Inner tube valve stem styles

TR4 – Metal valve stem, which comes with locking nuts (these are supplied in centre or offset valve)

TR87C – Centre-mounted with a 90-degree metal stem

TR6 – A metal valve stem with locking nuts (these are supplied in centre or offset valve)

TR15 – Rubber valve with no locking nuts and a tapered base (these are supplied in centre or side valve)

TR13 – A centrally mounted rubber stem which isn’t tapered and doesn’t come with lock nuts

JS244/A – Centre-mounted 90-degree metal stem

Mousse – the puncture-proof inner tube

Tyre mousses, very very interesting stuff. Don’t use them on the road or they will overheat and fall apart. They all have a shelf life (like eggs do), except for Risemousse, who claim their tubes don’t have a shelf life.

They predominantly run at a low pressure. Michelin rate theirs at 13psi. Risemousse make a tube called a climber where you can use inserts with it, which varies the pressure and stuffness of the tube so you can run it at lower than 13psi or higher if you want to.

You need to use gel which normally comes with them, to help with fitting. Without gel they are unbelievably difficult to fit (unless you’re name is Jeff Capes). You have to use rim lock with them as you don’t want them spinning.

You don’t want to use them on the road for any prolonged period or at any speed or they will get so hot they will fall apart. If you are doing an Enduro with little sections between the trail, you’ll be fine.

Our top tyre technician, Deano, uses a lot of Effs and Jeffs (not Capes, unfortunately) when we asked him about tyre mousses. Why? Because they are difficult to fit and a fitter doesn’t want to be doing 10 of these a day. But if you only have one Enduro bike you’ll only need to fit two – and even Deano doesn’t mind that.

Risemousse do a minicross mousse for the kiddy’s bikes (12″-19″ MX bikes) and we thought it might be worth mentioning that.