published Queen’s Ransom route in Arizona. It wasn’t long ago when I thought titanium valves with a larger through-hole was as good as it was going to get. The airflow is noticeable enough that for someone who’ll go to great lengths avoiding needing to go to a bike shop every time I mount a tubeless tire, I was pretty much sold. The result isn’t the cleanest-looking setup in my opinion, and it would be nice to see a more elegant solution here.Īs one might imagine, the increased airflow assisted with a quick floor pump tubeless setup and provided some confidence heading out on a week-long bikepacking trip on a new bike. I was sent the shortest of the three, and on a 17mm tall rim, the valves required three plastic spacers in order to tighten up properly. 76 Projects includes several plastic spacers to accommodate different rim heights since the body isn’t threaded all the way down, and they’re offered in three different lengths as well. Instead, the bottom of the valve unthreads, the rubber gasket is removed, and the valve is inserted from the outside. Due to the wide section of the valve body, the valve isn’t pushed through the inside of the rim like most tubeless valves.
Installation is where things get a little finicky. It might seem somewhat complicated, but the result is a valve with more airflow, as advertised. When the valve core is pressed (open), air travels through the body, into the wide portion of the valve and around the valve core’s o-ring, and finally out through the hollow portion of the core.
The base of the valve is also different, allowing air to pass through two slits on either side of the threaded base, rather than the small hole found on most standard valves-a design similar to what we’ve seen introduced on valves designed to work better with tire inserts.Īs you can see above, the valve core is only threaded to accept the knurled brass top nut and is simply pressed down inside the body of the valve. The wider portion of the body houses the part that seals when under pressure, and it doesn’t restrict air flow when open. Starting at the top, the core itself of the valve is hollow, contributing to better air flow and the ability to add sealant directly through the valve, though it’s worth noting that 76 Projects doesn’t recommend doing this with sealant with larger particles, so it might be best to avoid that. Plus, they often make tubeless setups even easier to accomplish using a basic floor pump, which is great news for the home mechanic.ħ6 Projects’ Hi Flow ‘No Clog’ Tubeless Valves share the same basic shape as a traditional Presta valve but the internals are quite different. The new generation of valves, including 76 Project’s, have redesigned the internals of the valve to allow better airflow and increased clearances to address these issues. It’s really only a matter of time until tubeless sealant finds its way inside the valve, restricting airflow and the ability of the core to properly seal. Tubeless sealant manufacturers are constantly developing new brews that claim to plug larger and larger holes, which in turn can wreak havoc on the small clearances found inside Presta valves. So, why do we need high-flow tubeless valves? Simply put, traditional Presta valves weren’t designed with tubeless setups in mind. Up until now, 76 Projects hasn’t designed anything wheel-related, which is possibly why their valves went relatively unnoticed at the time of their launch. Released a few months before Reserve Wheels announced their valves, the Hi Flow ‘No Clog’ Tubeless Valves are quite a departure from the rest of their products. UK-based 76 Projects specializes in computer mounts and on bike storage solutions. Namely, something that won’t clog and has better air flow over traditional Presta valves. Coincidence or not, it’s clear that more than a few brands have set out to design a better tubeless valve. In fact, we were quite surprised to learn that the Fillmore Valves’ tagline “Hi Flow, No Clog” is actually the exact same name as that of 76 Projects’ tubeless valves. It turns out the Fillmore Valves from Reserve Wheels that were announced just a few months ago weren’t the only “high flow, no clog” tubeless valves out there.
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