Uuzd4S
Member
To skip this "too long" Intro, Setup & Links section, skip halfway down the page to the "Here's a short list of Pro's and a long list of Con's" section. It contains a 7 point summation of what's necessary to be successful w/ this Tannus Armour Insert.
So, this is a Practice Review as I'm kinda new to Blogging, but not to Riding. Gonna try to keep it simple but my need to be thorough is Surely gonna have something to say about That !
It'sa habbit from my career in commercial aviation where documentation is half the job.
That said, I wanted to be fair and to me that simply equals following the instructions and doing so for a Long Time and learning what works and what doesn't. I purchased these directly from Tannus America over a year ago in spring 2021 for $60 bucks x 1. So, I've been riding on a single Rear Insert for more longer than one season, a bit over 5000mile so far. I ride a lot during the Spring thru Fall season since I got this RipCurrent S in a Black Friday sale in 2019. So with nearly 3 Seasons of regular outings, my APP's total miles add up to more than 15,000 miles so far, or about 5,000 miles per season or nearly 1,000 mi per month. AND, I didn't even use a Bike Tracking App for my first 2 months. I started with "Bikometer" and now use and prefer "Ride ww/ GPS" for tracking my rides. There are plenty of bike tracking APP's you can use for your Rides but these two are less tuned for social media, provide goods mapping and realtime stats which makes them simpler to use. https://tannusamerica.com/products/tannus-armour?variant=31871978373231
Amazon does carry this same sized insert for $73.50. https://www.amazon.com/Tannus-Puncture-Protection-Resistance-Selection/dp/B09454ZZ39/ref=sr_1_3?crid=OA7YIMEAITBN&keywords=tannus+inserts+26+x+4.0-4.8&qid=1662423574&s=instant-video&sprefix=tannus+inserts+26+x+4.0-4.,instant-video,441&sr=1-3&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.d977788f-1483-4f76-90a3-786e4cdc8f10 I thought providing both links would give more info on this Tannus Armour Insert for Fat Bikes. I try to avoid Amazon when I can and choose the independent dealers when I can but Amazon's product info pages are usually pretty thorough. I am 95% certain the Insert is from the same closed cell foam material used to protect delicate/expensive products while shipping. If so, it's a version of EPP, or Expanded Polypropylene, or milk carton plastic blown into closed cell foam.
I ride primarily on improved bike trail or street asphalt /concrete, maybe 1% is on gravel or dirt. My tires of choice are the VEE Tire ZigZag's or Origin8 Supercell's. The Vee's are Tubeless ready folding bead @ 72TPI, https://veetireco.com/product/fat-bike-zigzag/ and the Origin8 Supercell's are Wire Beads are 30TPI rated. https://www.amazon.com/Origin8-Supercell-Wire-Tires-Black/dp/B012EIXCWI/ref=sr_1_1?crid=KNEFVHS6V1JN&keywords=origin8+supercell&qid=1662426312&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=origin8+supercell,sporting,333&sr=1-1&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.d977788f-1483-4f76-90a3-786e4cdc8f10 It's my understanding that the Lower the Threads Per Inch are, the more puncture proof the tire is. I'm sure other variables such as different Rubber Compounds effect this as well.
