Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/1174286
October2019 2718 Nuetech supplies a tube of silicon grease with each NitroMousse. We're told you really can't use enough lube so we really slathered up the re and Nitro with the grease and had at it. With the Nitro all lubed up, slipping it into the re was literally effortless. The pro- cess is messy and gloves are a good idea for those who don't like their hands gooey. Popping the bead onto the rim was no different from a tube type re. Pop- ping the lubed-up Nitro into the rim was no problem. The fact that there's no valve stem to contend with is a bonus. The final step of spooning the outer bead onto the rim is a bit more challenging since it's akin to moun ng a re with the tube inflated. Fortunately our TMT5 Tire Changer has a foot-operated, bead breaker arm. With the opposite bead depressed into the well of the rim, popping the opposite bead over the rim was the same as a tube other than having to push the rim lock in while popping over the bead. The feeling of accomplishment was great, although I was somewhat surprised to learn installing a mousse is really no big deal, thanks to my Kauritmoto TMT5! Our bikes of choice for this test were our trusty KTM 300 XC-W's. One is a carbureted model, while the other is a 2019 TPI. We set the newer TPI up with the standard Nitro's, and the older carbed bike was fi ed with the so versions. With my buddy and fellow dirt bike freak Kyle Chute on hand for tes ng, we both hit our local loop for a few hours of tes ng. Within minutes, the results were immediately apparent. The "dead' feeling of mousses of the past was nonexistent. They felt so much livelier than what I'd experienced. The nitrogen-infused foam delivers a very interest- ing feel. I'd started out the test aboard the 300 TPI fi ed with standard Nitro's (10 to12 lbs.) and began to charge rocks at speed. Familiar with Kenda's Tri- ple-S cky front and how it behaves in the rocks, I've got to tell you I flat-out love Nitro's in this re. Gone was the "basketball" effect experienced with re bounce rebounding off rocks. The front end felt so much more planted with zero deflec on. Ripping up some rather rocky old logging roads, I'd inten onally rammed a few well entrenched rocks and was pleased to find the standard Nitro has a very progressive feel to it; unlike a tube that can feel harsh at higher pres- sures. As for the so Nitro, (6 to 8 lbs.), results were also tre- mendously posi ve. Coupled with Kenda's Triple S cky front, the re wraps itself around rocks and roots in amazing fashion. We climbed some steep sheer rock ledges with ease — climbs that I'd only consider run- ning a gummy such as an Ibex. What really impressed me about the so Nitro is how supple it feels but does not collapse and bang the rim as a tube does at low pressures. The combina on is amazing and should deliver many miles of trouble-free riding. Overall, we're pre y thrilled with Nuetech's Nitro- Mousse re inserts. Gone is the dead feel we'd expe- rienced with mousses of the past. As for weight, they weigh about the same as a heavy duty tube. As woods riders, it's really a nonissue. In fact, it can be consid- ered a bonus since momentum is a good thing when the going gets tough!