Tannus Launches New Tire Inserts

Tannus has developed a tubeless insert to add to its Armour line, built for riders looking for the highest-performing tire and rim protection for their tubeless setups.

“This is the hardest project we’ve ever done,” said Youngki Lee, Head Engineer of Tannus Tires. “The market for tubeless inserts has serious competition, so we had to design something that we believe is truly a better solution than those currently available.”

Insights for the tubeless insert come from Tannus’s original Armour insert, which uses tubes to give the insert its shape. The tubed version continues, with the tubeless insert giving a new option for more riders.

Installation

Armour Tubeless’ shape blends both an in-rim and free floating design, hooking into the rim bed while arching up and into the main chamber of the tire. Since the insert doesn’t need to sit flush against the rim, Armour is easier to install than the competition, with a five-minute average install time.

Ride Feel

Armour has 50% more vibration damping than major competitors in small bump compliance, but in mid-sized to large hits, Armour creates a protected while not overly damped feel. Tannus athletes said one thing they didn’t like about other inserts was the “dead” feeling that thick shapes create, so the new Armour design acts more like a spring than a punching bag. It absorbs hits, but doesn’t eliminate trail feel.

The tubeless Armour’s wings also give sidewall support for optimal cornering feel, while not overly stiffening sidewalls and impeding traction.

Material and Weight

Armour uses a new version of Tannus’s proprietary Aither 1.1 foam technology and weighs 150 grams, lighter than many other premium tire inserts. The development team took over two years to create a tough, impact absorbing and active substrate that can be molded into the desired shape while being light enough for downhill, all-mountain and trail riders alike.

Speed

Testing found that the tubeless Armour decreased rolling resistance and improved small bump compliance, making Armour three percent faster in the lab than a traditional tubeless system.

Specs:

• 150 grams (equivalent to a tube)
• 5-minute installation
• $50 per insert
• Two sizes available: 27.5” x 2.1 - 2.6” & 29” x 2.1 - 2.6”
• 3% faster than tubeless in rolling resistance testing
• Winged structure for sidewall support and active ride feel
• Aither 1.1 proprietary foam technology
• Available in two sizes: 27.5" x 2.1 - 2.6"; 29" x 2.1 - 2.6"

Tannus Armour is available at www.tannusamerica.com.