Best Bib Mousse out there?

Exhaust Sniffer
I am looking to purchase Bib Mousse's for my front and rear tires for off-road racing and have heard good and bad reviews about almost every brand that makes bibs. I simply can't decide which one I want to go with. Advice/experiences on good and bad bibs are appreciated. Simply, who makes the best bib mousse?
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ccullins
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ccullins 2/12/2019 9:11pm
2/12/2019 9:11pm
It’s just like anything else, it’s opinions. Like asking which tire is best.

Between Nitro, Dunlop and Michelin they are all good and hold up well if you use enough lube. Now we just use whichever can get the best deal on.
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mx-doctor 2/12/2019 10:42pm
2/12/2019 10:42pm Edited Date/Time 2/12/2019 10:43pm
From my experience... durability wise the Michelin is the best by far, but also quite expensive. I´m currently using Dunlop in one wheel set and Technomousse in my spare wheel set, both good grip wise and also quite affordable.
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aees
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aees 2/12/2019 11:18pm
2/12/2019 11:18pm
Nitro holds up best, way better then Michelin. I get 25-35h easily out of nitro. Michelin about 15h. Best traction is Michelin and also best feeling (dead feeling).

Dunlop are between nitro and Michelin. Just make sure you get/select a mouse that fits your tire. I'm currently running nitro 100 mouse in Pirelli 110 mx32 since the 110 nitro was just to big (poor traction and feeling).
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Mr. Info
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Mr. Info 2/13/2019 2:59am
2/13/2019 2:59am
Remember some drill hole into them to soften them up but it does shorten lifespan a little.
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Jimfunn
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Jimfunn 2/13/2019 3:08am
2/13/2019 3:08am Edited Date/Time 2/13/2019 3:09am
For what type of riding? Over here in UK, for any extreme low speed tech events people are running really worn / soft mousses & the Gibson soft mouses are quite popular but you wouldn't want to take them on a MX track!

I stick with Michelin. Find them best allround on durability and feel. Enough support to ride a bit of MX but soft enough for proper enduro riding & technical wet roots/ rocks if used with an enduro tire with soft sidewall.

I now basically stick with M14 mousse and switch between Michelin enduro Medium / Meztler 6 days FIM enduro tires & Mich. Starcross 5 MX tires for H&H / Mx riding on the rear & M15 front mousse with Mich. enduro Medium or starcross 5 soft front


I fitted a set of Nitro mousses for a mate a few weeks ago - they were REALLY hard comapred to michelin
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aees
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aees 2/13/2019 3:22am
2/13/2019 3:22am
Jimfunn wrote:
For what type of riding? Over here in UK, for any extreme low speed tech events people are running really worn / soft mousses & the...
For what type of riding? Over here in UK, for any extreme low speed tech events people are running really worn / soft mousses & the Gibson soft mouses are quite popular but you wouldn't want to take them on a MX track!

I stick with Michelin. Find them best allround on durability and feel. Enough support to ride a bit of MX but soft enough for proper enduro riding & technical wet roots/ rocks if used with an enduro tire with soft sidewall.

I now basically stick with M14 mousse and switch between Michelin enduro Medium / Meztler 6 days FIM enduro tires & Mich. Starcross 5 MX tires for H&H / Mx riding on the rear & M15 front mousse with Mich. enduro Medium or starcross 5 soft front


I fitted a set of Nitro mousses for a mate a few weeks ago - they were REALLY hard comapred to michelin
Yes Nitro are more like a tube, but again i have found there recommendations are a bit off. NM19-255 100-mousse in the 110 pirelli mx32 is more similar to michelin M199 or a Dunlop mousse in the same tire. The NM19-280 is just to big.

Michelin M199 rear is by far the lightest mouse, 1200g. Dunlop rear mousse 1900g. Nitro mousse is 2300g.

slothy
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slothy 2/13/2019 4:48am
2/13/2019 4:48am
i have been using nitro's for 2 seasons - 130 hours and no issues or complaints. my new 19 te300i has a fresh set installed waiting on spring to show up.

