Panzer launch gravel specific tyre inserts - lighter rim protection for adventure bikes
Panzer launch new, lighter gravel specific tyre inserts at Sea Otter Europe. The brand says they have scaled down the anti-pinch tyre insert down to a narrower piece of kit intended for gravel and adventures bikes.
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Foam tyre inserts such as these are big news on the mountain bike scene. Designed to be used with a tubeless tyre setup the circular inserts are placed around the rim, inside the tyre and work by preventing the tyre from roll, pinching of the sidewall and protecting the rim from damage. They also allow riders to use lower tyre pressures than they might otherwise which in turn can provide more grip. Running a set up like this on gravel bikes could be the ultimate way of preventing any mechanicals in the tyre/rim department but it also adds weight to the wheelset, 75g per wheel in this case over a regular tubeless setup.
The foam liner uses the same five sided shape as their MTB tyre inserts but it is made to fit specifically inside 38-45mm wide tyre rather than larger mountain bike ones. It's one of just a couple of options for gravel grinders out there, Cush Core and Mariposa Tyreinvaders are a similar size.
Panzer says the diamond shape insert 'floats' inside the tyre allowing the tyre to flex and move at low pressures whilst still always being in the correct place to protect against pinch flats. The new gravel insert also uses a slightly higher density, closed cell foam than the companies other MTB products. Like other tyre inserts both in the range and on the market, they will also offer some rim protection if, as a last resort, you need to ride out on the rim when a puncture or tyre slash cannot otherwise be fixed on the trail.
At the moment the inserts come just for 700c tyres, with a 650B option on the way. In the UK, you can get these from ATB (aka Whyte Bikes) here - www.whyte.bike. The MTB inserts are £55, we expect the gravel ones to be similarly priced.
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