I'm ONLY using the Tannus Insert on the Rear Tire and generally run over the 20PSI rated limit by 2 to 4 lbs at the start of my rides. Most my rides are around 90min or roughly 23 miles average per outing. At 11,000+ miles (the end of my second season on this bike), I'd only had One slow leak on the Front Tire while the Rear picked up at least 8 or 9 flats in that distance and likely more, I lost count after 6 or 7 Rear Flats. Also, I must add, I ran the Mr Tuffy Fat Tire Liners for E-Bikes on both tires for most of that first 11,000miles. https://www.amazon.com/Tuffy-Electric-Tire-Liner-Protector/dp/B07HXSQKQJ/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1NUDZZ4F1KKOB&keywords=tuffy+ebike+liner&qid=1662424296&s=instant-video&sprefix=tuffy+ebike+liner,instant-video,502&sr=1-3&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.d977788f-1483-4f76-90a3-786e4cdc8f10 . I can't and won't recommend the Mr Tuffy's on a Rear Tire application, for several reasons. 1. The single sided Peel & Stick tape these Liners come with are a joke. Tried them on VEE Tire ZigZags, Origin8 Supercells and Kenda Juggernaut's, All in 26 x 4.0". They just won't stick to the inside of these tires no matter how much I cleaned the tire interior. The Liners would migrate into an "S" pattern between the Tube and Tire wall within 75 miles, Every Time.. 2. There is little to no instruction as to how to overlap the ends of these "cut to fit" Liner belts. Do so incorrectly and you'll get a flat from chafing. 3. They didn't stop even the smallest of Tac's & small Brad's from penetrating the Rear Tube. But, in defense of Mr Tuffy, I have a 75Lb E-Bike with an additional 25Lbs of Pannier bag, utility bags, pump, rack, fenders, Kinekt suspension seat post, and lights added making this a100Lb Bike w/o the Operator installed ; ) Add to that my overweight ars & my Hydration/spares Backpack and the All Up weight is within 20Lbs of Juiced recommended limit for this RipCurrent S. With 75% + of that weight on the Rear Tire it's gonna be difficult to stop a sharpened Nail, Brad or Tac from penetrating the Kevlar Belt weave of these Liners. The nails just find their way thru with the Heavier Tire Loading on the Rear.. 4. They're a Bitch to install correctly, and even when you do, the migrate from side to side without fail.
That said, I'm still running the Mr Tuffy liner up front, only because I don't remove that tire unless it's worn out, which is not often. So, I think these Mr Tuffy's Liners have a much better chance at stopping nails at the Front due to the Much Lighter tire loading imho.
So, here I am doing my best to try every Flat Tire prevention option, on the Rear tire only, before switching to the expensive and somewhat ambiguous Tubeless Option for my Fat Tired E-Bike. It means New Rims, New Spokes, New Tires, Repair equip changes and a Re-lace of the motor to the rim for starters. I'm not against Tubeless at all. Some tire/wheel configuration & applications work Very well in a tubeless setup. People swear by them for Good Reason. I just want to exercise every Tube Flat Prevention option available before beginning a whole new set of experiments with a Tubeless setup. IOUZIP, often showing his bikes posing together with his blog pics, has done the research on switching to Tubeless for the RipCurrent S and is a good source of knowledge on this bike. If I were to go Tubeless I'd likely follow his example. That said, the Tannus Armour Insert is Working very well, BUT (and it's a significant "but"), your trading Unscheduled Flat Repair time for Must Do, regular Scheduled Maintenance on these Round Pink Pool Noodles.
If you've read Any reviews on these Inserts you've heard of the Horrific Paper Thin Tannus Insert that turned their tire into a Dead Blow Hammer. If you see that in print or hear of that complaint, the operator has either NOT READ the Instructions, has chosen to Ignore the instructions or thinks it's a waste of time. Tannus doesn't mention this in Any advert I've seen, and it's only a suggestion in small print within the instructions, but you MUST deflate the tube/tire between rides, as per the instructions! Shame on Tannus for burying this info and not mentioning this within their Promo Ad's.
I've found that these Foam Inserts compress very slowly over the first several hours upon initial inflation to riding pressure. This allows for the tube to expand and drop in pressure at the rate of 1psi per hour for these Fat Tire Inserts. Yea, these Foam Inserts DO compress and will continue to do so as long as you keep replenishing the Tire's air to it's rated pressure. You MUST deflate the tire completely between rides if you want these things to retain their original shape and deter nails from your tube because It Works ! I haven't had a flat from a puncture since installing this Pink Pool Noodle and that was 5000 miles ago. But, they're High Maintenance and not only because you have to break out the pump before each ride and then remove the valve stem afterwards, but for a few other reasons. Here's a short list of Pro's and a long list of Con's, but the Pro's advantage far outweighs the very manageable Con's imho. Remember, I'm only speaking to those running the Tannus insert for Tubed Fat Bike Tires and not for any other configuration.
