RESERVE WHEELS FILLMORE
TUBELESS VALVE STEMS REVIEW

HI FLOW, NO CLOG – FINALLY!

Up until we installed the new Reserve Fillmore valve stems, we never thought we’d actually take the time to write a review on a pair tubeless valve stems. Presta valves have essentially gone unchanged for over 100 years, long before Stan’s and a long list of other mountain bikers started playing with tire sealant and tubeless tires. Reserve’s Fillmore valves are one of those inventions that make you say, “Why didn’t someone think of this sooner!?” Without giving away too much about the verdict on this review, let’s dig into what makes them unique and better equipped for the job.

THE LAB
According to Reserve’s release material, “Many tubeless tires use either Presta valves or Schrader valves to facilitate inflating the tire. However, these valves typically provide insufficient air flow for initial seating of the tire to the rim, do not allow for easy addition of sealant, and are often clogged by sealant due to their small diameter.” So far, we’re in agreement. Reserve’s aim with the Fillmore Valve is to fix all three of those issues.

While at first glance, the Fillmore Valve looks like your standard, black powder coated aftermarket Presta valve, it is anything but. There are four main areas Reserve has differentiated themselves from outdated Presta valves. The Fillmore Valve’s key differentiators are: More Airflow, No Clogging, Simplicity and Adjustability. The Fillmore Valve allows for three times more airflow than a Presta valve thanks to its ability to have a wide pass through into the tire. The system threads and closes inside the rim, inside the tire, rather than outside like traditional valves. Since Fillmore valves allow so much more air to pass through, they have eliminated the need to remove the Presta valve core for tubeless seating.

The stems allow more air thanks to a patented poppet-style design eliminating any clogging by shielding the air hole from sealant collection when closed off. Reserve makes the end user’s life easy when it comes to needing to add sealant by not having a valve core to remove. Last but not least, making trail side tire pressure is a breeze with the Flow Control design and their button cap that allows for micro-air adjustments. If you want to see a bunch more technical explanation, check out the patent deep dive from Wheelbased.

THE DIRT
There’s not a ton to really write about when reviewing a valve stem. It’s sort of like reviewing stems, or steerer tube top caps, they work, or they don’t. These, most certainly work. Not only do they work, but they do in fact work better than any traditional Presta valve stem we’ve used in the past.

Reserve’s Fillmore Valves are robust, very stout in construction have a nice finished appearance and the amount of airflow that passes through, is certainly more. Seating tires, adding sealant and letting air out trailside all give an improved experience comparatively.

The Wolf’s Last Word

The Reserve Wheels Fillmore Valve adds improved performance and style to an often-overlooked part that has long been due for an update. The Fillmore Valve does everything it was designed to do and does it well. Seating a fresh tubeless set-up is made a breeze, and not having to remove the valve core to add sealant is a huge bonus. The fact that you can leave the cap on, while unthreading it slightly, to release air pressure is a neat addition as well. However, if you lose the cap some potential issues might arise, since the cap is an integral part of the Fillmore Valve’s design. All-in-all though, the Reserve Fillmore Tubeless Valve is a must have for all your tubeless set-ups. No more clogged stems, frustrating slow pumps, sticky valves or messy garages.

Price: $49.99
Website: ReserveWheels.com