![]() Filling the tire is finished off with a floor pump. Once seated, it's a quick plug of the finger and a precise reinstall of the valve core. Generally, with a Presta valve, we'll pull the valve core and use a flush-fitting rubber attachment on an air compressor to get the deed done. That is only the beginning of our story though. When installing new tires on our Reserve 30 wheels, we still resorted to a compressor to get them seated. Our hope was that the Fillmore would save the day and give our floor pump the unrestricted power it needed to set rubber on wheels that we otherwise adore. Being in the product testing game means that we swap a lot of tires and wheels around. No other brand or Reserve model gives us such fits. No matter the tire or the method, more often than not, we have to reach for the air compressor. ![]() Several Vial staffers seem to struggle with seating tires on Reserve 30 wheels via a floor pump. Ultimately, the Fillmore system involves fewer parts that are less tedious to manage. Either way we look at it, our ability to lose a part is not a brand's responsibility. The Fillmore system does not eliminate all potential issues. What if I lose my valve cap? Ok, what if you lose your valve core? Small bike parts are bound to have even smaller parts that make them work correctly. It does not need to be fully removed to let out air. Should riders want to let a little air out of their tire, just a few rotations of the valve cap and it acts as a bleeder. The Fillmore does not have a removable valve core and sealant can be added (injected) through the valve as it is. With less obstruction through the valve via the Fillmore design, tire sealant is less likely to build up and seal the valve from the inside. Much like an unthreaded Presta valve, it is prone to leaking air if bumped. When installed with an inflated tire, the air pressure will keep the internal plunger sealed. ![]() Once the cap is removed from the stem, in a system with no compressed air (in your hand or a flat tire) the internal rod and plunger will freely move about. To start, the valve cap is now an integral part of the valve system as it performs the important jobs of keeping crud off the valve, making sure the valve stays sealed, and being a bleeder port. ![]() Change is hard but at least this one involves no new standards and is backward compatible. As mountain bikes have transitioned to tubeless, we've been using the Presta valve almost exclusively. To us, this is the uphill push Reserve will be facing. Instead, let us focus on whether the Fillmore valve is a better option or provides a net gain to our tubeless interactions. We'll avoid the potential pitfall of marketing why the Presta valve is outdated and doesn't work so well anymore. Designed specifically for modern tubeless setups.Reserve is in pursuit of addressing some of those issues head on with a completely new valve system. Except that while Presta valves may not be broken, they do have glaring flaws in the tubeless world. After all, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Vital set our BS meters to high as we took possession of the new Fillmore valves to learn for ourselves what this was all about. Prior to their launch, and even now, Reserve has made themselves clear - this may sound like jumping the shark, but hear us out. ![]()
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