SOLID Tannus Tire Testing on my V20

[LarryOz]

Ok - After having those bright red Tannus solid tires staring at me for almost a month, I was finally able to do some good comparison testing with them this morning at my "super secret test facility" !

Basic Tannus info:
I purchased mine from of all places: "Metro Gnome Music & Cycle To Go": http://www.cycletogo.com/accessories-parts/tannus-no-flat-bicycle-tires/
For road bikes you will want the "Musai Aither 1.1 Road Bike Tires". They are about $65, so pretty comparable with a set of: Conti4000sII, or GatorSkin and a latex tube.
They are guaranteed for 2 years or 5000 miles.
They are only available in 700x28 and 700x23 sizes for road bikes. It will really depend on the interior rim width you have. That is also the deciding factor for what size "pins" you need.
The 700x28 , look and feel pretty much like a 600x25 road tire pumped to about 100psi.
It does fit fine on the Vendetta.
The installation was easy once I used the correct size pins. (I tried a larger ones first, but they wer too wide for my rim to snap in, so it was frustrating and I wasted significant time)
Once I used the next size down, it was a cinch!

You basically just stick the correct sized pins into the little holes molded into the rim side of the tire. There are about 40 or so per tire. Then you make sure the far side is firmly under the rim edge and then push down and into the pin on the other side until it snaps in place. You then just work your way around the tire until they are all snapped in place.
Hint:
Try and snap the pins in place on their own a few times before you stick them in the tires and try it. That way you will know which size works or doesn't.
...
Bottom line: Running 700x28 on my aluminum rimmed -60mm CF fairiing'd wheelset cost me between 3.75 and 3.92 mph! WOW!
Below is my spreadsheet showing what wheels and tires I tested against.

Most interesting observations on my part:

• They come in cool colors - but the red does not match my V20.
• The feel was very good on the track - even when corning at 24mph.
• (I have not tried them in wet conditions, but I would not normally ride outdoors when raining unless surprised)
• When researching these tires I ran across a web-site that claimed a loss of only 1 kph for the tires. Well, I was hoping for that, but....NOT. Maybe they tested the 700x23 (which are likely to be lighter), but the 700x28 cost me almost 4mph. (I guess I will have to try a set of 700x23 also just to see.)
• Since I really only care about how many watts I am pushing when training, this loss of speed is not an issue and is acceptable at this point in the game.
• The main point when getting these tires was to not have to worry about flatting and especially sliding out on my left rear again.

Enjoy consuming the data:

Here is a tire before the pins are snapped in place

Here is their Tool (and some un-used pins) you get to help you snap them in place

Here is the set on the V20. They don't clash too bad.

 

[LMT]

That's interesting - Many thanks Larry.

Looking at your data these tyres then would be ideal for touring out in the middle of nowhere. You'll lose just under 4mph but your HR remains the same. Not the thing for racing on though, an extra 70 watts to average 23mph and your HR has gone from what I presume is Z2 to Z4?

 

[Cruzbiker]

How difficult is it to remove the tire from the rim? Snapping the pins in doesn't seem difficult (they show it at their site). But I couldn't find any info on removing the tire in case you need to fix a broken spoke for instance.

 

[jond]

i understand that the tannus tyres need to be cut-off with a stanley knife or similar as once installed they are on for the long term. great effort larry doing this testing again a wonderful effort in pursuit of speed. larry what tyre pressure did you run at and have you used the 25mm 4000s11. everything i read says faster than 23mm at same tyre pressures. in deed all the pro teams pretty much use 25mm tyres now. as an aside i understand that the tannus tyres are available in different vibrant colours but also more importantly different compounds of varying compliance. i think i would run them as a worry free commuter tyre without doubt and in yellow of course. just got to get a different job is all.

 

[Suz]

Hi all, I see this post is from 2015, and I was wondering if more people have experience with the Tannus tires? Larry, have you ridden these much or did you decide against them since they were slower?

Appreciate your thoughts, the goat heads here in Idaho are insufferable.

 

[Charles.Plager]

Hi all, I see this post is from 2015, and I was wondering if more people have experience with the Tannus tires? Larry, have you ridden these much or did you decide against them since they were slower?

Appreciate your thoughts, the goat heads here in Idaho are insufferable.

I've got 1st generation Tannus tires on my Commuticruzer.

Rolling resistance is noticeable and definitely bigger than my pneumatic tires. They're definitely less forgiving than air tires, but very reasonable (it's an unsuspended bike and it's ok).

Their second generation tires are supposed to be more comfortable.

It really depends on your use case. It wouldn't be crazy to have a second set of wheels...

 

[keithkling]

Suz I would suggest several things that you can do in the battle against goat heads. We have mega goat heads here in Utah as well. I called them puncture weeds when I was a kid. First, get some good tires, (I have thought about the Tannus tires, too, just haven't gone out on a limb to try them) I have been using Continental Gator Skins and have had good success with them. There are other good ones, too, I just am not sure. Second, avoid riding places where you are likely to pick up the thorns. Avoid riding on sidewalks, driveways, vacant lots, and lawns. Also, on the road, try to stay in the path where the car tires go, as much as possible. The car tires either pick up the thorns and haul them off (they don't flat car tires unless they are really thin) or throw them off to the side of the road. If you ride on the side of the road....pffft. If that doesn't help try tire liners. They work really well except the sidewall is still vulnerable, but goat heads usually get you right down the middle of the tire. Good luck Suz.

