mousses or tubes?

[roostafish]

Originally Posted by SpeedyManiac

I use mousses. I prefer using the Tire Balls system as far as ride feel goes, but mousses are guaranteed flat protection.

Mike, try the Tubliss with an ISDE legal tire. ISDE tires aren't anywhere near as tough as a standard 18 inch tire (like a Michelin S12XC or Maxxis IT or SI). If you plan on using Metzeler tires, beware. The tires are thinner (4 ply vs 6 ply I think) and don't hold up to abuse. There's a reason we change tires every day at the ISDE. The Metzeler Six Days Extreme tires are soft enough that one of our trophy riders in Greece would use two irons to lever a 6 inch section of the bead off the rim, then pull the rest of the tire (most of one bead, plus the entire other bead) with a brand new bib mousse in it right off the rim.

Seriously, just use mousses at the ISDE. I can't stress this enough. I mucked around and tried tire balls in Greece and it ended up costing me a silver medal (I finished with a bronze).

I should get some tires. I have not been able to get the Metzler, but Kenda makes a DOT super soft tire that could be close. Still, I owe it to Nuetech to give it my best shakedown before using mousses. Indeed if I qualify for the ISDE, there's no way I want to jeopardize a finish, and will do what I need to do. Too bad there's not a tough enough legal tire to go all six days, Mexico shouldn't be a muddy mess, so traction will be less an issue than pure degredation.

[AZRickD]

"...they last ages."

How long do they last?

[kim]

My mousses has been in for 3 years and I ride at least weekly on average and they still OK. I lube the sh*t of of them when changing tires.

I also notice that some people just cut the mousse and add/subtract sections to change the "pressure".

Mousse's do not have the same feel as tubes, but its a small price to pay, IMHO.

Also a note on heavy duty tubes. They have a tendency to wear within the tire as they do not move with the tire as a skinnier tube does. You will notice some (severe) wear marks on the HD tube when replacing tires, hence also replace the tubes at the same time.
That's the reason HD tubes are NOT recommended for H/W use.

Kim

[AZRickD]

What is the weight difference between a medium or HD tube and the Mousse?

I'm considering TuBliss front and rear, personally.

[stainlesscycle]

i run the tubliss - the only problem i have found is mounting used tires (i switch rear tires between race and practice..) - used tires don't seat very easy and leak slowly, even though i have tried to line the rimlock up in the same location...

[iancp5]

Mooses - well tested & proven. I doubt any of the top guys will use anything different. The top guys also practice changing them - they can do it very quickly with a pit crew laying all the kit out for them. You'll need at least a spare set of Mooses for your pit crew to have ready for you in new tyres. What some people do is have Mooses of various ages because they soften with use and it's like choosing your tyre pressure according to the weather. If you don't want the expense of changing them every day then you'll probably get a few days out of them if you're a smooth rider and the front will wear slower than the back.

Personally I've always found Michelin Mooses and Michelin comp 4 and comp 3 combination of tyres the best all rounder FIM combination. They seem to especially suit GasGas well and they are the easiest to change. You really don't want some rock hard tyre to change in a hurry with a Moose in it. The heat in Mexico should make it easier. If it happens to be cool you might want to check rules to see if your pit crew can put the new tyre and Moose in a tyre warmer. Michelin are soft tyres but therefore grip well on most things including rock.

If you are not well practiced in changing Mooses you definitely need to be - I assume you have the usual FIM 30 mins for maintenance at the end of the day? Doing Mooses at home I reckon I take more like 45 mins a wheel but that includes cleaning the rim and Moose and putting it in the new tyre. ISDE rules may allow the new tyre to have a lubed Moose already in it with the beads nice and lubed too?

[gasser]

Originally Posted by stainlesscycle

i run the tubliss - the only problem i have found is mounting used tires (i switch rear tires between race and practice..) - used tires don't seat very easy and leak slowly, even though i have tried to line the rimlock up in the same location...

The thing on the Tublis system that looks like a traditional rim lock does not contact the tire bead in the same way.

[SpeedyManiac]

Originally Posted by iancp5

Mooses - well tested & proven. I doubt any of the top guys will use anything different. The top guys also practice changing them - they can do it very quickly with a pit crew laying all the kit out for them. You'll need at least a spare set of Mooses for your pit crew to have ready for you in new tyres. What some people do is have Mooses of various ages because they soften with use and it's like choosing your tyre pressure according to the weather. If you don't want the expense of changing them every day then you'll probably get a few days out of them if you're a smooth rider and the front will wear slower than the back.

Personally I've always found Michelin Mooses and Michelin comp 4 and comp 3 combination of tyres the best all rounder FIM combination. They seem to especially suit GasGas well and they are the easiest to change. You really don't want some rock hard tyre to change in a hurry with a Moose in it. The heat in Mexico should make it easier. If it happens to be cool you might want to check rules to see if your pit crew can put the new tyre and Moose in a tyre warmer. Michelin are soft tyres but therefore grip well on most things including rock.

If you are not well practiced in changing Mooses you definitely need to be - I assume you have the usual FIM 30 mins for maintenance at the end of the day? Doing Mooses at home I reckon I take more like 45 mins a wheel but that includes cleaning the rim and Moose and putting it in the new tyre. ISDE rules may allow the new tyre to have a lubed Moose already in it with the beads nice and lubed too?

ISDE is 10 minutes in the morning and 15 at the end of the day. Changing a tire should be 4-5 minutes including removing and re-installing the wheel if you want to be competitive. FIM tires are flimsy so changing them isn't a problem.