1. Your going to need to add tire/tube deflation and re-inflation to your routine between rides, otherwise this Pink Pool Noodle Will eventually compress. I usually get my gear ready and then, just before departure I, hit the floor pump for 50 strokes bringing my initial start press to 23-24psi on my 26 x 4.0 20psi rated tires. I'm using Schrader type valve stems and have the valve core removal tool built into the cap for convenience. I also carry a digital Tire Press Gage in the pannier so there is no guessing on Pressure. Note: I have always suspended the Rear tire, while Deflated, to avoid flattening the Foam under the weight of the bike. Between daily rides, I use the corner stiffener that came with the original box. It's about 4ft long, (made from heavy cardboard itself). I set it between the seat R/H underside (opposite side from the kickstand) and ground. With the kickstand down, just lift the bike so only the Rear tire is off the ground enough to turn freely. When storing the bike I suspend the Rear tire from my bike stand. Whatever way you find that works, I'd find a way to do so. My bike needs this as its heavy enough to compress the foam/tire assy when deflated. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086JTC4VB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
2. These Fat Tire Tannus Armour Inserts are sold as a 26 x 4.0-4.8" dual purpose insert. For a 26 x 4.0" tire you must cut away 1/2" of foam material from each side of the Foam sidewall. It's marked for you so bring your best "Art's n Craft's" skills cause you only get one shot. For tires 4.5" to 5" wide you can install as is.
3. It's a "learned craft" to install this Round Pink Pool Noodle. This is the part where you meet Mr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde (to steel a phrase from Mr. Robertson ; ) For me personally, it's easier than installing Mr Tuffy Liners and about as much fun/work as changing a tire. It's gone very easy for me most of the time and has been much easier than my first try.
4. Gonna include Two points here. Ya gotta change to a smaller 26 x 3.5" Tube to allow for the added foam, AND, you have to deal with a valve stem that wants to regress inside the wheel, (due to no supporting air pressure) ,when trying to clamp on some types of Air Chucks. This link to a 26 x 3.5-4.0" Tube (with threaded Schrader Valve & locknut) solved Both those problems AND serves as a tube you can run Without the Foam Insert installed. https://www.amazon.com/VeloTubes-Premium-Inner-Threaded-Schrader/dp/B09FHXTFFR/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=311JA9WG66Z1R&keywords=velo+fat+bike+tubes&qid=1662422761&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=velo+fat+bike+tubes,sporting,334&sr=1-1-spons&th=1 If you go down to the description for this tube it states it'll fit both a 3.5" & 4.0" application and it's stated on the box as well. These Tube's seem to be Good Quality Butyl Rubber and hold up well. Thumb Tighten the locknut AFTER the tube is aligned, installed and Fully pressurized otherwise it will loosen and chafe the rim.
5. There is One more, One Time maintenance item you Must do at about 75-100 miles After installing this insert. Your Tube rides against the Inside of the Insert and the outer skin of the Insert rides against the tires inner walls. This Insert Flexes substantially while riding. How do I know that? Two reasons. First, Tannus and most who've tried these inserts will tell you your Not going to get as far per Full Charge than a simple Tube & Tire will. This is True due to a larger "footprint", I noticed a very slight added resistance the first few rides and then got used to it. There IS more rolling resistance because the Foam gives more (squishes more) than just tubes alone and therefore you've got a bigger "footprint" on the ground. I noticed about a 7 or 8% drop in range per full charge, which is very manageable and one reason I overinflate by 3 or 4 psi. More PSI's equals lower rolling resistance. What this Tells you is that there is more flexing going on between the insert and tire than with just a tube. The Second reason I know there is much flexing between the Foam and Tire came by accident. I'd installed the New Tannus Armour Insert into a New VEE Tire ZigZag and decided to check how everything was holding up after about 100 miles. When I pulled the Tannus Insert from inside the tire there were thousands of tiny bits of Rubber Dust floating between the Tire inner wall and the Inserts outer diameter. I cleaned it up and inspected the Tires interior . . . it was Polished! Tires have hundreds, if not more, bits of flashing, bumps, protrusions, nodes and high spots on the inside walls when they're New. The tire was now shiny and relatively smooth on the inside walls. There was very little rubber dust tween the tube and foam. I cleaned everything w/ compressed air and 70% Isopropyl Alcohol, reassembled the Insert, Tube and Tire and rode for about 500 miles before checking the interior again, it was as clean as my last re-install. There was no more rubber wearing and I'm OK with learning as much. So, I don't know what would have occurred had I not cleaned this chafed rubber dust, but it's very likely that much rubber dust migrating around could have added to more material being chafed from the tire inner wall. I didn't notice any Tire banding showing and the Foam still looked new and smooth. So, that's a One Time maint item w/ this Insert.
