There’s no shortage of mountain bike tire insert systems these days, and for good reason. Not many people enjoy fixing flats and we’re pretty sure nobody likes breaking wheels. After destroying two carbon wheels in back-to-back weekends, Mynesweeper founder Brian Parker had had enough. Mynesweepers was born in Brian’s garage as a way to affordably protect expensive wheels while also offering improved ride feel on the trail. Although we were quite skeptical when Brian rolled up with his installation kit and foam inserts, the proof, as they say, is in the pudding.

As we said, when we first held the Mynsweeper inserts in our hands they didn’t look all that special. Logically it made sense that if you fill the void in your tire with a foam then it would surely offer protection against rim strikes, but what made these different than insulation foam or pool noodles? We even asked Brian, “What’s to stop people from seeing these and just going to Home Depot to make their own?” As Brian stuffed one of his inserts into a tire he looked up and replied, “You certainly could, and some of my early prototypes to prove the concept weren’t too far off from that. However, I’ve learned a bit over time and to find the right density foam and one that uses closed-cell construction to avoid sealant absorption takes a little bit more effort.”

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