The news that initially passed behind the spotlights is now in the light. The series of tires with EXO + protection has changed the type of structure: passing from a 120tpi carcass with anti-puncture Silkshield protection, to a 60 tpi with a butyl insert to protect the heel.
This change increases the weight of the tire by 1% to 5%, but if it actually improves protection, what they are convinced of in Maxxis, it can be a fair compromise without going for the Double Down protection. The manufacturers have therefore decided with this type of tire to create a happy medium between the aforementioned DD and the EXO Protection.
At launch, this series was supposed to be the perfect solution between the two opposites, but it turned out to be neither on one side nor on the other, giving sometimes excellent and sometimes bad results. An example of this was tested on my skin: a same day mounted EXO + tire cut in two hours, while the previous EXO lasted almost a season.
But what does this change in the number of TPI mean? The increase of this value results in a greater number of cloths used in each inch of thickness, reducing the weight but also the quantity of “rubber” that is inserted between one layer and another. Therefore, a lower number of Tpi theoretically increases the quantity of rubbery material and therefore the resistance to punctures, provided, however, of an increased weight.
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Even more protective layers can be added to the casing, as for example in tyres Downhill: they have in fact two 60Tpi layers, while two 120Tpi in the Double Down version.
