Tannus Armour installation tips?

Try running soap between the rim and edge of tyre, pump up to about 15 psi and going for a short ride, then pumping up to 70 psi ...

OK, so as you know I did my best Jack Nicholson impression with the powder (see video snippet upthread) and let the tires sit for a couple of days.

I just now pumped them up, still some issues so I started massaging the tire without much success. But, I decided to keep going with the compressor. As I hit 45 psi one of the beads started moving! At 50 psi one side has completely seated, and by 55 psi both sides had seated!

Yay!

Back down to 20 psi, will try a ride tomorrow. Still a slight side to side wiggle, but only if I'm being my usual OCD perfectionist. The roundness seems perfect.

Thanks for all the support and suggestions.

EDIT: Just mounted a second set of tires for our second bike. The Maxxis EXO/TR tires are much harder to seat than the non-EXO tires (same otherwise).
 
Last edited:
May I ask what make and model bike they were on and what size tires they were in?
Hi Steve,
I fitted a set to my wife’s 2018 Gazelle Ultimate T10 with Bosch Performance Line, and to my 2018 Merida Espresso 600 EQ with Shimano E8000
Both bikes run 700-35C tyres
 
Hi Steve,
I fitted a set to my wife’s 2018 Gazelle Ultimate T10 with Bosch Performance Line, and to my 2018 Merida Espresso 600 EQ with Shimano E8000
Both bikes run 700-35C tyres
Oh I see, perhaps they are not as useful on the narrower road tires. How does she like the Gazelle? Any serious problems? How many Kms on it now? Pardon my nosy questions.
 
Oh I see, perhaps they are not as useful on the narrower road tires. How does she like the Gazelle? Any serious problems? How many Kms on it now? Pardon my nosy questions.
Hi Steve,
You’re right....not nosy questions at all
I’m happy to share

The back story is that I have been riding bikes all my life, in particular road bikes, until my knees said enough
This is the reason I got into ebikes, as I still wanted to continue to ride and commute daily

My experience gained riding light road bikes with low rolling resistance tyres allows me to know fairly quickly when things are amiss, as I found with the Tannus Armour
For this reason, I don’t rate them too highly for road riding or commuting, and have continued with a tubeless setup
I would image for most people who ride casually on paved paths/roads or on trails/gravel, who want piece of mind that they are minimising the risk of flats, wouldn’t have a problem with them

My wife loves the Gazelle and has clocked up 6,000+kms, riding with me on weekends
The only problem to date was the front brake needed to be bled, as it had some trapped air from new

Until my wife got her ebike, she hardly ever got on a bike, which is odd as she is Dutch :)
Now we are out and about wherever and whenever we can, spending quality time with each other
We are so impressed with the performance and quality of her Gazelle, that I am considering getting the new 2020 Gazelle Ultimate T10 step through when they are available in Australia

That said, I’m currently researching the reliability of Bosch powered ebikes with high mileage
I’m not confident as yet to convert to a Bosch powered ebike for myself given the distances that I clock up
I have discovered mixed reliability results once Bosch drives get 10,000+ kms on them
My current Shimano E8000 powered Merida with 30,000+km has been fabulous, and is still going strong, which gives me a lot of confidence to continue with another Shimano powered ebike

The problem we have in Australia is having enough options and choices for trying and purchasing quality ebikes
 
Last edited:
Thanks good stuff! I hope to get to 30,000 km on my Bosch CX but so far I am only at 18k with no trouble (and my wife is at 8k on hers). I should hit 30 km in about a year if the virus does not get me (knock on wood). I love Shimano motors ( they seem to be on most of the best full suspension mountain bikes ) but between my wife and I we have invested in 5 Bosch powerpacks ,so we will stay with Bosch. I have my eye on a used Trek Crossrip+ and if I get it I will try it with and without the Tannus Armours to see if I can notice your findings. I would never remove them from our 2.35 "tires though as I do not want my wife to end up walking her heavy Powerfly any distance.
 
Just an update after a few rides - so far I'm very happy with the ride feel with the Tannus Armours in place. Still playing around with tire pressure, but even on road 20-22psi on the 27.5x3s seems plenty. Will need to see how much lower I want to go for off-road stuff.
 
the Kool Stop is fine for skinny road bike tires but it will not go over tires more than 1.8 " wide. Useless on 27.5 x 2.4 tires.

I use it on 2" wide Schwalbe Big Ben tire all the time... no problems. ;)
 
1-0 Tannus

I tried to install these and Tubolitos in my 2.6" Schwalbe Smart Sams. Wrestled, literally on the ground with my knees on the tires, using lots of soapy water.

There was NO WAY these puppies were going to seat with one person. I broke one tire lever. So I put in regular tubes.

I guess I'll take them along next time I need something done. Very expensive stuff not to use, but difficult or impossible to return...
 
I tried to install these and Tubolitos in my 2.6" Schwalbe Smart Sams. Wrestled, literally on the ground with my knees on the tires, using lots of soapy water.