6. If your running Tube Sealant like I do, then the valve removal and depressurization should be done in the twelve o'clock position to reduce Sealant loss. I loosen the valve fully, place a paper towel over the Schrader Stem and let it Blow. I then wipe the outer threads w/ the paper towel and clean inside with a Q-Tip and place the Q-Tip clean end into the Valve Stem to reduce any evaporation of sealant (though they say it doesn't). It also serves to keep dust out and as a reminder to re-install the Valve core. Sometimes a small amount of sealant appears, most times not. There's probably a sure way to avoid some sealant leaking but this works for me. I just squirt a ounce or two of extra sealant into the tube midway between tire changes.
7. These Inserts, despite being Closed Cell Foam, add weight to your Tire/Wheel Assy on an already Heavy Steel rim w/ a 750W Motor at the hub. If you have an "out of balance" issue with your Rear Wheel then these could either exacerbate that or improve the balance, it's a crap shoot. The Rear Motor Assy has Just Enough ability to freewheel that it might just rotate itself to a bottom heavy position on it's own. I usually locate my Reflector attached to the spokes to the lighter side if possible. Out of balance Fat Bike Tires become noticeable at around 22mph and above.
I'm gonna post this for now and likely add and edit as necessary. The added maint for me is "Scheduled" and easy once made into habit. I certainly prefer the No Suprise scenario of a known and scheduled maint routine vs getting stuck somewhere that you don't want to be or haven't the time for.
One other reason I'm putting this effort into Flat Prevention is; There are Lots and Lots of "Street Urchins" camped along the local bike trails nowadays here in the Portland/Vancouver area and so I carry Ghost Innovation 4K cameras facing front and rear (my next review) and in 15,000 miles you wouldn't believe what I've captured on video. They're nice 4K Cameras that have Image stabilization and can be linked together via WiFi so that one cam commands up to 6 more cam's. They're designed for Isle of Man & Leguna Seca type motorcycle road racing and are much more user friendly and streamlined than the GoPro's. None the less, this insert improves my odds of making it home to experience the video fun at my computer rather than dealing w/ some of the Buffoonery I've seen on these trails.
So, this is a Practice Review as I'm kinda new to Blogging, but not to Riding. Gonna try to keep it simple but my need to be thorough is Surely gonna have something to say about That !
It'sa habbit from my career in commercial aviation where documentation is half the job.That said, I wanted to be fair and to me that simply equals following the instructions and doing so for a Long Time and learning what works and what doesn't. I purchased these directly from Tannus America over a year ago in spring 2021 for $60 bucks x 1. So, I've been riding on a single Rear Insert for more longer than one season, a bit over 5000mile so far. I ride a lot during the Spring thru Fall season since I got this RipCurrent S in a Black Friday sale in 2019. So with nearly 3 Seasons of regular outings, my APP's total miles add up to more than 15,000 miles so far, or about 5,000 miles per season or nearly 1,000 mi per month. AND, I didn't even use a Bike Tracking App for my first 2 months. I started with "Bikometer" and now use and prefer "Ride ww/ GPS" for tracking my rides. There are plenty of bike tracking APP's you can use for your Rides but these two are less tuned for social media, provide goods mapping and realtime stats which makes them simpler to use. https://tannusamerica.com/products/tannus-armour?variant=31871978373231
Amazon does carry this same sized insert for $73.50. https://www.amazon.com/Tannus-Puncture-Protection-Resistance-Selection/dp/B09454ZZ39/ref=sr_1_3?crid=OA7YIMEAITBN&keywords=tannus+inserts+26+x+4.0-4.8&qid=1662423574&s=instant-video&sprefix=tannus+inserts+26+x+4.0-4.,instant-video,441&sr=1-3&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.d977788f-1483-4f76-90a3-786e4cdc8f10 I thought providing both links would give more info on this Tannus Armour Insert for Fat Bikes. I try to avoid Amazon when I can and choose the independent dealers when I can but Amazon's product info pages are usually pretty thorough. I am 95% certain the Insert is from the same closed cell foam material used to protect delicate/expensive products while shipping. If so, it's a version of EPP, or Expanded Polypropylene, or milk carton plastic blown into closed cell foam.
