Farewell to flat tyres, so long dented rims, adieu to burping, and hello to the added grip – the advantages given by double chamber systems sound almost too good to be true. And that’s exactly why we’re curious. The creators of the DeanEasy system have given us the opportunity to test their version. Here’s our first introduction to their design and a run-down of how to set it up.

Alle Komponenten des Dean Easy-Doppelkammer-Systems, erhältlich für 220 €.
The sum of the necessary parts for the Dean Easy double chamber system costs 220 €.

What’s a double chamber system?

This refers to how the air is divided in the tyre. The smaller, higher-pressure interior chamber protects the rims from dents. In addition, the actual sidewall is pressed against the rim bead to keep it secure. This enables you to ride a lower air pressure (up to 0.8 bar) in the tyres, with masses of grip and braking traction as a result. The risk of burping (losing air on corners as the seal between the tyre and rim is broken) is eliminated. And, thanks to the lower air pressure, the damping of the tyre is significantly improved – and if you do start to lose air through a hole in the sidewall, then the smaller air chamber should guarantee that the tyre will still roll. This marks a dream come true for everyone who envisions themselves caning through a root garden or for those who’ll enjoy taking corners like on rails with the extra grip!

The advantages in brief

  • More grip due to the lower air pressure
  • More comfort due to the improved damping from the lower air pressure
  • No risk of burping because of the pressure of the inner chamber
  • The inner chamber protects your rims from being damaged
  • Even if the main tube looses air, the tyre can still be ridden

Construction

Befasst man sich wenige Sekunden mit dem System, erklärt sich der Aufbau wie von selbst.
The set-up is pretty obvious once you take a moment to look through the pieces.

With the individual parts laid out in front of you, you’d be forgiven for presuming that it’s a complicated procedure. But take a moment to have a proper look and you’ll realize just how straight forward it is. The DeanEasy double chamber system consists of a solid inner tube, similar to a road cycling tube. Then there’s a two-part valve and the ‘air guide’, which enables you to inflate both chambers.

Set-up

Zur Benutzung von Dean Easy müssen die Ventilbohrungen auf 9,8 mm vergrößert werden.
To use DeanEasy the valve hole has to be enlarged to 9.8 mm.

While set-up sounds easy, it is actually a little more complicated to carry out. As it costs 220 € anyway, and you’re likely to use the system on wheels easily costing three figures, you might be a little shocked by what follows:
After scanning the instruction manual, we noticed that DeanEasy requires the valve holes to be enlarged to 9.8mm – an act that prompted indignation in the office as we realized we’d have to drill through expensive rims. But there was no patience for outrage; room had to be made for the two-part valve. We duly found the right drill and fixed the wheel into a solid vice to keep it in place as we drilled.

Nach dem Bohren sollten die Löcher gut entgratet werden. Die scharfen Kanten könnten die Innenkammer sonst beschädigen.
After drilling it’s crucial to de-burr the hole. The sharp burrs could damage the inner chamber.

Once the valve holes have been enlarged, the holes need to be well de-burred, otherwise the burrs could damage the inner chamber. The thread insert for the value then needs to be equipped with the two-component adhesive, and screwed into the external part of the value using a 45 Torx key and the adhesive to seal. When positioning the external, red anodized value, make sure it against the rotation direction to avoid any possible damage from trail debris.

Der innere Ventileinsatz wird mit Zweikomponentenkleber versehen ...
The inner and outer valve guide have to be bonded …
… und mit dem außen liegenden Ventil verschraubt.
… and screwed into the external valve.

After leaving the adhesive to harden over night, the following morning brought with it another advantage of the double chamber system: as soon as the tyres are filled with the sealant and the inner chamber is inflated to around 8 bar, the tyre already sits steadfastly in its position. As the inner chamber of the tube is pressed into the rim bead, you don’t need to wait for a pop as the tyre bead seals – the tyre will hold air immediately.

Der Reifen wird wie gewohnt aufgezogen und mit Tubeless-Milch befüllt.
The tyre is mounted as usual and filled with sealant.
Danach wird die Innenkammer mit 8–10 bar ...
Then inflate the inner chamber with 8–10 bar …
… und die äußere Luftkammer mit dem gewünschten Druck befüllt. Empfohlen werden 0,8–1,3 bar.
… and the outer with your desired air pressure. 0.8–1.3 bar is recommended.

DeanEasy advertise their system as riding with an air pressure of 0.8-1.3 bar, a figure that’s significantly different to regular tubeless set-ups. Over the coming days, weeks and months we’ll test different air pressures, tyre combinations and terrain so that we can report back in more detail. This will be where you’ll find out just how good the double chamber system can perform, how it feels to ride and whether it can survive more than just a few rides!
We’ll also put it to the test again Procore from Schwalbe, a system that’s easier to assemble and 25 € cheaper. But if shaving precious grams on your bike is important to you then DeanEasy’s option could be a serious alternative.

For more information head to: deaneasy.it

Words: Daniel Schlicke Photos: Sebastian Hermann / Manne Schmitt / Daniel Schlicke


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