At simply 50g, the Vittoria Air-Liner Mild is the lightest tire insert available on the market, however that’s removed from essentially the most fascinating function. The design acts like a closed cell foam so it gained’t take up sealant, however it would broaden once you puncture your tire, permitting it to fill the area and hold you using.
It additionally helps the tire and acts like a micro suspension, enhancing journey high quality and management, too. Aimed on the XC to Downcountry to Path crowds, it’s an absolute recreation changer. Right here’s the way it works…
The fabric is technically an open-cell foam, nevertheless it acts like a closed-cell foam the place it issues.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t instantly take up air like a real “open” cell foam would. The barrier and development stop instant strain equalization with the tire’s air strain. Which means, it acts like a “closed” cell foam in that it compresses once you inflate your tire, however… give it about 8-12 hours and it will equalize, increasing again to its authentic form and filling up about half of your tire’s quantity.
This doesn’t actually change the tire strain that you simply inflate it to, however they advocate establishing your tires and dialing in your tire strain the day earlier than an necessary journey. Day-of top-ups are advantageous, assuming your tire didn’t leak all its air out in a single day.
The actual magic occurs in case you puncture the tire. As a result of it behaves like a closed cell foam, when your tire loses strain, the air trapped contained in the insert expands to fill that area. The insert’s quantity grows by as much as 20% to fill the tire, basically supplying you with run-flat capabilities!
Mainly, it goes from this:
To this:
If you happen to’re using remotely or in the course of a race, the Air-Liner Mild may very well be the factor that will get you again house or throughout the end line with out having to cease for a restore.
They are saying BMC rider Juri Zalotti completed the final 4 laps of the 2022 XC quick observe at Let Will get, France, on a flat rear tire with this, and mentioned the grip was really higher.
The insert additionally does the opposite issues a mountain bike tire insert ought to do. It helps your tire throughout laborious cornering…
…and prevents pinch flats and rim injury on massive impacts.
It has a troublesome waterproof coating that retains it from absorbing moisture and sealant and protects it from scratches. Vittoria recommends latex- and ammonia-free sealants (and would like in case you use their sealant). It’s not the tip of the world in case you don’t use these, however they could barely shorten the insert’s lifespan.
Every insert runs $59.99 (per wheel) and matches rims with a 25-30mm inside channel. It’s advisable for tires starting from 2.1″ to 2.5″ vast. Every insert comes with a 40mm Vittoria Inexperienced Multiway Tubeless valve stem that has ports on the base to permit air to get previous the insert. Not a lot to get previous it when in-flating, however so air can get to it when de-flating. And, sadly, the valve stems are inexperienced, not the black ones proven right here.
First Impressions of the Vittoria Air-Liner Mild
I rode these final fall on the Bike Connection Company camp in Italy they usually’re wonderful. As in, A-MAZ-ING.
They put me on a Cannondale hardtail with 100mm Lefty fork with Vittoria Agaro 29×2.35″ tires inflated to 17psi entrance and 17.5psi rear.
I’m 6’2″ and 195lbs dressed to journey. So I NEVER run tires with that little air strain. On a hardtail, I’d in all probability be up round 23-25, relying on the situations.
However at simply 17-17.5psi, the bike rode extremely nicely, with no squirm, no impacts, and no squishiness. And it wasn’t for an absence of attempting:
I went attempting to find all of the rocks and roots. The pointier and extra abrupt and repetitive the higher. Nothing may section me.
Vittoria says it’s not simply the safety and help that profit the rider. They are saying inflating your tires with “solely” air offers a really linear compression. Their authentic Air Liner (for extra aggressive using) is way firmer materials that “ramps” up extra rapidly.
The Air-Liner Mild has a extra progressive compression, so it’s like a little bit of suspension earlier than your actual suspension kicks in. Or, in case you’re nonetheless on a hardtail, the decrease tire strain it permits combines with the progressive compression to supply one thing like a small quantity of suspension.
The opposite profit is elevated sidewall help, which retains the tires’ form intact throughout laborious cornering regardless of the decrease pressures. Mix that with improved impression safety to your rims and a diminished likelihood of pinch flats and it’s the right performance-boosting insurance coverage for XC racers and aggressive path riders.
I’ve simply put in these alone bike and am testing them for the long run, however my first impressions are so good that I’d advocate attempting them proper now.
