Anybody using tire inserts when riding gravel? (Cushcore, Vittoria Air-Liner, other???) From what I've been reading in some of the mag's these could be ideal for bikes with limited space for wide tires. My (almost vintage?) CX bike for example which barely fits a 38mm tire in back.
I have been using the Vittoria liners for over a year and I like them. Initially it seemed as though they added some compliance but that is obviously a very subjective thing. Having ridden them now, they are just transparent to me. I have had a few hard hits on my front wheel with no issue; maybe they helped but it is hard to say for sure. I will say that you might want to buy one of the tire clamping devices as removing a tire is more difficult because the sidewall is supported by the liner when you try to push it in to break the bead..
I have the Vittorias in a wheelset with 47 mm tires. It's kind of like adding spacers in your suspension to prevent bottom out. You can certainly smash into stuff harder. The grip from lower pressure is unnecessary for most gravel riding. I would use that setup for goofing off on MTB trails or if I go back out to the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder next year. Otherwise, 40s and no inserts takes care of me in the midwest. I also have a set of inserts sitting around for cyclocross next year. They arrived too late to try them for CX last year.
If the lack of tire volume (or smacking your rims against stuff) is preventing you from lowering to the psi that you desire, tire inserts are a good band-aid.
Do not try inserts without insert compatible valves. Even the Vittoria inserts that claim they don't need special valves.
Do not try inserts without insert compatible valves. Even the Vittoria inserts that claim they don't need special valves.
At least in the gravel size, the Vittoria inserts come with valves. And, yes, you do need to use them; I forgot one of them and adding air became a struggle so I got to play a bonus round of the tubeless mounting game!
Same here, I put one (Vittoria) in the rear wheel on my wife's Warbird Ti. 35mm is the max that fits in there with healthy clearance all around, so some rim protection is nice, especially when venturing onto trails with bigger rocks and roots.
I just grabbed some Rimpact CX to try out in some of the wider tires on other gravel bikes in our house.
Not yet but have recently ordered for the reasons to have but mostly to protect carbon wheels with a depth of only 38mm. Needless to say I've picked up 1.5" /38.1mm dry wall screws with alloy wheels and recently a 3" 4mm Hex Head wrench fully inserted into 35mm Pirelli Cinturato Velo tire. I was running tubeless at the time and the wrench gouged the stock tape so needless to say had to go tubeless for the 12+ mile return. Lessons learned: protect your wheels incase metal objects get in and chisel away at your wheels because you make a a few 10+ revolutions; and tubeless is way more forgiving then bouncing on tubes regardless of distance. Luckily, no damage to carbon wheels except tape, plugged tire with 2 Dyna Plugs and holding air without sealant! A freaking 3" 4mm Hex Head wrench? Can't make this crap up!! Cushcore will be piece of mind...
After not tightening the rear valve core enough after a sealant refresh, I can confirm the run flat ability of the Vittoria inserts. I don't think I went very far on it, but I am confident that I could have ridden it as far as I desired. Embarrassing, but nice to know.
dangle wrote:After not tightening the rear valve core enough after a sealant refresh, I can confirm the run flat ability of the Vittoria inserts. I don't think I went very far on it, but I am confident that I could have ridden it as far as I desired. Embarrassing, but nice to know.
