Mountain bike tyre brands spend handsomely to develop the best possible tubeless solutions for mountain biking.
Despite the significant budgets, committed engineers and clever rubber structures which are developed, an expensive and advanced tubeless tyre remains only as good as the sealant inside it.
Sealant has two functions. Firstly it must ensure a tight enough interface on the rim bead, to retain air within the casing. Its second function is dynamic, to flood any puncture induced hole or gash with a surge of sealant, thereby preventing a flat tyre.
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In the main tyre sealants, tubeless tyres and most modern rims designs work well, but there are issues. Most sealants have a chemical formulation which includes ammonia and latex, making it messy to work with and hardly environmentally friendly.
A new product, developed in the French Alps by two British mountain bikers (Matthew Casson and Jon Dredge), promises to mitigate many of the issues which affect tubeless sealants.
The innovation in question is rather originally named Tyre Yogurt and unlike most rivals, it does not contain ammonia or latex.
Developed from a blend of commercial and military sealants, Tyre Yogurt is claimed to seal 6mm sized punctures.
For home mechanics the environmental benefits of Tyre Yogurt are notable. It is non-corrosive, has negligible toxicity and happens to be odourless too.
One of the unfortunate debits with most tyre sealants is that formulations dry over time, reducing their puncture sealing value. Even worse is the centrifuge effect generated by tyre rotation, which leads to sealant separating and forming clumps.
The ability of Tyre Yogurt sealant to remain fluid and stable also avoids the annoyance of clogged valves.
Tyre Yogurt does not dry out, separate or clump. Its formulation is more environmentally sensitive too, offering a cleaner and more durable tubeless sealant for riders.
A 500ml unit of Tyre Yogurt retails for £20, whilst the 150ml bottle is priced at £9.
