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A bib mousse thread

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RollingJ

RollingJ

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Joel
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I have a spare wheelset for the KTM and I like to ride fast all day in the desert.

I also don't like flat tires.

I know a little about bikes, but I need to be schooled on bibs.

If you have run them please pass along your recommendations.
 
I ran them for about 3 sets. They were fairly new to the scene at the time so maybe things have improved. I still use one on the front for race bike but went back to tubliss on the rear for way low pressure. That's the only motorcycle I have still using a bib. If you go over 45 they wear out pretty quick. Pavement will kill em. Friction/heat not good. New ones may be better and I'll be interested to hear from folks with more recent experience. If you decide to run a set hit me up and I'll send you some silicon/teflon pooky that makes life a whole lot better.
 
I've also been tempted to go this route. I remember this video from a few years ago.
If anyone knows anything about tire system endurance, it is Lyndon Poskitt.

www.facebook.com

So here’s the low down on the Michelin Motorcycle M16 BIB Mousse test with a Michelin Anakee Wild front tyre on R2P with Basil Bike (heavy adventure... | By Lyndon PoskittFacebook

So here’s the low down on the Michelin Motorcycle M16 BIB Mousse test with a Michelin Anakee Wild front tyre on R2P with Basil Bike (heavy adventure...
www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
 
If they didnt make tubes or tubeless tires it wouldn't bother me. I run bibs in my 300, 500 and 790. I do have an extra set of rims for the 790. Heat is the demon in bibs. I put tubeless valve stems in my rims and can add lube whenever I need. You're not going to have heat issues on dirt. In Utah you can easily run 50 miles on pavement a day getting to and from trails. Never had and issue. If you run a bib like Jarvis with 100 holes drilled in it you will get one ride. I'm not much of a street rider so I don't have long rides on bibs, but what milage I've had I've had Zero issues. They now have bibs for adv bikes. One thing I have noticed is if I ride in really wet conditions then water and dirt will get into the tire and wash/wear away the silicone. Time to dismount clean a lube. The Rabaconda makes tire changes a breeze. Michelin bibs are BY FAR the lightest but dont last as long as the Nitro. I don't like the plushie Nitro as its too hard. You do have choices. I'm wondering if You could put a zerk fitting in place of the valve stem and pump in lube. My next experiment.
 
The newest Michelin Mousses (blue box) are a step forward and in my opinion the best product available. The are noticeably lighter, they last a long time, and they feel more like a regular tire with air in them. Race tested and the only way to go when flats are not an option.

Also I have the opposite opinion of Nitro Mousses. They break down quickly and are way too heavy.

Also "Bib" is the name of the Michelin Man. Just a bit of trivia since everyone calls Mousse inserts Bibs.
 
I have them on my current bike, but have never removed or installed them. I'm thinking that it is about time to pull a sidewall off and squeeze in some lube, but I'm not looking forward to it. It currently has some tubeless valve stems installed but I'll be darned if I can't get any lube in through them. (Yes, I removed the cores to try to put in the lube).

Since this is my first dirt bike with bibs in them, I will say that I am quite the fan. Whichever ones are in my bike feel like riding on nicely aired down to 7-8psi tires. I just don't know how much of a fan I will be when it comes to changing tires. :)
 
DFW_Warrior said:
I have them on my current bike, but have never removed or installed them. I'm thinking that it is about time to pull a sidewall off and squeeze in some lube, but I'm not looking forward to it. It currently has some tubeless valve stems installed but I'll be darned if I can't get any lube in through them. (Yes, I removed the cores to try to put in the lube).

Since this is my first dirt bike with bibs in them, I will say that I am quite the fan. Whichever ones are in my bike feel like riding on nicely aired down to 7-8psi tires. I just don't know how much of a fan I will be when it comes to changing tires. :)
Click to expand...


They are not that difficult to change, and although a $450 apparatus like a Rabaconda is nice, it is not necessary. All you need are 4-5 good tire irons and whatever you want to use as bead ramps (more tire irons, actual bead ramps, etc.)