 

[LarryOz]

Hi all, I see this post is from 2015, and I was wondering if more people have experience with the Tannus tires? Larry, have you ridden these much or did you decide against them since they were slower?

Appreciate your thoughts, the goat heads here in Idaho are insufferable.

Hi Suzie,
The speed difference for me was a real moral deflator. I just could not stand to go 3-4 mile per hour slower even if I knew I was pushing the watts I needed to train.
If the time or distance you are riding does not matter and you can handle, I think they will do the job well.
They might look pretty funny after a day of picking up thorns.
I agree with everything Charles said also.
Larry

 

[Charles.Plager]

Hi Suzie,
The speed difference for me was a real moral deflator. I just could not stand to go 3-4 mile per hour slower even if I knew I was pushing the watts I needed to train.
If the time or distance you are riding does not matter and you can handle, I think they will do the job well.
They might look pretty funny after a day of picking up thorns.
I agree with everything Charles said also.
Larry

Larry, did you have V1 or V2 tires? V2 are supposed to roll better (I've got V1).

 

[RojoRacing]

they'd be the perfect handicap for me and me local noon races. still even with your data I find it hard to believe 3-4 mph lost without the tire feedback feeling like total crap.

 

[super slim]

Suz I would suggest several things that you can do in the battle against goat heads. We have mega goat heads here in Utah as well. I called them puncture weeds when I was a kid. First, get some good tires, (I have thought about the Tannus tires, too, just haven't gone out on a limb to try them) I have been using Continental Gator Skins and have had good success with them. There are other good ones, too, I just am not sure. Second, avoid riding places where you are likely to pick up the thorns. Avoid riding on sidewalks, driveways, vacant lots, and lawns. Also, on the road, try to stay in the path where the car tires go, as much as possible. The car tires either pick up the thorns and haul them off (they don't flat car tires unless they are really thin) or throw them off to the side of the road. If you ride on the side of the road....pffft. If that doesn't help try tire liners. They work really well except the sidewall is still vulnerable, but goat heads usually get you right down the middle of the tire. Good luck Suz.

Have you tried a plate shaped to the tyre profile, coming down from the rim brakes bolts, so the thorns, get knocked off within 90 degrees of being picked up, and don't get pressed in further when they come around to the road surface again.
If you are riding on muddy roads then this plate would have to be adjusted up so the mud did not build up on it!

 

[Suz]

Have you tried a plate shaped to the tyre profile, coming down from the rim brakes bolts, so the thorns, get knocked off within 90 degrees of being picked up, and don't get pressed in further when they come around to the road surface again.

Hi there, no I haven't. The thorns where I live are very long (about 1/4") and once they're in you do not want them to come out until you are home. Once you knock the thorn out the tire instantly deflates.

I think my problem as Keith mentioned is that I ride too close to the edge of the road where they all congregate. I'm really careful about sidewalks and empty lots etc, but I hadn't thought of cars throwing them off to the side of the road.
I'll have to balance that with the "don't hit me" feeling I get if I ride too far out into the road.

The speed difference for me was a real moral deflator.

The slower speed is a bummer but I wanted them for commuting and rather than get a flat and be late to work I thought these might be good for that purpose. I shouldn't be in any hurry to GET to work ... right? Do I understand this correctly that once they're on, you have to cut them off? No possibility of interchanging them?

Thanks Keith, I had gators on my previous DF road bike and they were fantastic. I couldn't find them online when I bought my cruzbike. I must have been looking in the wrong place. I'll re-search.

 

[Suz]

Have you tried a plate shaped to the tyre profile

This must be what you are talking about Slim. It looks like people use them for the same weed we have here. Interesting.

Well, not sure what I was searching before but Gator skins came right up. Time for more coffee I guess.

 

[super slim]

View attachment 5149 View attachment 5150


This must be what you are talking about Slim. It looks like people use them for the same weed we have here. Interesting.

Well, not sure what I was searching before but Gator skins came right up. Time for more coffee I guess.

Sue, they are Monster Thorns compared to ours in South Australia.
You must have a LOT more rain than we do (24" per year) for them to grow so large!

 

[LarryOz]

Larry, did you have V1 or V2 tires? V2 are supposed to roll better (I've got V1).

I have not idea. They claimed to only loose 1kph. Maybe they gave me V0!

 

[bladderhead]

Do the solid-heads notice any effect on the steering? How well do these tyres stick to a wet road?

Suz - you could have something fixed to the rim-brake place. Not a plate but a brush that sticks out in front and slides along the road like a cow-catcher.

 

[Emeljay]

"super slim said: ↑
Have you tried a plate shaped to the tyre profile"

Like this:

https://www.compasscycle.com/shop/components/fenders/tire-wipers/

 

[Charles.Plager]

Do the solid-heads notice any effect on the steering? How well do these tyres stick to a wet road?

Handling question is a little difficult in that the bike that has the Tannus tires has only ever had the Tannus tires. And the bike is the shortest wheelbase of any of my Cruzbikes. But I don't think the tires affect the handling.

I have ridden in the rain and had no issues. My tires (slicks) do NOT like wet grass.

 

[McWheels]

My favourite rolling resistance website doesn't cover these, but they do give good advice based on puncture and rolling resistance.

http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/road-bike-reviews

And tyre wipers... Or instant drag