MRWOLF BANGER IS ONE OF THE FIRST SYSTEMS TO HAVE OFFICIALLY ARRIVED ON THE MARKET AND THEN FOLLOWED BY MANY. BANGER IS A SYSTEM USING A VERY LOW DENSITY TECHNOPOLYMER DESIGNED AND DEVELOPED SPECIFICALLY FOR MTB. IT CAN BE FITTED IN ANY TIRE, YOU JUST HAVE A TUBELESS-READY RIM.
Puncture is a daily problem in MTB and many companies are trying to solve this problem with systems that are not yet final and, very often, handmade. This category includes the "donuts", as many like to define these products. It must be said, however, that they are not to be defined as 'puncture systems' in the true sense of the word, only the use of a solid tire would support this concept. These products, like MrWolf, lead to better driving performance and a return home (or end of a race) in the event of a puncture, but then the tire should be restored to avoid damage to rims or premature deterioration of the product itself. Another very important aspect is the safeguarding of the rim. The Banger is an HCE technopolymer that differs from the mousse used in motocross for the material and, consequently, for the weight: initially MrWolf replicated the mousse bike but the weight of 1kg was a nice deterrent, in addition to the fact that when the bike it took an impact, sat down, slowed down, this is because the absence of air inside the structure didn't make it reactive: it didn't feel like riding a bike in a nutshell. The air, in the current final product, takes up only 5% and wraps the Banger above and below with the bead breaking and pinching speech eliminated. It is also possible to insert latex into the structure to try to plug any cuts in the rubber, since the Banger is water repellent, but we will talk about this later in the test.

the volume of air
within the
95% tire,
leading to new ones
driving sensations
THE VERSIONS AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET
Banger is available in 4 sizes, from Xc to plus: 1.9-2.2 (XC, weight 198gr), 2.2-2.4 (Enduro, weight 220gr) and from 2.4 up (DH, weight 270gr). Also present is the Plus version designed for e-bikes weighing 320gr. The density of the product remains the same for all areas and is available in all 3 sizes: 26 ", 27,5" and 29 ". The price is around € 100 in Banger.
FIELD TEST
The assembly itself, for those with a minimum of manual skills, is simple even if it depends a lot on the type of tire shoulder: it is almost like inserting a tire in inner tube mode. Once assembled, it inflates and the Banger is ready. In our case, however, we had to insert a little latex inside to avoid micro-leaks of air otherwise, after about a day, the wheel lost pressure. We therefore used very liquid latex because the latex supplied in the MrWolf kit is very grainy, similar to Slime, and did not fulfill this task, that is to plug the micro holes. Its insertion was a bit difficult as there is not much space between the Banger and the rim (the risk is to get a lot of it out and dirty your floor, even using a syringe for insertion via a valve). Over time, however, the risk of the Banger drinking some latex (and gaining weight while leaving the inside of the tire dry) is high. Once our Banger is ready, we are ready to go out on the road… or rather on dirt! The Banger changes the sensations of riding in the saddle of your MTB: shocks are absorbed, vibrations are reduced and the feeling of stability and float increases. But the biggest difference is in the response we have when entering and exiting corners: we can really use any type of pressure which, at worst, our Banger will take care of holding us up without letting the tire open and without bringing exaggerated "drift effects" with it. .

If the grip is always present, the other aspect that impressed me the most is the thrust it gives us when exiting corners: the air inside the system is very progressive therefore, once "pressed down", it returns a lot of energy. I had already written it in the 1st test published in last May's issue but I'm reconfirming it again in this more in-depth test: entering a bank with a pressure close to 1 bar, and not feeling the tire bulge, it's fantastic, but even more then having a structure that literally pushes you out without sitting down is fantastic! Silence is another aspect that greatly improves our quality riding: the quieter the bike, the more pleasant it is to ride, a silent bike leads us to push even further downhill, instilling confidence in us. The silence is given by the fact of being able to use a lower pressure with a Banger which helps to dampen the stresses. In our case we found the right pressure around 1.4 bar at the front and 1.5 bar at the rear but, of course, this depends on our riding style and, above all, on the tyre. The sensations and performance downhill are sublime and, for those who compete, this product is a godsend to have a greater feeling and more safety in the event of a puncture. We can only be super satisfied with this product which increases, by no small amount, the factors that are of great interest to us bikers: grip and rim protection. From the point of view of duration, it depends a lot on the use made of it and on the pressures used. We have ascertained that with non-intensive/competitive use, it can take up to a year: the signs of wear will certainly be seen on the Banger but they do not change performance much.
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• excellent rim protection • feeling of fantastic buoyancy • no drift effect with low pressures • Silence | • The weight and the cost • In case of puncture it is impossible to store it in the backpack (although, with due care, it is possible to return with 0 bar pressure but it gets very underneath pressure the Banger due to wear) |