I ride primarily on improved bike trail or street asphalt /concrete, maybe 1% is on gravel or dirt. My tires of choice are the VEE Tire ZigZag's or Origin8 Supercell's. The Vee's are Tubeless ready folding bead @ 72TPI, https://veetireco.com/product/fat-bike-zigzag/ and the Origin8 Supercell's are Wire Beads are 30TPI rated. https://www.amazon.com/Origin8-Supercell-Wire-Tires-Black/dp/B012EIXCWI/ref=sr_1_1?crid=KNEFVHS6V1JN&keywords=origin8+supercell&qid=1662426312&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=origin8+supercell,sporting,333&sr=1-1&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.d977788f-1483-4f76-90a3-786e4cdc8f10 It's my understanding that the Lower the Threads Per Inch are, the more puncture proof the tire is. I'm sure other variables such as different Rubber Compounds effect this as well.
I'm ONLY using the Tannus Insert on the Rear Tire and generally run over the 20PSI rated limit by 2 to 4 lbs at the start of my rides. Most my rides are around 90min or roughly 23 miles average per outing. At 11,000+ miles (the end of my second season on this bike), I'd only had One slow leak on the Front Tire while the Rear picked up at least 8 or 9 flats in that distance and likely more, I lost count after 6 or 7 Rear Flats. Also, I must add, I ran the Mr Tuffy Fat Tire Liners for E-Bikes on both tires for most of that first 11,000miles. https://www.amazon.com/Tuffy-Electric-Tire-Liner-Protector/dp/B07HXSQKQJ/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1NUDZZ4F1KKOB&keywords=tuffy+ebike+liner&qid=1662424296&s=instant-video&sprefix=tuffy+ebike+liner,instant-video,502&sr=1-3&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.d977788f-1483-4f76-90a3-786e4cdc8f10 . I can't and won't recommend the Mr Tuffy's on a Rear Tire application, for several reasons. 1. The single sided Peel & Stick tape these Liners come with are a joke. Tried them on VEE Tire ZigZags, Origin8 Supercells and Kenda Juggernaut's, All in 26 x 4.0". They just won't stick to the inside of these tires no matter how much I cleaned the tire interior. The Liners would migrate into an "S" pattern between the Tube and Tire wall within 75 miles, Every Time.. 2. There is little to no instruction as to how to overlap the ends of these "cut to fit" Liner belts. Do so incorrectly and you'll get a flat from chafing. 3. They didn't stop even the smallest of Tac's & small Brad's from penetrating the Rear Tube. But, in defense of Mr Tuffy, I have a 75Lb E-Bike with an additional 25Lbs of Pannier bag, utility bags, pump, rack, fenders, Kinekt suspension seat post, and lights added making this a100Lb Bike w/o the Operator installed ; ) Add to that my overweight ars & my Hydration/spares Backpack and the All Up weight is within 20Lbs of Juiced recommended limit for this RipCurrent S. With 75% + of that weight on the Rear Tire it's gonna be difficult to stop a sharpened Nail, Brad or Tac from penetrating the Kevlar Belt weave of these Liners. The nails just find their way thru with the Heavier Tire Loading on the Rear.. 4. They're a Bitch to install correctly, and even when you do, the migrate from side to side without fail.
That said, I'm still running the Mr Tuffy liner up front, only because I don't remove that tire unless it's worn out, which is not often. So, I think these Mr Tuffy's Liners have a much better chance at stopping nails at the Front due to the Much Lighter tire loading imho.
So, here I am doing my best to try every Flat Tire prevention option, on the Rear tire only, before switching to the expensive and somewhat ambiguous Tubeless Option for my Fat Tired E-Bike. It means New Rims, New Spokes, New Tires, Repair equip changes and a Re-lace of the motor to the rim for starters. I'm not against Tubeless at all. Some tire/wheel configuration & applications work Very well in a tubeless setup. People swear by them for Good Reason. I just want to exercise every Tube Flat Prevention option available before beginning a whole new set of experiments with a Tubeless setup. IOUZIP, often showing his bikes posing together with his blog pics, has done the research on switching to Tubeless for the RipCurrent S and is a good source of knowledge on this bike. If I were to go Tubeless I'd likely follow his example. That said, the Tannus Armour Insert is Working very well, BUT (and it's a significant "but"), your trading Unscheduled Flat Repair time for Must Do, regular Scheduled Maintenance on these Round Pink Pool Noodles.
