TYRE INSERTS: WHY IS YOUR SEALANT DRYING UP FAST?

Why is your tubeless sealant drying up fast when using anti pinch-flat tyre inserts? What can you do to prevent it? We dig into this topic here below.

Most tyre insert users are aware that an higher quantity of sealant is needed (compared to the same tubeless set-up, without inserts) in order to:

• compensate for the liquid needed to wet the inserts (hence unavailable to move around and fix punctures);
• compensate for the liquid absorbed by the inserts themselves (that doesn't happen with Tyreinvader, made of closed-cell EVA foam);
• compensate for the sealant trapped between insert and rim, unable to reach the inner surface of the tyre (we prevent this with the "alien" cut-outs of Tyreinvader).

Despite the increased quantity, the lifespan of sealant itself is often reduced... and the reason is clear, once you think about what happens inside your tyres.

Some tyre inserts, especially if they occupy most of the inner volume of the tyre, are constantly squeezing the sealant against the tyre inner surface while you ride. This stress will reduce the expected lifespan of all latex sealants.

To understand why, we have a little experiment for you. Try wetting two fingers in your sealant of choice, pinch and release the sealant between them several times... and the sealant will turn into a solid film.

We have two solutions for this:

• use our Tyreinvader insert, which is flat and won't constantly pinch your sealant as much as toroidal (donut-shaped) inserts. Inspecting it after a while, you'll still see some solid sealant at the edges, where Tyreinvader touches the tyre... but it’s neglectable compared to toroid inserts forever fused with the tyre by solidified sealant!);
• you can use the insert you prefer and our Végétalex sealant, which is not based on latex and won't suffer because of this constant stress.

Caffélatex is commonly used with inserts and it works great, as long as people are aware that inserts should be inspected more frequently to ensure the sealant is still in working state.

For peace of mind, easy cleaning and to reduce maintenance time, Végétalex is what we recommend, also thanks to its longer lifespan.

For racing and if you replace tyres often, Caffélatex will save you weight and it's generally the racers' choice.