Bontrager High Flow Tubeless Valve Adapter Review

Tubeless setup remains challenging — even with years of experience. Some tire and rim combos are just plain problematic. While the Bontrager High Flow Valve Adapter may not solve all your ills, it’s an easy way to inflate and maintain tubeless systems using a floor pump.

Bontrager High Flow Tubeless Valve Adapter Features:

• Design offers 300% more airflow than standard Presta
• Replaces the Presta core
• Clog-free design
• Comes with core remover tool/topcap
• Sold as a pair
• MSRP: $24.99

Get Your Presta Flowing!

I’ve been a fan of the Reserve Fillmore Tubeless Valves and have been using them successfully for over a year now, but when the Bontrager High Flow Valve Adapter’s arrived, I was intrigued. To use them, you don’t need to replace your existing valves, just the core itself. And, they are about half the cost of Fillmore valves. So, I installed them on my Zipp 353 NSW wheelset with Goodyear Vector R Z30 NSW tires for testing on he latest Cannondale SuperSix EVO and they have been awesome — so long as I have access to a floor pump.

Installing them is a breeze. I just removed my existing cores and threaded the High Flow Valve Adapters in their place. Before doing that, it was easy to add sealant through the open stem using my old 3 oz. Bontrager TLR Tire Sealant bottle. (Those bottles work great with Bontrager and Orange Seal, but not with WTB sealant, by the way.) With 3 oz. of sealant in there, I threaded the High Flow Valve Adapter on there and seated/inflated the tires using my super old garage floor pump. Air flows into the tires with extra force and encourages tire seating. Plus, the inflating process is noticeably faster and requires less force with the pump.

I do notice that the valves do get depressed more than a little Presta valve when placing the pump head in place. Usually, I can get my pump on there without losing much air, but I inevitably lose 10-20 psi. each time. This isn’t a big deal when you’re in the garage or somewhere with access to a compatible floor pump. Speaking of floor pumps, that’s the only type of pump I’ve been able to get to work with these valves — and remains their biggest drawback. I’ve successfully used my 10-yr-old Spin Doctor Pro, the Bontrager TLR Flash Charger and the Blackburn Chamber Tubeless Floor Pump with these valves. In the garage or from the trunk, I can inflate tires with ease. Unfortunately, my Lezyne Sport Floor Drive uses a threaded head and is incompatible.

However, I have yet to find a mini pump or CO2 inflator that works with it. I think the easiest solution is to bring a Presta valve core on every ride just in case of a flat or if inflation is needed. It’s a bummer that I haven’t found a compatible mini pump yet, but maybe one exists?

Like you, I’ve bent over the Presta screw valve by getting ham-fisted with inflation. It’s, unfortunately, easily done. I’m happy to report that the High Flow Valve is infinitely sturdier than those old things and really instills confidence as I’m unscrewing and screwing the valve lock in place — and while inflating.

As I mentioned above, the diameter of the valve does make it almost impossible to put the pump head on without losing a lot of pressure. Whatever you do, do not inflate your tires with the valve in the 6 o’clock position. With fresh sealant, I did that one time and got more than I bargained for as sealant spewed everywhere like a volcano. That’s a lesson I don’t care to learn again.

Buy Now: Available from TrekBikes.com