Hack Norris Tyre Ninja - DIY Tyre Insert

[PhilipV]

I really rate the concept of tubeless tyre inserts for rough terrain. Csixx makes the Foamo and I think Huck Norris is also available locally.

 

My one mate also wanted one for his hardtail and with him being as snoep as I am, we decided to make it ourselves. I went googling and found reports of people using camping mats and children playmats to make the inserts. The important thing is that you use closed cell foam so that it won't absorb sealant.

 

I eventually found a suitable piece of closed cell foam at the local Builders Warehouse. I don't know what builders use it for, but it was long enough, wide enough (30cm) and 10mm thick, so I thought it would be worth a try at 80ZAR per sheet.

Cutting it with a knife if is easy, I sommer used my opinel as it lives in my pocket.

I cut 60mm wide bands for my Ibex 2.25 and Black Panther 2.2 tyres, and I cut 70mm strips for the 2.4 Ibex that I have on the front and The Sheriff (not the dangly one, the trail marshal here at Helderberg Trails) rolls with.

My rims are narrow, but I reckon with a wider rim 70mm is fine regardless of the tyre width. The Sheriff is running 2.4 Ibex on South rims, so the 70mm version is named after him.

The Ibex has proper sidewalls, but my Vredestein Black Panther that I use as a back tyre on my hardtail has thinner sidewalls, so this is where it will matter.

 

To get sealant to flow around in the wheel cavity I cut holes using a drill press and wood drill bits. A hole saw also works.

To join the ends I punched holes and used small zipties to connect the ends.

 

The finished product weighs very little, and I will see if it absorbs sealant how much effect it has on the weight. This is the Sheriff Spec on the scale.

 

I think the next step in the improvement would be to cut the strips using a laser cutter to get cleaner cuts (mine looks home-made) and to burn off the edges for a cleaner cut.

 

The cool thing about this is that a normal floor pump is all that is needed to seat tubeless tyres. No more compressors or air tanks needed.

 

But first we'll need to test them to see if it makes a difference or whether this concept needs to be filed away into the Fifth Cabinet in file 13.

With Ezelduro soon I reckon we'll have proper feedback. In the meantime I'll test it on Helderberg and at Hoogekraal on Sunday.

 

I will be honest, it is a bit of work, and if convenience or time constraints are even a small issue, then spending money on the production version is probably better.

It took me two nights after work to make 4 strips, and that the opportunity cost of time that could have been spent riding or with family needs to be accounted for as well.

But I am a bit of a maker type guy, so projects like this makes me happy.

Edited September 28, 2017 by PhilipV

[BaGearA]

I really rate the concept of tubeless tyre inserts for rough terrain. Csixx makes the Foamo and I think Huck Norris is also available locally.

 

My one mate also wanted one for his hardtail and with him being as snoep as I am, we decided to make it ourselves. I went googling and found reports of people using camping mats and children playmats to make the inserts. The important thing is that you use closed cell foam so that it won't absorb sealant.

 

I eventually found a suitable piece of closed cell foam at the local Builders Warehouse. I don't know what builders use it for, but it was long enough, wide enough (30cm) and 10mm thick, so I thought it would be worth a try at 80ZAR per sheet.

Cutting it with a knife if is easy, I sommer used my opinel as it lives in my pocket.

I cut 60mm wide bands for my Ibex 2.25 and Black Panther 2.2 tyres, and I cut 70mm strips for the 2.4 Ibex that I have on the front and The Sheriff (not the dangly one, the trail marshal here at Helderberg Trails) rolls with.

My rims are narrow, but I reckon with a wider rim 70mm is fine regardless of the tyre width. The Sheriff is running 2.4 Ibex on South rims, so the 70mm version is named after him.

The Ibex has proper sidewalls, but my Vredestein Black Panther that I use as a back tyre on my hardtail has thinner sidewalls, so this is where it will matter.

 

To get sealant to flow around in the wheel cavity I cut holes using a drill press and wood drill bits. A hole saw also works.

To join the ends I punched holes and used small zipties to connect the ends.

 

The finished product weighs very little, and I will see if it absorbs sealant how much effect it has on the weight. This is the Sheriff Spec on the scale.

 

I think the next step in the improvement would be to cut the strips using a laser cutter to get cleaner cuts (mine looks home-made) and to burn off the edges for a cleaner cut.

