One common misconception is that a TPMS will always warn you in time to pull over and avoid a blowout and the resulting damage to the plumbing. Sometimes yes - mostly no. If you have a slow leak, then a TPMS will indeed warn you. But in my experience, a slow leak is relatively rare. By contrast, a rapid deflation due to a road hazard, or a tire structural failure, happens much too fast for a TPMS to help. In these cases, the tire tread will flog the plumbing as the tire disintegrates. Only a cage will prevent damage.
My conclusion is that a TPMS may be useful in some cases, and I don't mean to minimize that. But as a substitute for a cage? Maybe not.
Full disclosure. I have experienced a number of tire failures on my TM, and in most cases heard the POP as the tire failed suddenly from a road hazard or structural failure. And I do not have a cage.
Bill
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