There was NO WAY these puppies were going to seat with one person. I broke one tire lever. So I put in regular tubes.

Seating is done with air pressure, not tire irons. I found that tires with puncture protection required much higher air pressures to seat.

I don't know your rim size, but the armor for 27.5x2.6 also goes up to 3.0" width. You might need to trim the inside of the armor to have enough room.
 
Wrong term. I couldn't get the last 8 inches for the life of me.

Yeah, it's not listed as a size that needs to be trimmed, but I bet it would help. I got everything inside okay but it was very tight.

Well, for now I'm over it. They are on with tubes and I'm happy for the moment.
 
Hi Steve,
You’re right....not nosy questions at all
I’m happy to share

The back story is that I have been riding bikes all my life, in particular road bikes, until my knees said enough
This is the reason I got into ebikes, as I still wanted to continue to ride and commute daily

My experience gained riding light road bikes with low rolling resistance tyres allows me to know fairly quickly when things are amiss, as I found with the Tannus Armour
For this reason, I don’t rate them too highly for road riding or commuting, and have continued with a tubeless setup
I would image for most people who ride casually on paved paths/roads or on trails/gravel, who want piece of mind that they are minimising the risk of flats, wouldn’t have a problem with them

My wife loves the Gazelle and has clocked up 6,000+kms, riding with me on weekends
The only problem to date was the front brake needed to be bled, as it had some trapped air from new

Until my wife got her ebike, she hardly ever got on a bike, which is odd as she is Dutch :)
Now we are out and about wherever and whenever we can, spending quality time with each other
We are so impressed with the performance and quality of her Gazelle, that I am considering getting the new 2020 Gazelle Ultimate T10 step through when they are available in Australia

That said, I’m currently researching the reliability of Bosch powered ebikes with high mileage
I’m not confident as yet to convert to a Bosch powered ebike for myself given the distances that I clock up
I have discovered mixed reliability results once Bosch drives get 10,000+ kms on them
My current Shimano E8000 powered Merida with 30,000+km has been fabulous, and is still going strong, which gives me a lot of confidence to continue with another Shimano powered ebike

The problem we have in Australia is having enough options and choices for trying and purchasing quality ebikes
I have 31,000 miles on my Bosch performance speed Gen 3 motor with no problems.

Trek Super Commuter31,033.9 mi
 
1-0 Tannus

I tried to install these and Tubolitos in my 2.6" Schwalbe Smart Sams. Wrestled, literally on the ground with my knees on the tires, using lots of soapy water.

There was NO WAY these puppies were going to seat with one person. I broke one tire lever. So I put in regular tubes.

I guess I'll take them along next time I need something done. Very expensive stuff not to use, but difficult or impossible to return...

Next time try a Tire Bead Jack for leverage or just take them to the local bike shop.

 
Wrong term. I couldn't get the last 8 inches for the life of me.

Yeah, it's not listed as a size that needs to be trimmed, but I bet it would help. I got everything inside okay but it was very tight.

Well, for now I'm over it. They are on with tubes and I'm happy for the moment.

The trick is getting the other side to sit way down in the rim ? Well? .

With 2.6 being the lower end of the range for those tannus inserts, you then have to curl the armour under, or between the rim and tube ( to stop the flap of Tannus curling back between rim and tyre. The alternative is to trim the tannus - from memory a 2.6 tyre on anything below 30 mm rim needs the tannus trimming ( this wasn't in the instructions that came with mine , but I found it online somewhere- the instructiobs were forthe smaller size armour)

NB you definitely need a thin tube.
 
curl the armour under, or between the rim and tube
35mm internal 2.6, shouldn’t require trimming. Was using Tubolitos.

I was at the end and had it all in there. The Armour was all inside (which was tricky). I’m sure most of you have experienced a very tight wire bead where the last 6 inches takes some work. This was about 8-9 inches, and even with my 240lb knees on the tires I couldn’t get even another inch inside with a tire lever, and broke one in the process.

Maybe with a second person, or better tools. Maybe both.

I should mention that even with just tubes these 2.6” Smart Sams were the tightest MTB tires I’ve ever installed. Usually I can do it on a table, but these I had to put on the ground and use my knees.
 
Last edited:
35mm internal 2.6, shouldn’t require trimming. Was using Tubolitos.

I was at the end and had it all in there. The Armour was all inside (which was tricky). I’m sure most of you have experienced a very tight wire bead where the last 6 inches takes some work. This was about 8-9 inches, and even with my 240lb knees on the tires I couldn’t get even another inch inside with a tire lever, and broke one in the process.

Maybe with a second person, or better tools. Maybe both.

I should mention that even with just tubes these 2.6” Smart Sams were the tightest MTB tires I’ve ever installed. Usually I can do it on a table, but these I had to put on the ground and use my knees.
Yup I watched the tech at my LBS struggle and had to get help from another tech. It takes 3 hands sometimes.
 
Haven't tried the Armour yet but I'm curious - where would one trim it if he had to, - the edges or the inside wall?
 
Back