Whether you drive a car or a bike, sometimes a wheel develops a slow leak or has another valve problem, and it becomes necessary to remove the valve core. A good tire valve core removal tool will make this process a lot easier, and it can help when replacing the valve too.
The Presta or French valve is used most often on high-pressure road-style bikes and mountain bikes. In most cases, the Presta valve core can't be removed. On the ones that can be removed, a universal valve core remover -- which removes both Schrader and removable Presta valve cores -- will be the tool to use. It is a small plastic tool whose tip fits onto the flat surfaces machined into all removable valve cores. It looks like a screwdriver with an indent at the tip instead of a sharp, flat tip. Another valve core removal tool for a Presta valve looks like a flat disc with an indent on one side and a hole in the middle to hold the valve as you unscrew it.
The Schrader valve has been in use since 1898 and can be found in tires all over the world. Several different valve core removal tools for Schrader valves are available on today's market. The most common one is similar to the universal valve core remover, with a plastic handle and a short tip with indents that will fit into the valve core. Another valve core removal tool has a screwdriver handle and a longer tip to give it more leverage. You can also get a valve core remover made from metal. This tool is shorter than the one with the screwdriver handle, but longer than the plastic one. The tip is the same.
A special slotted Schrader valve cap can also be used as a valve core removal tool. It's made of metal with a build-in valve core removal feature on its other side. It's handy because it will always be available in an emergency.
