No more burping? Vittoria gives its tubeless insert an upgrade for the road
6.3.2026
Translation: machine translated
Less and less tyre pressure for more and more speed, comfort, grip and control: modern racing bikes are faster and more demanding than ever, pushing tubeless systems to their limits. The Italian tyre manufacturer Vittoria is launching an upgrade to its tubeless insert with the new "Air-Liner Light Road".
Vittoria, the Italian manufacturer of bicycle tyres, is launching an upgrade to its existing model with the new tubeless insert «Air-Liner Light Road». It promises a 28 per cent higher resistance to the so-called «Burping» compared to systems without an insert and five per cent compared to the previous «Air-Liner Road».
With «Burping», the driver does not encounter a sudden loss of air under extreme cornering load while travelling. The tyre bead briefly detaches from the rim sidewall. This phenomenon usually occurs with very low air pressure in tubeless tyres.
The thing with air pressure
Whether road, gravel or mountain bike: tyres have become wider and wider, the optimum pressure lower and lower. And then there's the tubeless revolution: Dispensing with the inner tube has taken this development to the extreme.
A pressure of less than 1.5 bar is not uncommon for MTB tyres. With my gravel tyres, it is usually just over two bar.
Source: Vittoria
The benefits of tubeless inserts
Tyres are also wider on the road today than they were a few years ago, and four to six bar pressure on tubeless tyres is no longer a crazy rarity. Tubeless inserts were developed by the industry to maximise performance. These plastic inserts provide stability in the rim well and protection in the event of a puncture, known as a snakebite.
When tyres are inflated, the insert is compressed so as not to affect rolling resistance. If the air pressure drops after a puncture, it expands and fills the inner volume of the tyre. This enables run flat rate mode: riders can finish a race or ride home in training while the tyre is held securely on the rim.
I can confirm this one hundred per cent: since I put another manufacturer's product in my gravel tyres last summer, I haven't wanted to ride another metre without these inserts. Why is that? Voilà:
Vittoria «Air-Liner Light Road»
According to Vittoria, the new insert not only has better «Burping» properties than the existing model. Thanks to a new foam compound and larger diameter, it also offers more stability and safety after a snakebite. According to the manufacturer, the weight of the «Air-Liner Light Road» is between around 30 and 40 grammes per wheel, depending on the wheel size. However, I don't understand what makes this insert a light version, as the previous model is in similar regions. So be it.
Source: Vittoria
The foam noodle is supplied with a special Vittoria Multiway tubeless valve, which is designed to guarantee optimum compatibility between the insert and sealant (sealant is mandatory when using it).
According to the manufacturer, the new «Air-Liner Light Road» from Vittoria is aimed at professionals and enthusiasts who value speed, reliability and safety. The tubeless insert is «ideal for tyre widths from 28 to 42 millimetres and inner rim widths from 20 to 28 millimetres.»
It is not yet clear if and when we will have the new «Air-Liner Light Road» from Vittoria in our range.
Header image: Vittoria
Patrick Bardelli
Senior Editor
Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.chFrom radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
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