WTB bolsters its range with the TCS Rocket Tyre Plug Kit
Brand new TPU tubes and tubeless valves also make the lineup.
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WTB, the brand best known for its range of tyres, wheels and saddles, has expanded its offering and now features tubeless repair, TPU inner tubes and max-flow valves. However, it's the new TCS Rocket Tyre Plug Kit provides a clever and permanent solution to tubeless tyre repair that's got us all thinking, "Why hasn't anyone else done that?"
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The Rocket Tyre Plug Kit doesn't look different from other tubeless repair kits at first glance. It's similar in action, too, in that you use it to push a sticky strip of rubber into a puncture hole. However, the trick is that it uses anchors that WTB calls Rockets. With these, the bacon strip, slug, worm or whatever you like to call them is threaded through the Rocket and then inserted into the tyre. When pulled, the Rocket becomes an anchor which directly addresses the semi-permanence of traditional tyre repair solutions. The Rockets or anchors, can then insert up to four plugs depending on whether you choose the large or small size Rocket.
2024 wtb tsc rocket repair rockets.jpg, by Liam Mercer
What's also cool is that these Rockets can be reused once the tyre has reached the end of its life. That, and they can be used even without the rest of the tyre plug kit, apart from the plugs of course, because the Rockets use a small Allen attachment at their base, so they can be inserted using an Allen key which then opens up the opportunity for sneaky minimalist storage.
2024 wtb tsc rocket repair open.jpg, by Liam Mercer
Included in the kit is an 'Extra Hand' that serves to seal punctures temporarily as the user prepares a Rocket and it can also be used to ream a puncture and remove any anchors that may have gotten stuck inside the tool itself.
All of that is self-stored inside its own capsule which then holds four anchors of two sizes and 15 1.5mm plugs.
WTB has also brought some new valves to the market. WTB's TSC Max-Flow Tubeless Valves are said to provide better airflow by employing a wider bore diameter. The brand says that this results in an 84% increase in air capacity and works to reduce the chances of sealant from clogging.
2024 wtb valves.jpg, by Liam Mercer
The TSC Max-Flow Valves use a traditional Presta core, chosen for its easy availability and at the base of the valve, there are large holes to encourage the flow of tubeless sealant. The placement of these holes allows the valves to be used with tyre inserts.
Last but not least, WTB has moved into TPU tubes with the NanoAir TPU Tubes. They carry all of the benefits we've seen from rival companies, including reduced weight (60% lighter than butyl tubes) and pack down to a third of the size of their butyl counterpart.
2024 wtb tube.jpg, by Liam Mercer
There are then benefits to rolling resistance and WTB reckons that the TPU tubes are more durable. These tubes are available in three sizes, 29x1.9-2.5in, 700x32-47mm and 700x18-32mm. There are also two Glue-Less TPU patches included in the box.
The WTB Rocket Tyre Plug Kit is priced at £50 with refills costing £20 a pop, the Max-Flow valves are £32 and the TPU tubes are available from£35 to £38 depending on the size.
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