The principle of the opposite bead in the drop center, is amplified on a mousse change. Basically I have bead ramps/irons all around the whole tire when I am finished installing a mousse. I use a c clamp to push the bead lock out of the way but there are other ways to deal with that too. It is just easiest for me that way. Here is a picture since I just did one. Probably took me 15 minutes tops.
1647350985767.png

Since yours are used and have shrunk some, they will be easier to dismount. To re-grease, you can also just lever one side wall off, flip the tire and push the bead down and then it is easy to grab the mousse and yank it out so you can grease it good. I use silicon-based grease like Superlube. Some use tire soap products but that stuff is water soluble and is designed to dry out. Just my opinion on the grease.
 
Joel, been running bibs for several years doubt I will ever go back, a little harder to mount until you get a system down
 
@Johnf3 please explain exactly what the c-clamp is doing. Opening the clamp away from the rim to allow the bread to drop? Squishing the mousse?
 
RollingJ said:
@Johnf3 please explain exactly what the c-clamp is doing. Opening the clamp away from the rim to allow the bread to drop? Squishing the mousse?
Click to expand...
He is using it to push the rim lock in to compress it into the bib so it is easier to get the bead to seat in that area, same result as the tool I made to do the same
because I could not find my C clamp so I spent and hour making a tool to do the job then found the clamp later that day
 
I only do epic stuff a couple times a year, so I don't mind maintenance....
 
RollingJ said:
@Johnf3 please explain exactly what the c-clamp is doing. Opening the clamp away from the rim to allow the bread to drop? Squishing the mousse?
Click to expand...

Just moving the rim lock "Up" so the bead moves into place. Same principle as with a tube, but with a mousse you have to use mechanical force to move it. You can use a tire tool as a lever against the disc to move it or however you want to deal with it. I like the C clamp because it is solid and keeps the rim lock 100% out of the way until the tire is on.

In the picture I posted, I finished levering the tire on directly across from where the four tire irons were inserted. Those irons acted as bead ramps and you can see that the entire bead of the tire 360 degrees is forced into the drop center of the rim. This was a brand new Michelin Starcross (amazing tire) and a brand new Michelin Mousse. It went on like butter.
 
Johnf3 said:
They are not that difficult to change, and although a $450 apparatus like a Rabaconda is nice, it is not necessary. All you need are 4-5 good tire irons and whatever you want to use as bead ramps (more tire irons, actual bead ramps, etc.)

The principle of the opposite bead in the drop center, is amplified on a mousse change. Basically I have bead ramps/irons all around the whole tire when I am finished installing a mousse. I use a c clamp to push the bead lock out of the way but there are other ways to deal with that too. It is just easiest for me that way. Here is a picture since I just did one. Probably took me 15 minutes tops.
View attachment 315848
Since yours are used and have shrunk some, they will be easier to dismount. To re-grease, you can also just lever one side wall off, flip the tire and push the bead down and then it is easy to grab the mousse and yank it out so you can grease it good. I use silicon-based grease like Superlube. Some use tire soap products but that stuff is water soluble and is designed to dry out. Just my opinion on the grease.
Click to expand...
John, thank you for the tips. I've got enough tire irons but it looks like i need to up my supply of the little bead buddies as I've only got 2 of them. I like the c-clamp idea for the rim lock as well.

It only took you 15 minutes, but it certainly does not look like this is your first rodeo. Once I get a few more bead buddies in, I'll at very least pull one side off so I can remove the bib and regrease it.

Side question since these are my first time ever having them, about how long do you find them lasting? I ride 1st through 3rd gear stuff most of the time and as of right now at least, I have yet to even have the KTM in 5th or 6th gear. LOL
 
DFW_Warrior said:
John, thank you for the tips. I've got enough tire irons but it looks like i need to up my supply of the little bead buddies as I've only got 2 of them. I like the c-clamp idea for the rim lock as well.

It only took you 15 minutes, but it certainly does not look like this is your first rodeo. Once I get a few more bead buddies in, I'll at very least pull one side off so I can remove the bib and regrease it.

Side question since these are my first time ever having them, about how long do you find them lasting? I ride 1st through 3rd gear stuff most of the time and as of right now at least, I have yet to even have the KTM in 5th or 6th gear. LOL
Click to expand...

Good question, and it varies, but I would say through a couple of tire changes for real dirt bikes, which for me is 50 hours (maybe 60 or more if it is not on one of the bikes I am racing) max. Maybe more. Low tire pressure is an advantage in most cases anyway on a dirt bike, so you can run them down pretty low depending on what you like as far as feel. Again, friction from no grease is the main thing. I don't think high speeds are a factor unless you race Dakar.

