Why foam tire inserts are one of the best upgrades for your gravel bike

Nothing is more important to your bike’s performance than literally where the rubber meets the road. When when all is said and done, it’s all about the tires. Foam tire inserts are already very popular in the MTB world, but they have almost more benefit for gravel, where there’s even less traction and way less air volume to play with, and fewer downsides in terms of weight or installation headaches.
Yes, an actual pool noodle will sort of work — but nowhere near as well as the real thing.

Our Field Test group bike tests are by no means paid events, but they’re still only possible with some outside support.

CyclingTips would like to thank the following sponsors for this round of the Field Test:

Rudy Project
https://rudyproject.com/

Pearl Izumi
https://pearlizumi.com/

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
https://sierranevada.com/

Lead Out Gear
https://leadoutgear.com/

Park Tool
https://parktool.com/