If you've read Any reviews on these Inserts you've heard of the Horrific Paper Thin Tannus Insert that turned their tire into a Dead Blow Hammer. If you see that in print or hear of that complaint, the operator has either NOT READ the Instructions, has chosen to Ignore the instructions or thinks it's a waste of time. Tannus doesn't mention this in Any advert I've seen, and it's only a suggestion in small print within the instructions, but you MUST deflate the tube/tire between rides, as per the instructions! Shame on Tannus for burying this info and not mentioning this within their Promo Ad's.
I've found that these Foam Inserts compress very slowly over the first several hours upon initial inflation to riding pressure. This allows for the tube to expand and drop in pressure at the rate of 1psi per hour for these Fat Tire Inserts. Yea, these Foam Inserts DO compress and will continue to do so as long as you keep replenishing the Tire's air to it's rated pressure. You MUST deflate the tire completely between rides if you want these things to retain their original shape and deter nails from your tube because It Works ! I haven't had a flat from a puncture since installing this Pink Pool Noodle and that was 5000 miles ago. But, they're High Maintenance and not only because you have to break out the pump before each ride and then remove the valve stem afterwards, but for a few other reasons. Here's a short list of Pro's and a long list of Con's, but the Pro's advantage far outweighs the very manageable Con's imho. Remember, I'm only speaking to those running the Tannus insert for Tubed Fat Bike Tires and not for any other configuration.
1. Your going to need to add tire/tube deflation and re-inflation to your routine between rides, otherwise this Pink Pool Noodle Will eventually compress. I usually get my gear ready and then, just before departure I, hit the floor pump for 50 strokes bringing my initial start press to 23-24psi on my 26 x 4.0 20psi rated tires. I'm using Schrader type valve stems and have the valve core removal tool built into the cap for convenience. I also carry a digital Tire Press Gage in the pannier so there is no guessing on Pressure. Note: I have always suspended the Rear tire, while Deflated, to avoid flattening the Foam under the weight of the bike. Between daily rides, I use the corner stiffener that came with the original box. It's about 4ft long, (made from heavy cardboard itself). I set it between the seat R/H underside (opposite side from the kickstand) and ground. With the kickstand down, just lift the bike so only the Rear tire is off the ground enough to turn freely. When storing the bike I suspend the Rear tire from my bike stand. Whatever way you find that works, I'd find a way to do so. My bike needs this as its heavy enough to compress the foam/tire assy when deflated. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086JTC4VB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
2. These Fat Tire Tannus Armour Inserts are sold as a 26 x 4.0-4.8" dual purpose insert. For a 26 x 4.0" tire you must cut away 1/2" of foam material from each side of the Foam sidewall. It's marked for you so bring your best "Art's n Craft's" skills cause you only get one shot. For tires 4.5" to 5" wide you can install as is.
3. It's a "learned craft" to install this Round Pink Pool Noodle. This is the part where you meet Mr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde (to steel a phrase from Mr. Robertson ; ) For me personally, it's easier than installing Mr Tuffy Liners and about as much fun/work as changing a tire. It's gone very easy for me most of the time and has been much easier than my first try.
4. Gonna include Two points here. Ya gotta change to a smaller 26 x 3.5" Tube to allow for the added foam, AND, you have to deal with a valve stem that wants to regress inside the wheel, (due to no supporting air pressure) ,when trying to clamp on some types of Air Chucks. This link to a 26 x 3.5-4.0" Tube (with threaded Schrader Valve & locknut) solved Both those problems AND serves as a tube you can run Without the Foam Insert installed. https://www.amazon.com/VeloTubes-Premium-Inner-Threaded-Schrader/dp/B09FHXTFFR/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=311JA9WG66Z1R&keywords=velo+fat+bike+tubes&qid=1662422761&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=velo+fat+bike+tubes,sporting,334&sr=1-1-spons&th=1 If you go down to the description for this tube it states it'll fit both a 3.5" & 4.0" application and it's stated on the box as well. These Tube's seem to be Good Quality Butyl Rubber and hold up well. Thumb Tighten the locknut AFTER the tube is aligned, installed and Fully pressurized otherwise it will loosen and chafe the rim.
