Vittoria is the latest company to enter the tire insert market. The Air-Liner is designed to reduce the risk of flatting tires and cracking rims while improving ride quality by damping impacts and increasing traction.
According to Ken Avery, Vittoria’s vice-president of marketing and product, the company learned from the strengths and weaknesses of other tire inserts, including Huck Norris and Cush Core, before moving forward with the development of the Air-Liner.
The Air-Liner is constructed from closed-cell EVA foam that won’t soak up sealant and is claimed to be very durable, with a claimed lifespan of 2,000 hours of riding.
Vittoria will offer the Air-Liner in four volumes to cover cross-country, enduro, plus and fat bike applications. The claimed weight for a 27.5 insert is 160g.
Unlike Cush Core, which is very effective but can be difficult to install, Air-Liner isn’t a continuous ring. The Air-Liner comes in a single length, suitable for 29in wheels that can be cut to fit 27.5 or 26in wheels.
Once properly sized, the two ends of the Air-Liner are joined with a zip-tie and wrapped in adhesive tape included with the kit.
A channel machined into the foam allows the Air-Liner to be easily installed and removed on the rim. Once installed, riders are able to run lower pressures with a decreased chance of pinch flatting tubeless tires or cracking expensive carbon rims.
Check out the video below for more details on Air-Liner installation.
Vittoria Air-Liner set up
Vittoria plans to sell the Air-Liner individually since many riders opt to only run an insert in the rear tire. The Air-Liner will be available this June.
Pricing is set at $85 per insert. (UK and Australian pricing have yet to be confirmed.)
Visit vittoria.com for more information.
