P108
PRODUCT REVIEW I
NITROMOUSSE PL ATINUM &
F
or most of our Cycle News product
reviews, we share the claimed benefits and
design concepts and then dive into a Rider
Analysis of how that product performs. For this
one, we will first highlight the pros and cons
of mousse inserts and compare two options
available from Nitromousse.
Michelin introduced mousse tire inserts to
the off-road motorcycle market in the mid-
'80s. Mousse is the French word for foam and
the primary benefit of a mousse insert (inner
tube) is that they will not go flat like a typical
pneumatic (air-filled) inner tube. However, a
mousse can fail due to heat caused by friction
with the inside of the tire. They also provide a
different feel than an air-filled tube and some
people don't like this "dead" feeling. And
finally, mousse inserts are heavier than a tube.
Despite the negatives, the upside of not getting
a flat is critical for racing and can add to the
enjoyment of trail riding (no trail-side fixes or
carrying a tube and tools to change it).
If you do decide to go with a mousse
insert, there are several brands available with
different price points and performance claims.
We decided to give the Nitromousse inserts
a try and within their line, we compared the
standard Platinum, which is designed to feel
similar to 10-12 PSI and the Plushie, which is
claimed to feel like a tube inflated to 6-8 PSI.
(Left) The mousse
Platinum insert
from Nitromousse is
designed to feel more
like a traditional air-
filled inner tube with
a standard amount
of air pressure.
(Right) Nitromousse's
Plushie insert is pretty
much what the name
implies—plush (less
"air pressure"), at least
plusher compared to
the Platinum insert.
