Slicy Products have released the Smooth 2.0 anti-pinch flat tire insert with a honeycomb design said to offer improved shock absorption properties. Not only that, but they have updated the finish to prevent sealant sticking to it, adding cut-outs too to allow sealant to move throughout the tire more freely. Here are all the details.
Slicy Smooth 2.0 Tire Insert
Tire insert technology has come a long way in recent years. Gone are the pool noodle-style rings of foam, replaced by closed-cell foams of varying densities and shapes promising many benefits beyond basic pinch flat protection.
The Slicy Smooth 2.0 is advertised as an anti-pinch flat insert, sitting between the tire and the rim, preventing the latter from cutting through the former during bottom-outs over rough terrain. If you are unfortunate enough to get a flat, the brand say it can also work well as a run-flat insert, helping you get to the bottom of the track without destroying your rim in the process.
These were the principle selling points of the original Smooth tire insert, too. However, Slicy have taken things up a gear with the new Slicy Smooth 2.0 tire insert. The redesign has looked at improving the insert’s shock absorbing properties with the addition of a honeycomb-patterned surface over an increased foam density.
That foam is a closed-cell EVA foam that won’t absorb tire sealant. The brand have also given the insert a “slicker” finish, to help prevent sealant sticking to it quite as much. Weight-reducing cut-outs along the middle of the insert should help sealant flow more freely throughout the tire. They also mean that you won’t need tire insert-specific valves to run them; a regular tubeless valve will do the job.
By virtue of the pinch-flat protection, Slicy say the insert will allow riders to run lower pressures for increased grip. At just 15mm thick, the Slicy Smooth 2.0 probably won’t offer quite as much side-wall support as thicker tire inserts such as the CushCore Pro. However, it is both lighter and much cheaper, weighing a claimed 135g in 29″.
Pricing & Availability
The Slicy Smooth 2.0 is offered in a standard version for 2.2″-2.6″ tires (25mm-35mm internal rim width), and a PLUS version for 2.7″ to 3.0″ tires (35mm-45mm internal rim width). Both come in the full length 29″ size, but can be cut down to fit 27.5″ and 26″ tires.
Pick up the Smooth 2.0 for 44,9€. If you’re running PLUS tires, you’ll need the Smooth PLUS which will set you back 49,9€.