5. There is One more, One Time maintenance item you Must do at about 75-100 miles After installing this insert. Your Tube rides against the Inside of the Insert and the outer skin of the Insert rides against the tires inner walls. This Insert Flexes substantially while riding. How do I know that? Two reasons. First, Tannus and most who've tried these inserts will tell you your Not going to get as far per Full Charge than a simple Tube & Tire will. This is True due to a larger "footprint", I noticed a very slight added resistance the first few rides and then got used to it. There IS more rolling resistance because the Foam gives more (squishes more) than just tubes alone and therefore you've got a bigger "footprint" on the ground. I noticed about a 7 or 8% drop in range per full charge, which is very manageable and one reason I overinflate by 3 or 4 psi. More PSI's equals lower rolling resistance. What this Tells you is that there is more flexing going on between the insert and tire than with just a tube. The Second reason I know there is much flexing between the Foam and Tire came by accident. I'd installed the New Tannus Armour Insert into a New VEE Tire ZigZag and decided to check how everything was holding up after about 100 miles. When I pulled the Tannus Insert from inside the tire there were thousands of tiny bits of Rubber Dust floating between the Tire inner wall and the Inserts outer diameter. I cleaned it up and inspected the Tires interior . . . it was Polished! Tires have hundreds, if not more, bits of flashing, bumps, protrusions, nodes and high spots on the inside walls when they're New. The tire was now shiny and relatively smooth on the inside walls. There was very little rubber dust tween the tube and foam. I cleaned everything w/ compressed air and 70% Isopropyl Alcohol, reassembled the Insert, Tube and Tire and rode for about 500 miles before checking the interior again, it was as clean as my last re-install. There was no more rubber wearing and I'm OK with learning as much. So, I don't know what would have occurred had I not cleaned this chafed rubber dust, but it's very likely that much rubber dust migrating around could have added to more material being chafed from the tire inner wall. I didn't notice any Tire banding showing and the Foam still looked new and smooth. So, that's a One Time maint item w/ this Insert.
6. If your running Tube Sealant like I do, then the valve removal and depressurization should be done in the twelve o'clock position to reduce Sealant loss. I loosen the valve fully, place a paper towel over the Schrader Stem and let it Blow. I then wipe the outer threads w/ the paper towel and clean inside with a Q-Tip and place the Q-Tip clean end into the Valve Stem to reduce any evaporation of sealant (though they say it doesn't). It also serves to keep dust out and as a reminder to re-install the Valve core. Sometimes a small amount of sealant appears, most times not. There's probably a sure way to avoid some sealant leaking but this works for me. I just squirt a ounce or two of extra sealant into the tube midway between tire changes.
7. These Inserts, despite being Closed Cell Foam, add weight to your Tire/Wheel Assy on an already Heavy Steel rim w/ a 750W Motor at the hub. If you have an "out of balance" issue with your Rear Wheel then these could either exacerbate that or improve the balance, it's a crap shoot. The Rear Motor Assy has Just Enough ability to freewheel that it might just rotate itself to a bottom heavy position on it's own. I usually locate my Reflector attached to the spokes to the lighter side if possible. Out of balance Fat Bike Tires become noticeable at around 22mph and above.
I'm gonna post this for now and likely add and edit as necessary. The added maint for me is "Scheduled" and easy once made into habit. I certainly prefer the No Suprise scenario of a known and scheduled maint routine vs getting stuck somewhere that you don't want to be or haven't the time for.
One other reason I'm putting this effort into Flat Prevention is; There are Lots and Lots of "Street Urchins" camped along the local bike trails nowadays here in the Portland/Vancouver area and so I carry Ghost Innovation 4K cameras facing front and rear (my next review) and in 15,000 miles you wouldn't believe what I've captured on video. They're nice 4K Cameras that have Image stabilization and can be linked together via WiFi so that one cam commands up to 6 more cam's. They're designed for Isle of Man & Leguna Seca type motorcycle road racing and are much more user friendly and streamlined than the GoPro's. None the less, this insert improves my odds of making it home to experience the video fun at my computer rather than dealing w/ some of the Buffoonery I've seen on these trails.
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But that's just how I roll, too much info isn't Always Bad in some cases ; ) If I were seriously interested in going the Tannus route, I'd likely get to the end after a couple of sittings. I'd obviously done some research and digging on this subject before diving in. Sooo much of the info was contradictory that I had to find out for myself. Was also kinda bummed at first when reading AFTER the purchase of the deflation/re-inflate maint Tannus recommends. Was easy enough to get used to and I'm glad I did.