 

The cool thing about this is that a normal floor pump is all that is needed to seat tubeless tyres. No more compressors or air tanks needed.

 

But first we'll need to test them to see if it makes a difference or whether this concept needs to be filed away into the Fifth Cabinet in file 13.

With Ezelduro soon I reckon we'll have proper feedback. In the meantime I'll test it on Helderberg and at Hoogekraal on Sunday.

 

I will be honest, it is a bit of work, and if convenience or time constraints are even a small issue, then spending money on the production version is probably better.

It took me two nights after work to make 4 strips, and that the opportunity cost of time that could have been spent riding or with family needs to be accounted for as well.

But I am a bit of a maker type guy, so projects like this makes me happy.

Please report back with A full review after Ezel 

[Shebeen]

Snoep oke rolling on south rims, pull the next one tjaaina!

[PhilipV]

Snoep oke rolling on south rims, pull the next one tjaaina!

Ha! Lets rather call him selectively snoep. To make it worse He rides those plastic rims on a steel bike.

[MintSauce]

I shelled out for the cSixx Foamo Double Decker, rear wheel only, after my third proper ding on my brand new wheels after only 8 weeks (switched from a 26in trailbike to 650b HT)

 

I have to say, I can actually feel a difference on the trail. There is a certain feeling of dampening or cushioning that is hard to explain. Maybe it's just my imagination.

 

I'm interested to see how this pans out. My only concern would be the strength and consistency of the foam used. Will it survive a proper rock strike? I follow with interest!

[berg_fiets]

I really rate the concept of tubeless tyre inserts for rough terrain. Csixx makes the Foamo and I think Huck Norris is also available locally.

 

My one mate also wanted one for his hardtail and with him being as snoep as I am, we decided to make it ourselves. I went googling and found reports of people using camping mats and children playmats to make the inserts. The important thing is that you use closed cell foam so that it won't absorb sealant.

 

I eventually found a suitable piece of closed cell foam at the local Builders Warehouse. I don't know what builders use it for, but it was long enough, wide enough (30cm) and 10mm thick, so I thought it would be worth a try at 80ZAR per sheet.

Cutting it with a knife if is easy, I sommer used my opinel as it lives in my pocket.

I cut 60mm wide bands for my Ibex 2.25 and Black Panther 2.2 tyres, and I cut 70mm strips for the 2.4 Ibex that I have on the front and The Sheriff (not the dangly one, the trail marshal here at Helderberg Trails) rolls with.

My rims are narrow, but I reckon with a wider rim 70mm is fine regardless of the tyre width. The Sheriff is running 2.4 Ibex on South rims, so the 70mm version is named after him.

The Ibex has proper sidewalls, but my Vredestein Black Panther that I use as a back tyre on my hardtail has thinner sidewalls, so this is where it will matter.

 

To get sealant to flow around in the wheel cavity I cut holes using a drill press and wood drill bits. A hole saw also works.

To join the ends I punched holes and used small zipties to connect the ends.

 

The finished product weighs very little, and I will see if it absorbs sealant how much effect it has on the weight. This is the Sheriff Spec on the scale.

 

I think the next step in the improvement would be to cut the strips using a laser cutter to get cleaner cuts (mine looks home-made) and to burn off the edges for a cleaner cut.

 

The cool thing about this is that a normal floor pump is all that is needed to seat tubeless tyres. No more compressors or air tanks needed.

 

But first we'll need to test them to see if it makes a difference or whether this concept needs to be filed away into the Fifth Cabinet in file 13.

With Ezelduro soon I reckon we'll have proper feedback. In the meantime I'll test it on Helderberg and at Hoogekraal on Sunday.

 

I will be honest, it is a bit of work, and if convenience or time constraints are even a small issue, then spending money on the production version is probably better.

It took me two nights after work to make 4 strips, and that the opportunity cost of time that could have been spent riding or with family needs to be accounted for as well.

But I am a bit of a maker type guy, so projects like this makes me happy.

 

Awesome! 

[Eddy Gordo]

I also wanted to go this route. I could not find a foam that I was happy with. I was comparing it to the Csixx foamo. This is a slightly firm foam. 

I am pretty certain that the right foam shop will have, but I didnt get that far and weighed in costs, and then settled for the foamo.

 

If you do find a foam thats stiff enough to support the sidewalls and hard enough to absorb the impact then you will have a winner.

