Hi everyone! I started to use a new wheel set up for this year’s cyclocross season. I’m running Schwalbe X One Allround tubeless tires with Vittoria Air Liner Gravel. I just wondered if someone has used a similiar set up and could share some experience with it like tire pressure and handling in different conditions.
Following. Using same tires and have considered inserts. I wonder how much rim width would also factor into this.
I had a few burps last year and so this year I’m running PDX front / MXP rear with cush core inserts. I’m around 165-170 lbs running 25-27psi F / 26-29psi R. Even following the directions a new MXP tire it was sooooo difficult to install I don’t think it is physically possible to burp!
Only had 2 races but no issues with loosing pressure/burping. I don’t have a great ‘feel’ for little traction differences but I’ll keep trying different combos for various courses.
I have airliners in my current cross wheels. The wheels are Reynolds AR 58/62 (21mm internal) with 38mm Vitoria Terrino mix tires. I bought the inserts purely for wheel protection - and they work great! I haven’t tried them with 33mm tires yet. I’ve hit the wheel on logs and roots and the insert seems to do a good
Job of protecting the wheel. I’ve heard you can run lower pressure with them, but haven’t had to air down enough to test low pressures. Installation was a bit of a pain, and I had to use valve extenders to make them work for my wheels. (I tried using regular valves but it won’t work with the insert).
I have run tubeless with the Cushcore gravel inserts for CX several times. They are phenomenal, never had a burp even at very low tire pressures. I can’t say this for sure, but it seems like at low pressures when the insert gets squeezed, it mashes the tire bead onto the rim, thus preventing burps during those times when you would otherwise be most vulnerable to them. IDK if other inserts would do this, but the robust-ness of the Cushcores seems to play a large part in it. Just my $0.02.
That being said, I’d still run no inserts for a dry/fast course. The lower pressures and rolling on the inserts increases rolling resistance a lot, which is fine if you get the benefit of big traction improvement for wet/slick conditions, but not in the dry when traction is rarely the big problem.
Interesting. A couple of years ago, midway through an 11-race season, I put in home made inserts and I felt that I was going slower. Wasn’t sure if it was mental or IRL . . . I think that it was more the latter.