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Question
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Question 2/13/2019 5:37am
2/13/2019 5:37am Edited Date/Time 2/13/2019 5:37am
It is also possible to use worn rear mousses for the front, that way you save quite a bit by buying only rear ones.
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LungButter
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LungButter 2/13/2019 5:38am
2/13/2019 5:38am
Question wrote:
It is also possible to use worn rear mousses for the front, that way you save quite a bit by buying only rear ones.
Huh?
mx-doctor 2/13/2019 5:42am
2/13/2019 5:42am
"It is also possible to use worn rear mousses for the front, that way you save quite a bit by buying only rear ones."

I don`t think so because you won`t be able to fit it in the front tire(s)...
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Tim507
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Tim507 2/13/2019 5:38pm
2/13/2019 5:38pm
I'veba Michelin Mousse mounted in my offroad wheels for nearly three years. When I mounted new tires the old Mousse were toast. I've now mounted Goldentyre Mousse......see you in three years.....?. I have 4 bikes that I rotate for different types of riding.....
TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 2/13/2019 5:45pm
2/13/2019 5:45pm
Pirelli

From Baja to the MX track...Pirelli.
hoodsmoto 2/14/2019 5:16am
2/14/2019 5:16am
The easiest way to sum it up is Nitromousse for durability and Michelin for performance.

I've settled on Nitro for my go-to mousse for their durability, if lubed properly they can go 80 hours plus of hard riding. I enjoyed how the michelins performed right out of the box but they didn't last long at all for me.
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GPrider
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GPrider 2/14/2019 5:36am
2/14/2019 5:36am
Nitro for us, from Glen Helen, local desert to Baja
tek14
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tek14 2/14/2019 7:01am
2/14/2019 7:01am
Pirelli/Metzeler are best. Works from enduro to motocross.
Technomousse is cheap for reason, havent get even half of use compare Pirelli mousse.

racerxx276
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racerxx276 2/14/2019 7:10am
2/14/2019 7:10am
I've run the Nitro, Dunlop and Michelin. Currently using the 3D Racing Enduro Mousses from BC. They run at 8-9 lbs when new and need no break in. So far I've got 6 months on a few sets and when mounting new tires they look like new... The biggest plus is no break in needed... and they are less than most other mousses

http://3dracing.ca/shop/
navalseabee
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navalseabee 2/14/2019 7:31am
2/14/2019 7:31am Edited Date/Time 2/14/2019 7:33am
I've personally experienced the best mix of performance and longevity from Michelins, they're also the only ones I've purchased more than one set of. I found the Nitro BiBs to be far to hard, the set I had never really softened up nice. SRT bibs were a value and felt the best initially but did not last near as long as the Michelins, same can be said for the Goldentyre bibs minus the value part. Dunlops were on par with the Michelin bibs just a little more pricy and harder to find, I have yet to try Pirellis.
Stuntman949
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Stuntman949 2/14/2019 7:38am
2/14/2019 7:38am
As someone who has zero experience with a mousse, what happens when they wear out? Do they get soft and bottom out?

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BR8ES
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BR8ES 2/14/2019 8:19am
2/14/2019 8:19am
racerxx276 wrote:
I've run the Nitro, Dunlop and Michelin. Currently using the 3D Racing Enduro Mousses from BC. They run at 8-9 lbs when new and need no...
I've run the Nitro, Dunlop and Michelin. Currently using the 3D Racing Enduro Mousses from BC. They run at 8-9 lbs when new and need no break in. So far I've got 6 months on a few sets and when mounting new tires they look like new... The biggest plus is no break in needed... and they are less than most other mousses

