[DrewBird]

The Redbull feed from Lenzerheide had an interview with Kate Courtney’s mechanic, where he mentioned she was running tire inserts to avoid flats for the race. (Given how the race between her and Neff ended up I guess this was a good plan!)

I’m curious who’s run such a thing for XC racing, and which one/which kind? Did you just add this for insurance or also go to a lighter tire and/or drop pressure?

Seems options are a “Huck Norris” type, which is light but really just prevents pinch flats, or a “CushCore” type which takes up a fair bit of volume in the tire and would change the ride and give some run-flat ability. ~80g/tire for the former, ~150g/tire for the latter (CushCore XC).

 

[kevbikemad]

Try this thread, lots of XC insert info
https://forums.mtbr.com/xc-racing-training/nube-tire-inserts-1091209.html

 

[DrewBird]

Try this thread, lots of XC insert info
https://forums.mtbr.com/xc-racing-training/nube-tire-inserts-1091209.html

Thanks! Don't know how I missed that. Scanning the thread it looks like the field is still in the early adopter/try a home-made fix stage....

 

[RadBartTaylor]

The Redbull feed from Lenzerheide had an interview with Kate Courtney's mechanic, where he mentioned she was running tire inserts to avoid flats for the race. (Given how the race between her and Neff ended up I guess this was a good plan!)

I'm curious who's run such a thing for XC racing, and which one/which kind? Did you just add this for insurance or also go to a lighter tire and/or drop pressure?

Seems options are a "Huck Norris" type, which is light but really just prevents pinch flats, or a "CushCore" type which takes up a fair bit of volume in the tire and would change the ride and give some run-flat ability. ~80g/tire for the former, ~150g/tire for the latter (CushCore XC).

BC Bike Race winner Felix Burke was running them too. He used lighter weight tires than most of use @ lower pressure with the inserts, winning combo....

 

[pk1]

has anyone tried putting a tube in on top of inserts in the event of a puncture?

i'm thinking that with the cushcore style semi-circle shaped inserts you could use something like a long valved road tube which will be big enough to fill the reasonably small space between the insert and the tyre, then reach through the insert and out the rim.

 

[Le Duke]

has anyone tried putting a tube in on top of inserts in the event of a puncture?

i'm thinking that with the cushcore style semi-circle shaped inserts you could use something like a long valved road tube which will be big enough to fill the reasonably small space between the insert and the tyre, then reach through the insert and out the rim.

I haven't. That said, no joke, you will have a very, very hard time removing a tire with some inserts in.

So, I'd probably be looking more at various tire plug options and ways to inflate said tire after plugged than a tube.

 

[DrewBird]

I've heard the Cushcore XC inserts are a bit easier to install and remove. About to do a set, so we'll see. Curious to see how a ~600g tire with CC compares to a ~750g tire without. Running a supple tire at lower pressure without worrying about flats seems like it could be a good thing, at least until you rip a hole in the sidewall and can't get a tube in....

 

[Le Duke]

I've heard the Cushcore XC inserts are a bit easier to install and remove. About to do a set, so we'll see. Curious to see how a ~600g tire with CC compares to a ~750g tire without. Running a supple tire at lower pressure without worrying about flats seems like it could be a good thing, at least until you rip a hole in the sidewall and can't get a tube in....

Personally, I have a concern if that's the case. Namely, that it won't help keep the tire from burping at lower pressures. In addition to protecting the rim, that's the other huge benefit of running inserts.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pk1]

I haven't. That said, no joke, you will have a very, very hard time removing a tire with some inserts in.

So, I'd probably be looking more at various tire plug options and ways to inflate said tire after plugged than a tube.

yeah for sure sealant is first plan, plugs second but i like to have a tube option too
it seems that could be an option which would remove the need to deal with the insert you've removed as well as reducing the tube weight to carry

i might have to experiment one day if/when i have some spare time

 

[LMN]

yeah for sure sealant is first plan, plugs second but i like to have a tube option too
it seems that could be an option which would remove the need to deal with the insert you've removed as well as reducing the tube weight to carry

i might have to experiment one day if/when i have some spare time

I have only had one flat this year that I couldn't fix with a plug. I just cleaned the insert the best I could folded it up and stuffed in my jersey. Did another 2hrs with it there no problems, felt like I was wearing a back protector.

 

[NordieBoy]

BC Bike Race winner Felix Burke was running them too. He used lighter weight tires than most of use @ lower pressure with the inserts, winning combo....

He also ran a higher pressure in the front than the rear which to me is just weird.

 

[RadBartTaylor]

He also ran a higher pressure in the front than the rear which to me is just weird.

I saw that on the pinkbike article. When I spoke to him before stage 5 he mentioned 18 psi which makes sense. I'm sure it's for turning precision and cornering, there were several trails that had big berms. He was also running a really soft fork, so that may of had something to do with it.

 

[chomxxo]

I saw that on the pinkbike article. When I spoke to him before stage 5 he mentioned 18 psi which makes sense. I'm sure it's for turning precision and cornering, there were several trails that had big berms. He was also running a really soft fork, so that may of had something to do with it.

Interesting. I've done quite a bit of riding in the past couple months on 2.1s with Nube inserts. I found that at 20 psi they ride well in a straight line and are like mocassins descending, but I get too much drag (wouldn't really call it squirm) on hard corners. 21-22 psi does the trick, so similar experience there I guess. I've finished rides with slow leaks at 9psi.