There is another factor--time. When you buy a Michelin Mousse there is a "use by" date right on the outside of the box. This is because the inserts break down naturally over extended periods of time. So if you have a bike that sits for half a year or more, you will most likely notice that they are softer after that amount of time.

Now, here is the cool thing. When you change your old one out, put it in a plastic garbage bag, tie it off and store it in the house where the temperature is somewhat regulated. Anywhere but the attic. When your next mousse gets soft, cut it straight across, stuff it back in the tire tight so you get a "gap" where you cut it, and then take your other old mousse out of the sack and cut out a length to fill the gap of the mousse you are reusing. That gets you right back to an insert that fills the whole tire and then off you go for another 50-60 hours., except you saved $130.

The Nitro Mousse folks even sell mousse "pieces" or sections just for this reason. They have them in different sizes too.

The best advice I can give overall is the same as we always tell new riders who change their first tires. If it gets hard, stop and see why. Hence the picture with all the bead ramps and tire irons. That is what it takes to make it easier so you don't break a bead or smack yourself in the head with a tire iron.
 
Great advice from Johnf3. One thing I've noticed is putting my bike on a stand while its in the shop instead of the kickstand alleviates dead spots and increases life of the bib. Changing tires without a stand is something we've all done but now that I'm old and can afford the rabaconda or similar its a 5 min change for me. I usually do tire changes on all bikes at the same time so if I'm doing 6 bikes I need easy. The more tire irons the better. Another tip is sometimes your bead wont seat on the rim like its supposed to. If that happens you can take compressed air and pretend your filling the tire with air. Works like a champ. Always run a rimlock if you run bibs. If your running hard enduro and drilling holes in your bib or running a Golden Tyre bib you might want to add a rim lock (2). Also some might want to check out gummy tires if you want the ultimate in traction. They don't last long (sometimes one race) but the increase in traction is Incredible!


 
I generally go two tires to one bib, Last time I used a friends Raboconda instead of just tire irons on a small stand. I will say he gets
free tire mounting from me for use of that tool from now on
 
Another possible option to extend bib use. This only works if you're open to using different tires. Start with tires requiring a larger sized bib. Use bib for two tire changes then change your tires to another tire requiring a smaller bib. This was mentioned to me by Neutech tech support. In theory makes sense but will be another year before I get to try it out.
 
Johnf3 said:
Good question, and it varies, but I would say through a couple of tire changes for real dirt bikes, which for me is 50 hours (maybe 60 or more if it is not on one of the bikes I am racing) max. Maybe more. Low tire pressure is an advantage in most cases anyway on a dirt bike, so you can run them down pretty low depending on what you like as far as feel. Again, friction from no grease is the main thing. I don't think high speeds are a factor unless you race Dakar.

There is another factor--time. When you buy a Michelin Mousse there is a "use by" date right on the outside of the box. This is because the inserts break down naturally over extended periods of time. So if you have a bike that sits for half a year or more, you will most likely notice that they are softer after that amount of time.

Now, here is the cool thing. When you change your old one out, put it in a plastic garbage bag, tie it off and store it in the house where the temperature is somewhat regulated. Anywhere but the attic. When your next mousse gets soft, cut it straight across, stuff it back in the tire tight so you get a "gap" where you cut it, and then take your other old mousse out of the sack and cut out a length to fill the gap of the mousse you are reusing. That gets you right back to an insert that fills the whole tire and then off you go for another 50-60 hours., except you saved $130.

The Nitro Mousse folks even sell mousse "pieces" or sections just for this reason. They have them in different sizes too.

The best advice I can give overall is the same as we always tell new riders who change their first tires. If it gets hard, stop and see why. Hence the picture with all the bead ramps and tire irons. That is what it takes to make it easier so you don't break a bead or smack yourself in the head with a tire iron.
Click to expand...
John, you are a wealth of knowledge, thank you! I have no idea how old the ones are in my bike but I can see that the sidewalls are no longer really pressed up against the rim very tightly. That being said, riding that bike has an awesome feel to it, so I'm certainly not in a hurry to change things out. I'm thinking a little lube job and I should be good until this rear tire that is currently on it is worn out. With it being the Shinko cheater tire, I doubt it will take very long....LOL

And when it does come time to replace, you can bet that I'll be saving the old one to do just what you said with it. :thumb:
 
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