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I can understand the potential advantages of using tyre inserts especially if you are running low pressures and/or racing. They seem a good fit and forget idea and some of them are not too expensive; some clear benefits. So what's people's opinion about using them for everyday trail riding ?
the bigger ones like the airliner or cushcore let you ride gently back to your car if you puncture.
I run huck norris and they not only protect the tyre/rim when running low pressures but it also helps maintain the side wall shape.
Running low pressures is not the reserve of racers. I'm a recent convert to lower than normal pressures with 22psi in my front conti projekt baron. Made the world of difference on my set up.
I also ride very rocky trails every so often so having it there is handy for that.
It all depends on the rider.
A bit like tubeless, if I was someone who didn't puncture much on tubes, I wouldn't have bothered in the first place (once I started using tubeless, the lower pressures then become a noticeable benefit).
If you tend to pinch or burp tyres often, then I'd imagine it'd be worthwhile, ie if you ride hard on rocky or big rooty tracks, or are just a bit 'back end clumsy'.
17psi front here, I wouldn't bother with one in the front, I did go through a spell a few years back of trashing rear tyres, that seems to have stopped, probably coincided with not being as fit as I should've been.
I hadn't realized that it can be used as a 'get me home'. That's handy.
but it also helps maintain the side wall shape.
Can you elaborate on this a bit? I would want the sidewall to deform under load, or does it help do this in some kind of controlled manner?
Can you elaborate on this a bit? I would want the sidewall to deform under load, or does it help do this in some kind of controlled manner?
I don't think it can, what it does do is hold the bead into the rim, so alleviates burping, but it doesn't extend far enough up the tyre wall to affect it, and as you say, you wouldn't really want it to.
Can you elaborate on this a bit? I would want the sidewall to deform under load, or does it help do this in some kind of controlled manner?
if you go too low then the sidewall can deform too much and can cause a burp or move of the rim. The inserts can help prevent that. This depends on the size of the insert and tyre.
seems like a faf to me.
I run 20 front and rear at the moment and im not the smoothest of rider. Ive never cut a tire and only bent the odd rim.
Im running carbon rims atm and im not seeing any point in the inserts.
Mate rode back 2km last night after putting a hole is a tyre. You could argue the cushcore should have prevented the tyre deflation but it was quite a big impact!
I’ve installed the Rimpact on my RipMo so 2.4 width tyres. Only had 2 rides, and it might be placebo, but the tyres do seem to have more ‘damping’ as an added benefit. I’m also running slightly lower pressures. At £150+ for cushcore I wasn’t interested in trying it, at £35 for Rimpact, I thought I’d give it a go.
When Rimpact bring out their ‘chubby’ inserts, they are definitely going into my SolarisMax wheels as the super low pressures in there are definitely prone to pinching.
I use ratbite. Brilliant
I use a Schwalbe Procore in the rear for trail riding. I have a habit of pinch flatting tubeless tyres on the rear and putting little cuts in the tyre right by the bead that won't seal. The Procore hasn't completely eradicated this (I still managed it once), but it's probably about as good as I'll get without completely compromising on tyre pressure (i.e. running my rear tyre much much harder than I'd like).
In some ways the Procore is a bit more of a faff than the rim strip solutions but I like the fact that I can install the whole system and seat a tubeless tyre with just a hand pump, and should I get a complete failure that can't be fixed on the trail (massive hole in tyre that won't seal / puncture of Procore itself - both only happened once in two years of use) then it can be easily removed, folded up and stashed in my Camelbak and I can stick a tube in.
When Rimpact bring out their ‘chubby’ inserts, they are definitely going into my SolarisMax wheels as the super low pressures in there are definitely prone to pinching.
What rim width you got on yours Alex? Mine are 35mm internal so in theory the standard Rimpact ones would work. Yours may be wider though?
I run 15 PSI front and 17PSI rear on 2.5in tyres and no inserts. 75kg rider.
I find this pressure is just high enough to always avoid pinch flats even on the rockiest terrain (Spain over Christmas).
I used to get quite a lot of pinch flats and I put the difference down to using a wireless tyre pressure monitoring system. I think the pinchflats I used to get occurred when I was running less pressure than I thought I was - either because I hadn't checked the tyres for a while or got a thorn puncture that sealed quickly but let some air out without me knowing etc.
Picking up the bike and knowing instantly what the pressures are and being informed of small leaks while riding has been the holy grail for me. Haven't punctured in over a year of using the system.
^ What system is that?
I use Huck Norris in the rear, more for protecting the rim/tyre from big impacts. It did me proud at the ard rock after wrecking both rims on stage 1. front flatted with no insert, didn't even think about the rear as it was still up, till i got to the top of stage 2 anyway and my mate pointed at my mangled rear rim.... tyre stayed on and up despite this for the rest of the race. without it i'd have been exit stage left after stage 1.
I use it now all the time, its light, makes no discernible difference to the ride and requires zero maintenance. highly recommended.
Pro-Core is a faff, had that for a while and blew at least 4 of the high pressure innertubes. turns out the sealant was gluing the tube to the inner tyre and ripping the valves out when it moved. overpriced garbage if you ask me.
Not tried any of the others on the market, but the Huck Norris is lighter than most if not all other inserts, Simple to fit and maintain and works wonders when you need it.
@cha****ng. American Classic. 32mm external. But yours should be fine. Drop the fellas a note if not sure, they’re very helpful. But for my Chubby I’d need 41mm external so wider kit.
^ What system is that?
Actually for motorbikes. I didn't like the chunky bar mount. Turns out its very easy to turn them into replacement stem caps. Drilled out my rims for Schrader which I much prefer. USB rechargeable LIPO - motion sensitive power up - Units can be changed to PSI - Low pressure alarm - Works a treat.
Even told me it was 0 degrees inside my tyres this lunchtime 🙂