Vittoria Air Liner Protect Enduro Tyre Insert

The trail doesn’t care about your wheels. The Vittoria Air Liner Protect Enduro does. Born from the roughest, most demanding enduro and race trails on the UCI Mountain Bike World Series circuit, this is the tyre insert engineered to protect your rims, support your tyres, and give you the confidence to push harder on terrain that would otherwise keep you second-guessing every line.

No longer will you fear the wrath of jagged rocks or treacherous roots. The Air-Liner Protect Enduro enhances tyre protection from the most extreme impacts, shields your wheels from the unforgiving elements of the trail, and allows you to run significantly lower tyre pressures for enhanced traction — all with the added assurance of knowing your rim is protected from the inside out.

What Makes the Air-Liner Protect Enduro Different?

The T-Shape. Unlike traditional cylindrical foam inserts, the Air-Liner Protect features a proprietary T-shaped cross-section. This T-profile sits upright inside the tyre cavity and pushes outward against the tyre sidewall without taking up excessive tyre volume — improving lateral stability, cornering support, and bead retention simultaneously. When the tyre is compressed under hard impacts, the T-shape expands and sits over the rim’s bead, fending off pinch flats and rim strikes at the critical moment.

Complete Loop — No Cutting, No Zip Ties. Unlike the original Air-Liner MTB, the Protect Enduro arrives as a pre-formed complete loop. No tedious cutting to size, no cable ties joining the ends — just fit and ride.

Lighter Density for Enduro. The Enduro variant uses a lighter foam density than the Downhill version, ensuring optimal shock absorption and enhanced handling without the excess weight and stiffness of the DH insert. For the most aggressive riding, hardest-hitting terrain, or e-MTB rear wheel use, Vittoria recommends the Downhill insert for the rear — but for the vast majority of enduro and trail riding, the Enduro insert delivers the perfect balance of protection and performance.

Key Features

Construction & Design

• Material: Proprietary high-density closed-cell polymer foam — enduro-specific lighter density for optimal shock absorption and handling
• Profile: T-shaped cross-section — improves lateral stability, sidewall support, and bead retention while preserving tyre volume
• Form: Pre-formed complete loop — no cutting, no zip ties, no faff
• Sealant compatibility: Compatible with any type of liquid tubeless sealant including high-concentration particle sealants

Performance Benefits

• Rim protection: Shields rims from direct impacts against rocks, roots, and square-edged hits — the insert absorbs and disperses energy before it reaches the rim
• Lateral stability: T-profile pushes against the tyre sidewall, reducing tyre roll and squirm in corners — allows faster, more confident cornering at lower pressures
• Bead retention: Keeps the tyre bead on the rim during hard compressions and impacts, reducing the risk of catastrophic tyre roll or debeading
• Sidewall protection: Increases protection of the tyre sidewall from cuts, slashes, and punctures on aggressive terrain
• Lower pressures: Run significantly lower tyre pressures for enhanced traction and compliance, with the insert providing the structural support the air pressure previously had to deliver alone

Compatibility & Sizing

• Wheel sizes: Available in 27.5″ and 29″
• Tyre width: Suitable for 2.4″ to 2.6″ tyre widths
• Valve compatibility: Requires Multiway tubeless valves — a pair of Vittoria Multiway tubeless valves is included in the box
• Sealant: Compatible with any tubeless sealant

Weight

• 29″: ~132–135g
• 27.5″: Lighter than the DH equivalent

Sold: Individually (one insert per pack) — purchase two for a front and rear setup

How Much Lower Can I Run My Tyre Pressures?

With a tyre insert fitted, most riders can reduce pressure by 3–8 PSI compared to their standard setup, depending on rider weight, terrain, and tyre width. The insert provides the structural support the air column previously had to deliver, so lower pressures give you a larger, more compliant contact patch without the risk of rim strikes, pinch flats, or tyre debeading that would normally accompany running that low.

Installation Notes

The Air-Liner Protect Enduro requires Multiway tubeless valves — included in the box. Standard Presta valves are not compatible. Install the insert inside the tyre before mounting to the rim using soapy water or a dedicated insert installation lubricant. Work one tyre bead over the rim with the insert in place — tyre levers are typically needed on tighter tyre/rim combinations.

Air-Liner Protect Enduro vs Downhill — Which Should I Choose?

Vittoria recommends running the Enduro insert front and rear for most enduro and trail riding, or Enduro front / Downhill rear for the most aggressive enduro racing or e-MTB applications where rear wheel loads are significantly higher.