The OPTIS (Odyssey Pneumatic Tire Insert System) is a lightweight, tunable, tyre insert, which is inflated with a bike pump rather than arriving as a fully turgid foam strip. Similar to a motorcycle mousse, the OPTIS is a departure from the standard foam inserts.
It works by using a not-very-stretchy inner tube, which forms a very lightweight band inside the rim.
Instead of expanding outward into the tyre's casing like an ordinary inner tube, once inflated, the OPTIS cinches down, hugging the rim.
This creates a bead lock, preventing the tyre from burping. It also protects the rim from impact.
Odyssey claim that the OPTIS adds only 90g to a traditional tubeless setup, making it much lighter than most inserts.
Besides weight saving, the insert's firmness can be tuned to suit conditions and rider tastes.
The inner tube is filled with air through a special valve, which uses the same central valve stem as the Presta valve, which fills the tubeless tyre above the insert.
Odyssey claims installation is easier than a standard insert, and can even be used to help seat stubborn tubeless tyres.
Odyssey also claims the OPTIS offers lower rolling resistance on rough surfaces than foam inserts, citing that losses from hysteresis (the foam material moving against the inside of the tyre) will be reduced.
Haven't we seen this before?
The eagle-eyed amongst you may think this is a very similar concept to the Schwalbe Procore from 2016 – and you would be right, but there are a few key differences which set the OPTIS apart.
Firstly, the OPTIS uses just a bare inflatable tube made of a relatively inflexible material.
The Schwalbe Procore used a pseudo-tyre, which looked much like a beadless, blue road bike tyre, which sat over a traditional stretchy rubber inner tube.
Crucially, the valve design looks different.
The Schwalbe Procore valve was a very clever piece of engineering, but was intricate and prone to becoming blocked by the talc in the rubber inner tube.
The chunky valve on the OPTIS will hopefully alleviate these issues.
- OPTIS estimated MSRP: $89.99
- OPTIS replacement insert: $39.99
