Anyone try Tire Balls (MX/ATV) for DH?

cableguy

Monkey

Jun 23, 2007

463

1

Southern California

Aug 9, 2010

• #1

I saw an ATV race, and the announcer said racers were using Tire Balls. Anyone try using this or similar products for MTB? I wonder what the weight penalty is...

http://www.tireballs.com/about.php

 

Uncle Cliffy

Turbo Monkey

Jan 28, 2008

4,490

42

Southern Oregon

Aug 9, 2010

• #2

You said balls... huh huh.

 

TheTruth

Turbo Monkey

Jun 15, 2009

3,893

1

I'm waving. Can you see me now?

Aug 9, 2010

• #3

This may have been discussed, but IDGAF! I think roatational weight is more of an issue in MTB than it is in moto because they have engines, what do they care about rotational weight?

 

cableguy

Monkey

Jun 23, 2007

463

1

Southern California

Aug 9, 2010

• #4

^^ I did search for prior discussions, but nothing came up that I saw. I recall seeing something similar at Interbike a couple of years ago, but not sure what happened to it. Maybe these guys can make an ultra-light version for MTB, in similar weight as a DH tube.

Oops. I didn't search carefully enough. Here's a discussion from April 2008:
http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201001&highlight=tireballs

 

Last edited: Aug 9, 2010

Kanye West

220# bag of hacktastic

Aug 31, 2006

3,741

473

Aug 9, 2010

• #5

TheTruth said:

This may have been discussed, but IDGAF! I think roatational weight is more of an issue in MTB than it is in moto because they have engines, what do they care about rotational weight?

Click to expand...

A sh!tload. Probably moreso than we do.

 

J

johnnypop

Chimp

Aug 24, 2006

86

0

San Jose/Santa Barbara

Aug 9, 2010

• #6

a big plus is they help avoid pinch-flats and dinged rims... Because of the small sections of air, the pressure rises in the ball when you hit something square with it. These guys were at Interbike a few years back and they claimed they weighed in about the same as a DH tube.

 

Straya

Monkey

Jul 11, 2008

863

3

Straya

Aug 10, 2010

• #7

Kind of similar

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3502563&postcount=62

 

Internal14

Monkey

Sep 6, 2001

487

0

N. of Vacaville, S. of Winters

Aug 10, 2010

• #8

soooo, anyone actually have time on the system?

Tubeless is good enough for me though. And heck, even when I do get a flat once a year, it's not that hard to throw in a tube and keep going.

 

MinorThreat

Turbo Monkey

Nov 15, 2005

1,630

41

Nine Mile Falls, WA

Aug 10, 2010

• #9

They were proto-ing an MTB-specific version a couple of years ago - - for DH - - but never heard the outcome. One of the principals in the company had done some posting at the time on another forum I'm on.

 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause

Jun 7, 2007

11,367

1,605

Warsaw :/

Aug 10, 2010

• #10

Just go UST if flats are a problem for you. Ive been flatting my rear tire all day and have no problem with pinch flats.

 

daisycutter

Turbo Monkey

Apr 8, 2006

1,657

129

New York City

Aug 10, 2010

• #11

http://reviews.mtbr.com/interbike/tire-balls/

Site has no mention of MTB use.

http://www.tireballs.com/

 

profro

Turbo Monkey

Feb 25, 2002

5,617

314

Walden Ridge

Aug 10, 2010

• #12

I have thought of them for my moto until I saw the price tag. Its almost $200 per wheel for some plastic balls. I don't think so.

 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved

Dec 8, 2004

8,891

2,544

I'm dude playing dude pretending to b another dude

Aug 10, 2010

• #13

Anyone try Tire Balls (MX/ATV) for DH?

I got my balls caught on the DH tire and my review for that is "Didnt live up to the hype! "

 

Bikael Molton

goofy for life

Jun 9, 2003

4,022

1,154

El Lay

Aug 10, 2010

• #14

Are they even very common in moto? Last I heard enduro racers were still on foam tubes.

 

cableguy

Monkey

Jun 23, 2007

463

1

Southern California

Aug 10, 2010

• #15

bullcrew said:

I got my balls caught on the DH tire and my review for that is "Didnt live up to the hype! "

Click to expand...

That got me thinking about Troy in pain when he g-out'ed at Troy Lee.

 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved

Dec 8, 2004

8,891

2,544

I'm dude playing dude pretending to b another dude

Aug 10, 2010

• #16

cableguy said:

That got me thinking about Troy in pain when he g-out'ed at Troy Lee.

Click to expand...

LMFAO! Hes probably still got tire rash on the junk!!!!

His kids will have kenda tread marks genitically embedded in there foreheads.

 

NY_Star

Turbo Monkey

Jun 10, 2007

1,046

0

10 Sq Mi Surrounded by well armed white men

Aug 11, 2010

• #17

They are more common in the ATV woods GNCC style racing. A lot of dirt bikers stick to the bib mousse (foam tube).

 

Prettym1k3

Turbo Monkey

Aug 21, 2006

2,864

0

In your pants

Aug 12, 2010

• #18

My recollection is that a few mountain bikers tried these and because the sidewall strength of even a DH tire doesn't even remotely compare to that of a MX tire, the tireballs deformed the sidewalls of the tire.

 

TheTruth

Turbo Monkey

Jun 15, 2009

3,893

1

I'm waving. Can you see me now?

Aug 12, 2010

• #19

Prettym1k3 said:

My recollection is that a few mountain bikers tried these and because the sidewall strength of even a DH tire doesn't even remotely compare to that of a MX tire, the tireballs deformed the sidewalls of the tire.

Click to expand...

This means tire balls are bad!