http://3dracing.ca/shop/
Thanks for the link, I will give those a try.
neverwas 2/14/2019 9:39am
2/14/2019 9:39am
Stuntman949 wrote:
As someone who has zero experience with a mousse, what happens when they wear out? Do they get soft and bottom out?
Curious about that myself.
RCF
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RCF 2/14/2019 10:26am
2/14/2019 10:26am
Stuntman949 wrote:
As someone who has zero experience with a mousse, what happens when they wear out? Do they get soft and bottom out?
neverwas wrote:
Curious about that myself.
There's a few things that can happen if you're not running Rim locks your tires can fly off.last year we tried to run a set at the Northeast 24 hour race and destroyed one of our rims . by the end of the race the front tire look like we were riding on a flat ,they were brand new at the start of the race. Which brings me to another point, just because the bib looks good doesn't mean it's good I have stacks of bibs that look good but would not use. I only run them and my son's bike for 15 hours not sure how these guys are getting years out of them.
ccullins
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ccullins 2/14/2019 12:46pm
2/14/2019 12:46pm Edited Date/Time 2/14/2019 1:45pm
For the most part they go soft, like your running 5psi. That’s if they have good lube and just wear out. Other times if they get too much heat they will totally break down and come apart inside the tire. Then it’s like running on a flat and the tire can come off the bead. Have also had a couple that I thought where fine, but when I put them in a new tire they didn’t fit tight and the bead wouldn’t set.

Being used for an A/Pro rider we get around 15 hours out of them for normal racing before they go too soft for my sons off-road racing. After that he uses them for Endurocross practice as they work well in the Gummy tires for that.

agn5009
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agn5009 2/14/2019 12:54pm
2/14/2019 12:54pm
I have an SRT mousse bib and like it so far. Probably about 15 hours on it.
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atrdrvr7
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atrdrvr7 2/14/2019 4:03pm
2/14/2019 4:03pm
Ran them 2 years in Baja. 1rst year Michelin and 2nd year Nitro. In my opinion the Michelin felt much better all around. The Nitro on the other hand felt comparable to the Michelin at slower speeds. Above 55mph the Nitro felt a bit unbalanced. Not much, but enough to notice. Hope it helps.
TallonT911
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TallonT911 2/14/2019 4:16pm
2/14/2019 4:16pm
I think finding a mousse and tire combo that works right is more important than brand. The same mousse can feel completely different depending on the size/stiffness of the tire.
I ran nitro mousses in Kendas last year and they were great, ran them in a Dunlop at the first NHHA this year and it was too stiff and felt like 25 psi
Shapi
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Shapi 1/4/2021 1:17pm
1/4/2021 1:17pm
I am always having issues with Nitro's shrinking. I have used nitro's in my son's mini's and now big bike for over 3 years. I have always used a ton of murphy's soap as lube. My issue is they shrink and soften after 20-ish hours or less. New tire new mousse no issues. Move used mousse into a new tire, or go to swap from race tire to practice tire and I have issues getting the bead to seat (front and back) even when I use air to pop it out it wants to suck back in. I have tried cutting and stuffing in a piece, I have tried wrapping it with a cut tube (whatta mess), and just about anything anyone has suggested including taking them out for a few weeks to see if they'll expand back. Nothing seems to work. It wasn't as much an issue on the mini's but now on the big bike he is breaking spokes constantly and I can't help but think its the mousse is too soft. Anyone have any thoughts?
Tuna
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Tuna 1/4/2021 1:44pm
1/4/2021 1:44pm
Stop using Murphy’s and use a silicone lube.
Tire soap is supposed to dry out.
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Shapi
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Shapi 1/5/2021 8:18am
1/5/2021 8:18am
Tuna wrote:
Stop using Murphy’s and use a silicone lube.
Tire soap is supposed to dry out.
So, you're saying the Murphy's is causing the shrinkage?
Rnewton632
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Rnewton632 1/5/2021 9:01am
1/5/2021 9:01am
We have used SRT foam inserts in my sons 85 for the last couple years. I have been really impressed with the durability. We used two sets last GNCC season with no issues. Now that I've got a routine down, I'd rather change a tire with a mousse than one with a tube.
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Tuna
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Tuna 1/5/2021 10:31am
1/5/2021 10:31am
Tuna wrote:
Stop using Murphy’s and use a silicone lube.
Tire soap is supposed to dry out.
Shapi wrote:
So, you're saying the Murphy's is causing the shrinkage?
Ok can’t say that is the specific cause as mousses just naturally shrink over time and use. Not having a good lube in there contributes to heat and friction which degrades the mousse.
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