Tyre inserts have become commonplace in both the Enduro & Downhill scenes, with their benefits being undeniable when hammering down the roughest terrain. And with cross-country courses becoming ever more technical and demanding, even featherweight XC bikes are often sporting lightweight variants of the foam inserts in search of puncture protection and sidewall support.
UK-based Rimpact has been around since 2018, producing foam tyre inserts that live in the well of the rim and offer a degree of sidewall support. Rimpact have recently launched it’s V2 series of inserts, including the flagship Pro insert featuring dual-density closed cell foam designed specifically for Enduro and Downhill racing.
Rimpact Pro V2 Inserts
The V2 combines multiple rolling changes on the Original and Pro series inserts, including making them wider to better suit common 2.4in-2.6in tyres, and improving the design to reduce stretch over the life of the insert.
The Rimpact Pro V2 inserts are available individually or as a pair in either 29in or 27.5in, and includes the brand’s own tubeless valves that are cross drilled to avoid the insert smothering airflow. Weighing in at 162 grams per insert on the FlowMTB scales of truth, the inserts are impressively light compared to the Cushcore Trail which weighed in at 220 grams, or the Cushcore XC inserts at 148 grams per insert, but are still nearly double the 90g Tubolight.
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Installation & Ride Impressions
If anyone ever tells you installing rim inserts is easy, they are either lying, or have done it more times than they care to admit. While we were hoping the revised V2 inserts would be a piece of cake to install, we were maybe a little too optimistic, and pairing them with a DH Casing Maxxis DHR2 may not have helped the situation. Thankfully, Rimpact has some very handy installation instructions on its website, which in conjunction with a large serving of patience, resulted in a mostly painless install.
On the climbs, the increase in weight was noticeable, but never to the point where it felt inefficient. Quick sprints required a little extra effort, but when navigating technical terrain, the weight came in handy, and the lower pressures and increased momentum assisted with those tricky manoeuvres.
On the descents they effectively damp impacts, especially on rocky terrain, resulting in a smoother ride with reduced vibrations. Cornering felt more secure and predictable, thanks to the added sidewall support and reduced pressures. Despite the additional rotational mass, the ride quality remained lively and didn’t detract from the responsiveness of the bike. The most notable improvement was how the bike seemed to track straighter and more predictably the rough off-camber sections of trail, resisting being kicked off line or dropping down the camber.
While inserts are often marketed at heavier riders or for those who are hard on wheels, lighter riders or those who rarely damage wheels will too benefit from the characteristics the inserts provide. The ride qualities of the Rimpact Pro V2’s became evident right away, and we quickly became accustomed to the increase in damping and stability. They are impressively light given their gravity focussed intentions, and with the additional protection and performance benefits they pose, we feel the weight penalty is a more than reasonable tradeoff.