[Shebeen]

Ha! Lets rather call him selectively snoep. To make it worse He rides those plastic rims on a steel bike.

classic

[NicoBoshoff]

Insert on the front wheel? Y tho?

[droo]

That foam is used for soft joints in brickwork, or where brickwork meets steel to allow for movement.

 

The more you know...

[droo]

Insert on the front wheel? Y tho?

 

I've pinged front rims before today. And I'm slow.

[2bliss]

Please forgive me if this is a stupid question:  If a small weight penalty is incurred to protect sidewalls/rims, why not just go for slightly heavier and robust tyres more suited to the terrain?  I've also found that the right width combo of rim and tyre will result in a good tyre profile which is quite efficient at protecting the rim.

 

A concern regarding all inserts is that should you encounter some thorns, for instance, sealant will close the punctures, but the thorns might break off in the foam and eat at the tyre from the inside as there is nothing to stop the insert from rotating inside the tyre.

 

(Flashbacks from pre-tubeless days and those thick gel-like inserts that were supposed to stop sharp objects from puncturing the tube.)

 

I guess my real question is: Are inserts really needed/effective or just a new product companies are trying to sell us? 

 

Will be following this thread with interest to see how it works out 

[MintSauce]

Please forgive me if this is a stupid question:  If a small weight penalty is incurred to protect sidewalls/rims, why not just go for slightly heavier and robust tyres more suited to the terrain?  I've also found that the right width combo of rim and tyre will result in a good tyre profile which is quite efficient at protecting the rim.

 

A concern regarding all inserts is that should you encounter some thorns, for instance, sealant will close the punctures, but the thorns might break off in the foam and eat at the tyre from the inside as there is nothing to stop the insert from rotating inside the tyre.

 

(Flashbacks from pre-tubeless days and those thick gel-like inserts that were supposed to stop sharp objects from puncturing the tube.)

 

I guess my real question is: Are inserts really needed/effective or just a new product companies are trying to sell us? 

 

Will be following this thread with interest to see how it works out 

 

I don't know, eh. Bigger, heavier tyres will not prevent accidental rock strikes IMHO. That's just me. I like riding my tyres rather soft and I like blasting through rock gardens blind and at pace. The insert adds an extra layer of protection and absorption between rim and tyre that will still be absent from larger volume tyres. To me, that's better than a bigger tyre which might be less prone to damage than smaller tyres, but only slightly.

 

As for thorns, the foam sits up against the rim, not against the inside of the tyre. I don't see any issue there.

[PhilipV]

Insert on the front wheel? Y tho?

coz I can. And the more wheels have them in, the more I can test them.

Don't really think it is necessary for the front, but I have been known to ride like a neanderthal.  

[PhilipV]

Please forgive me if this is a stupid question:  If a small weight penalty is incurred to protect sidewalls/rims, why not just go for slightly heavier and robust tyres more suited to the terrain?  I've also found that the right width combo of rim and tyre will result in a good tyre profile which is quite efficient at protecting the rim.

 

A concern regarding all inserts is that should you encounter some thorns, for instance, sealant will close the punctures, but the thorns might break off in the foam and eat at the tyre from the inside as there is nothing to stop the insert from rotating inside the tyre.

 

(Flashbacks from pre-tubeless days and those thick gel-like inserts that were supposed to stop sharp objects from puncturing the tube.)

 

I guess my real question is: Are inserts really needed/effective or just a new product companies are trying to sell us? 

 

Will be following this thread with interest to see how it works out 

Not a stupid question. 

I generally ride the heavier stronger tyres anyway. I'll gladly take the weight penalty, no contest. But I have a bunch of tyres in a crate that I wont use on the big bike because of flimsy sidewalls, and they are now hopefully viable options as tyre fodder for the rear wheel on the hardtail. 

 

I'm curious about the puncture risk as well, and I'm not sure wether the holes will allow enough sealant to go through to seal the tyre in case of a puncture. only one way to find out though...

[2bliss]

Bigger, heavier tyres will not prevent accidental rock strikes IMHO. That's just me. I like riding my tyres rather soft and I like blasting through rock gardens blind and at pace.

 

Perhaps a combination of tyre choice, rim width, pressure, rider size and style?  Snakeskin sidewalls (NN) with relatively small weight penalty have protected my Chinese plastic over many a sharp rock garden when the wagon wheels had nowhere to go but straight over 

 

Hey, if current setup isn't working then this looks like an option.  Certainly less expensive than replacing anything else...