If you have this Hamletic doubt, we must resolve it as soon as possible: your qualification as a biker counts. Let's analyze the strengths and weaknesses of these systems because none of them is better in all respects.
AIR CHAMBER
The oldest system in the world: an inner tube between the rim and the tyre. Being the oldest system in the world means there aren't many innovations but it has practicality on its side.
VALUES OF THE INNER TUBE:
- With an inner tube, you ALWAYS come HOME (even in the event of large tears in the tire using the cardboard package between the inner tube and the cut).
- There is no maintenance: as long as you don't puncture, the inner tube stays inside. The bike can stand still for years and remain inflated.
INNER TUBE DISADVANTAGES:
- A well-made plug is enough to puncture: in certain areas the use of the inner tube is difficult for this reason.
- You can't work too low or it will go flat (pinch).
TUBELESS
The evolution of the inner tube, namely the tubeless. By tubeless we mean a tire in which the inflation air is held inside by the rubber and steel structure only and therefore does not have the classic inner tube. Inside we will only have the anti-puncture liquid which will have 2 functions: to plug the micro holes that cause pressure to lose, making everything watertight, and to plug any cuts in the tire when you go to puncture/make small cuts. Despite some disadvantages, it is the most used system in the MTB sector because the merits outweigh the defects.
TUBELESS PRICE:
- You no longer puncture the pins (enormous advantage compared to the inner tube) but you remain stranded only in the event of large cuts that the latex is unable to plug: ok, it does not become impossible to puncture, on the contrary, but compared to the inner tube air punctures are halved (if not more).
- It doesn't get punctured by pinch flats: this allows you to ride at low pressure, without exaggerating, and not having the thought of pinching, as happens with an inner tube.
- The weight is slightly reduced, not having an air chamber inside but only the liquid (aspect taken into consideration for agonists cross country).
TUBELESS DISADVANTAGES:
- There is a slight additional maintenance compared to the inner tube given by the fact that, every 2-3 months, the level of the latex inside must be checked: being a liquid, it dries up, and if it is absorbed by the rubber, then it will no longer carry out its work and you will find yourself on foot during the exit.
- You can't leave your bike in the garage for months: the latex dries up and no longer performs its function. So it is not recommended for beginners who use the bike occasionally.
- With tubeless, you don't have the mathematical certainty of not puncturing therefore an inner tube must always be carried with you on the way out. And, in the event of a cut that the latex cannot plug, it gets dirty and stains (many bikers have latex-smeared clothes).
MTB SAUSAGE / INSERT
The sausage, or insert, has developed a lot in racing environments to meet a simple problem faced by professionals: wanting to run at low pressure without breaking in the event of heavy landings or very strong blows. So by inserting an insert inside, you will be able to turn 0.3/0.4 lower in pressure without having the anxiety of hitting the rim if you make a mistake or enter a stony ground too hard.
POINTS OF SAUSAGE/MTB INSERT:
- They allow you to turn at low pressures, increasing the driving feeling, without banging on the rim at the first big hit on some stone.
- Always in use at low pressures, the risk of stalling is avoided.
- In competitive use, it allows us not to lose ground in the event of a puncture (a very important aspect).
DISADVANTAGES MTB SAUSAGE/INSERT:
- Weight: maybe if you ride on DH or e-bike, the weight doesn't have a very relevant aspect, but for the competitor (especially cross country) is a fundamental point: a lot of work is done to have light rims and then 2 inserts are inserted in the 2 tires (it must be said that in the new models the weight is drastically reducing).
- Major maintenance: no matter how ingenious one is to design tools and assembly solutions, having an extra component inside the wheel is synonymous with greater maintenance. Then not everyone has the necessary manual skills to assemble it and here we find ourselves cursing on Saturday evening in the garage. On the other hand, the goal of the sausage is not to allow the tire to break loose, this means that it is not easy to remove the tire in the event of a problem or simply checking the latex inside. For maintenance, we also include the fact that it has a limited duration: in the sense that they are not infinite and must be checked, both to understand their condition (especially after riding in run-flat, i.e. with a hole wheel) and for the latex, given that they tend always drinking a little and consuming it more quickly (also from this point of view, the latest models are improving a lot).
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