Italian manufacturer Technomousse is known primarily as a supplier of tire mousses for motocross bikes. While their moto foam insert replaces the air and expands the tire, the Red Poison Evo is a conventional insert that works with air. How did the Italian motocross specialist fare in the MTB sector?
Impact protection very high | Price € 179.98 | Manufacturer’s Website
The Technomousse Red Poison Evo is by far the heaviest tire insert in this group test. Tipping the scales at 606 g for the pair, it’s over 150 g heavier than the second heaviest competitor, the CushCore, which is mainly due to the dense, firm foam the Technomousse is made of. On the upside, the Red Poison provides the highest level of puncture protection in the lab. Retailing at € 179.98 (pair), they’re also the most expensive option together with the CushCore. Not only do the two models have a similar price, but also look incredibly similar, sharing roughly the same width and the same, slightly offset centre groove – although the Technomousse has a deeper profile. The box includes a set of compatible tubeless valves that allow air to move through the valve without being obstructed by the insert. Alongside the Red Poison Evo, the Italian manufacturer also offers an XC-oriented insert that weighs 150 g less (per insert), as well as a model specifically developed for e-bikes. The latter is designed to wrap around an inner tube, meaning that it protects the tire mainly against cuts, providing less sidewall support as a result. All Technomousse inserts can be purchased either as a pair or separately, so you can mix and match them as you please.
Installing the Technomousse Red Poison Evo tire insert
When it comes to installation, the Technomousse Red Poison Evo is one of the most stubborn inserts in the entire test field. Its inner diameter is much smaller than the rim’s outer circumference, requiring a great deal of strength to pull the insert over the wheel. As if this wasn’t hard enough, the dense, firm material makes it hard to stretch the insert. Once you’ve wrestled the Technomousse over the rim, it sits incredibly tightly, making it hard to push the tire bead into the rim.
The Technomousse Red Poison Evo tire insert on the trail
On the trail, the Technomousse Red Poison Evo provides a highly damped ride feeling, effectively filtering out all of the small chatter. At the same tire pressure, the Technomousse and CushCore feel very similar, but the Red Poison Evo’s high protection level allows you to run even lower air pressures without sweating cold with every impact, while further improving traction and damping. Overall, the Technomousse is overkill for most riders, especially considering the weight you’re adding to your bike. Heavy riders, racers and bike park shredders, on the other hand, will benefit from the insert’s excellent level of protection, which ensures extra peace of mind and also allows you to run very low tire pressures for more grip. Moreover, the firm consistency of the insert lets you roll back to the car park with a flat tire, without smashing your rims.
Conclusion
The Technomousse Red Poison Evo is the tire insert for the rough stuff, providing a very damped ride and high protection level, both for your tires and rims. As a result, you can drop the tire pressure much lower than with any other insert in this test and still roll to the car park with a flat tire without shredding your rims to pieces. However, peace of mind sometimes comes at a price, which in this case is the elevated weight. As a result, the Technomousse is an interesting option mainly for heavy riders and bike park shredders.
Tops
- Very high level of impact protection
- Allows you to run low air pressures for more traction
Flops
- Heavy
- Overkill for most riders
For more information, visit technomousse.com.
For an overview of the group test: The best tire inserts – 5 variants in review
All inserts in test: Hardware shop Backer rod (Click for review) | CushCore PRO (Click for review) | PTN R-Evolution (Click for review) | Rimpact PRO V2 (Click for review) | Technomousse Red Poison Evo
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Words: Simon Kohler Photos: Mike Hunger
