If you are looking for more assurance that road tubeless tires can be truly reliable and offer other benefits, the Vittoria Air-Liner Insert Road Kit may well be the best investment you can make. Vittoria has had proven success with their Air-Liner system for mountain and gravel use but the higher pressure requirements and size limitations of road tires offer a different engineering challenge. A new foam was applied, one that would compress with air pressure, yet still hold the bead to the rim wall to prevent burping, maintaining proper seal, and in this use case, act as a temporary emergency run-flat system. The Air-Liner Road Insert also is a full hoop which offers more precision in the road application. Vittoria offers this model in three sizes, fitting various road tire ranges based on internal rim width. The chart at the bottom provides the information you need to make the best sizing decision. The Kit includes a pair of liners and Vittoria valves, as well as a plier and clip system that can make tire removal safer and easier, as well as a bottle of their Universal Tubeless Sealant. The heart of the kit is the Air-Liners themselves, but the kit is a great one-time investment.

Functionally, the Air-Liner system provides unmatched bump compliance and impact protection, while ensuring bead lock at lower pressures. The ride quality is excellent and you won't feel any inconsistencies in rotation at high or lower speeds, regardless of the pressure within the listed range of the tire. You are intended to use sealant with this Air-Liner Road Insert for best results, and although Vittoria recommends their Universal Tire Sealant, it is not required. The lightweight foam material absorbs no sealant. With each Air-Liner Vittoria provides their own tubeless valve. The valve has the normal air flow at the base of the valve, but also has side holes because the foam will press against the bottom of the valve while inflating. The side holes allow the air to flow freely.

In the event of air-loss, the Vittoria Air-Liner Road system is designed for run-flat use. The insert increases the safety of your tubeless set-up by keeping the tire in place even in case of puncture. The foam expands as the air escapes taking up the void. Vittoria claims it is safe to ride up to 31 miles at speeds under 12.5 mph. Keep in mind a tire may still be damaged and need to replaced, but if you are within range of home or assistance, or just need to get to safer place to address the tire issue, the run-flat capability is a major benefit. Vittoria recommends checking the Air-Liner carefully after a run-flat situation to ensure it is not damaged. If it is, you need to replace it. The designed life of the Air-Liner is one year, and after which it should be replaced regardless of the visual condition as the foam will begin to lose it's capacity to compress and expand properly making it ineffective.

The Vittoria Air-Liner Insert Road Kit system is compatible with all tubeless road tires and tubeless rims on the market. Again, the sizing is crucial to success. The Air-Liner are very light weight, and often require much less sealant than normal to get the bead to seat and seal, so the overall weight is often around the weight of sealant alone, or less.