Vittoria Anti Puncture Tire Liner

Product Information

Tubeless tires have won-out against their tubed counterparts in mountain biking but that doesn’t mean that it’s the perfect system. Not only is it vulnerable to the possibility of burping the air out of the tire at high load or while cornering, it also needs to be a system that keeps damage and destruction at bay while withstanding a whole variety of different forces and abrasions.

Tubeless tires also make the rider feel safe due to not having to think about pinch flats. A bit later, the rider who didn't worry about pinch flats suffers rim damage, which is something that cannot be repaired with roadside tools easily. The rider using tubed tires, having learned to avoid pinch flats, has also learned to avoid rim damage, and rides more carefully, thus not damaging the rim.Before beginning testing in earnest, I acquainted myself with the tires and wheels with no inserts in. They behaved admirably, however burping wasn’t uncommon, clangs and bangs were a running theme and I could often feel the tire roll and squirm in turns. For your reference, I weigh 85kg and wouldn’t say I’m overly aggressive on the bike. On the surface, an update to this approach sounds appealing. Flat tires are the #1 maintenance issue bringing customers into many bike shops.

Every single one of these inserts improved the performance of my tires. If I were to separate them, I would say the Vittoria, Rimpact and CushCore offer the most support. The other three, while definitely offering a lot, are better used in conjunction with slightly higher pressures. If it’s all out support you’re after then I would say the Rimpact offers an equal amount, if not even more, than the CushCore but both are leading in this regard. The Vittoria does offer a similar feel to these two, but that stability is not so pronounced in turns. With a standard tube and Tannus insert being considerably lighter than the thorn-resistant Kenda (which, though generally pretty reliable, do add some palpable rolling resistance), acceleration is unaffected – another definite plus. Dropping the Road Cruiser to 55psi (slightly below the recommended 65psi minimum) bought some extra traction on some icy lanes without any hint of squirm or bad manners. Leaking from the side of the tube. A pinch flat, between underinflated tube and rim. Keep your tires pumped. lb rider here, riding east coast rox. This year I switched to EXO+ rear tire with Tannus Tubeless insert from the same tire (DHR2) in DD casing. I had been happily riding the DD going through approx. one tire a year, for the past 3 years. DD marked the first time for me I could actually wear out a tire before pinching and cutting the casing of a tire.I love the creative rational idea of using an internal tire tread, which is about 85% of the tire tread width; with both the tire wire bead and non tread tire sidewalls completely cut away. For a while, before my thorn-resistant tires, I rode a 1980’s technology, solid rubber tire. Potholes were memorable on my spine, but traction was good and I never got a flat.

With Tannus armour, installation is as simple as changing a tube. You just need a smaller diameter tube to fit inside the insert, and a tyre pressure of approximately 20psi. The way it dealt with compressions left a little to be desired. It feels more like a last defense rather than a full system. I don’t think the MegaNorris is something to be run with sub-20psi or for somebody who is happy to rely on the insert to do the heavy lifting duties for the tire. The MegaNorris feels like you ride it as a normal tire, with normal pressure and it will provide added protection and stability. There is nothing particularly clever about this solution. It’s quite basic but it’s the best solution out there right now, moving into 2022. I hope one day all tyres will be puncture-proof and not need this kind of solution. Take your time getting it seated, then put a little bit of air in your tube and seat that within the Tyre Armour. Finally, mount and inflate the tyre, as usual. Armour even prevents the notorious “Pinch Flat” and dreaded “ Snake Bite“, those annoying punctures from the tubes being pierced by rims and outside objects pinching and breaking through the tube…Welcome to the two-part insert test. First up, some visual comparisons and my initial assessment of how they feel. The second part will feature a data led approach with impact resistance and real-world telemetry testing. Stay tuned for part two! As I did not get any instructions with my tire liners, I had to figure this out myself. PRODUCT DETAILS AND SIZE Most "serious" cyclists I've ever asked don't like tyre liners. I've tried them, and if poorly fitted you can really feel them as you ride (on hard surfaces, especially). There's an inevitable seam between ends of the liner (if you use something like this: https://www.wiggle.co.uk/panaracer-flataway-tyre-liner-1), and that causes a bump in the rolling of the wheel, but if you can fit them really carefully they do indeed provide a pretty solid layer against punctures (I'd go as far as to say an almost impregnable barrier). However, they don't protect you against punctures where there's no liner - so if the liner's just on the running edge of the tyre, then the sides are still vulnerable. Fine if you're rolling over broken glass, but not so good in the thorn bushes. However, you don’t have to remove the wheel, but it is better to take the whole wheel off and do it properly. RUN FLAT - If you do get a flat tyre you can still ride for a limited period at up to 6mph without damaging your wheel.

This required a certain amount of effort and concentration to prevent the bead rolling from the rim and pinching the tube. Tyre levers, like these from Crank Brothers, also make this process a whole heap easier. Test tyreBecause it has become today impossible to sell tires that are not puncture protected, manufacturers needed something that doesn't increase rolling resistance much but can be sold to unsuspecting cyclists as a "puncture protection" technology. Thus, nearly every tire, even high-performance ones such as Continental Grand Prix 5000, has a tear-resistant fabric. It doesn't do what it claims to do, namely to eliminate punctures. Well, at least it doesn't increase rolling resistance much so it's not harmful either. The other option is to go tubeless and use sealant, which allows you to use a lower tyre pressure. This setup does work better on electric mountain bikes and road bikes, but not so well on Fat bikes, which are more similar to car tires. With the Tannus in the Road Cruiser, not so much as a flat, despite these conditions and never brushing the tyre casings between bike washes. Sure enough, a few tiny flints were embedded in some slimy road grime, one leaving a tiny cut in the tread, but I've resisted my default urge to plug the hole with superglue and have done 500 trouble-free miles. I should also point out that the tube used was a bog-standard and once-patched spare. Ride quality