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review
£49.99
VERDICT:
Impressive grip but frustratingly slow and difficult to fit; commuter-friendly, but not viable for most road cyclists
Weight:
400g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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The Aither 1.1s are the latest in puncture-proof technology from Tannus, which claims that the 1.1s set a new benchmark in solid tyre performance. In my experience though, they still have a long way to go before they can even come close to the comfort and speed of a clincher, tubular or tubeless tyre.
If you thought solid tyres were the preserve of kids tricycles and wheelchairs, think again – Tannus presented its first solid bike tyre in 2004, and claims they are a real alternative for those who don't want to worry about flats.
> Find your nearest dealer here
They're made use a special polymer resin that Tannus calls 'Aither', a foaming technology similar to the foam used in sports shoes (Tannus began life developing EVA foam for Nike in the early 90s) but conditioned and processed differently to make it bike-specific.
Tannus isn't alone either: as far as competition is concerned there is the UK's own Greentyre, and we recently reported on an airless concept developed by Bridgestone, but Tannus is the most prominent brand currently producing airless bike tyres.
Tannus says the Aither 1.1s have 15% less rolling resistance than the Aither 1.0. They also weigh 30g less at 400g, which is comparable to a basic clincher tyre and tube combination. What about a race tyre? A 25mm Continental GP4000s II plus a standard Continental 700C butyl inner tube has a combined weight of 325g, but add in gear for puncture protection such as a pump, spare tubes and levers, and Tannus actually nets you a small weight win overall, so fairly impressive.
While the main USP of solid tyres is the lack of maintenance needed and a commuter-friendly appeal, the Aither 1.1 appears to be targeted at road cyclists too, given the rolling resistance data supplied and Tannus's foray into team sponsorship. It's now supplying Aither 1.1s to the Ukrainian national cycling team for their winter training bikes, and also a number of pro triathletes.
Can they really come close to the performance of an air-filled tyre? I was intrigued to try the 25mm versions out.
Fit first
Anyone with any experience of solid tyres will know that it's not a simple job to get them fitted. The Tannus solution is to supply the tyres with small plastic tacks, which are bridged across the rim of the wheels all the way around to keep the tyres in place when they're loaded on.
To see the process performed up close by someone in the know, I went to have my tyres fitted by vastly experienced mechanic Gary Harris of Bristol Bike Centre, a Tannus stockist. With the help of an assistant, fitting took him over 45 minutes, probably putting Tannus out of the question for the regular home mechanic.
Tannus itself told me the fitting process could take a simple soul like myself up to two hours to fit. Now, for Tannus's target market of those who are either unwilling or unable to fix a puncture, and having seen the fitting process, it's likely that in 99 per cent of cases Tannus customers will roll up at a bike shop complaining about punctures, be recommended solids and have them fitted by a mechanic. At £49.99 a tyre and assuming at least a £10 labour charge, that pushes Tannus over the £100 mark. But considering they're built to last for thousands of miles, that's reasonable value in the long run.
On the road
On my initial flat ride home I was pleasantly surprised. It took until I hit a bit of rough road to even feel anything different at all, but as soon as I did, and when I hit a hill, that's where they started to show their weaknesses. When riding up an incline I could actually hear them sticking to the road, and it completely takes the wind out of your sails. It sounded like they were folding underneath me, and I could really feel my weight through the front end of the bike.
Then, there's the comfort issue. Obviously there's less cushioning between you and the road on solid tyres, and boy did I feel it. My cycle path route to work has a cattle grid on it; it was a tooth-rattling ride over that on these tyres.
The huge vibrations I felt led me to wonder whether I was actually damaging my rims, but after checking my spokes after most rides, and getting a second opinion from a mechanic, it appears they have caused my wheels no damage at all.
On a positive note, the grip is decent, and I didn't have any problems riding them in the wet at all. In terms of performance compared with a clincher, tub or tubeless tyre, I'd say grip is where the Aither 1.1s come closest to matching up and even surpassing some.
Compare and contrast
Though Tannus claims rolling resistance has been reduced on the Aither 1.1, I had a strong feeling they weren't anywhere close to the speed of a clincher, but wanted some evidence to demonstrate this. To do this, I rode the traffic-free section of my route to work with Favero's Assioma dual-sided power meter pedals, aiming for the same power, on successive days, with the Tannus tyres the first day and a control clincher tyre on the second, the Continental GP4000s II.
On both runs, I used a Canyon Endurace AL Disc 7.0 and the same clothing.
On the Aither 1.1s I completed the 14.7-mile route in 46:43 at 18.9mph, with a weighted average power of 237 watts.
On the next morning, with a slight wind penalty compared to the previous day, I rode the same 14.7 miles in 43:37 at 20.3mph, putting in an extra watt for an average weighted power of 238 watts.
Though this test wasn't completely accurate by any means, it demonstrates what you can expect from them compared to a clincher: a speed loss of nearly 1.5mph, and this on a flat route; from my experience, it would be worse on a ride with a lot of climbing.
> 15 of the best winter tyres for road bikes
My speed comparison test is probably of little relevance to the people who need these tyres: commuters who are city based (in a mostly flat city) and weekenders who have no interest in performing any type of bike maintenance, even pumping their tyres up, whenever they go for a leisurely spin.
What this test and my other 200 miles-plus of riding on them do show, though, is that they aren't for anyone who has any interest in average speed, or anyone who can fix a puncture on a standard clincher in 10 minutes or less. I can generally fix a flat in four minutes or less if I have a CO2 canister handy, so I could theoretically puncture every single day and still get to work and back quicker on a clincher – which means, practically, I couldn't justify running the Tannus tyres on my bike.
One thing the tyres do provide is a very tough workout, so it could be said that there is a small market for those who want to use them exclusively over winter and feel some extreme psychological benefits when they switch back to race tyres – presumably the motives behind the Ukrainian national team and the pro triathletes who use them.
In summary, despite the improvements to the latest Tannus road tyres, I don't think the Aither 1.1s are about to replace air-filled tyres on road bikes any time soon. For now at least, if you want a faster road tyre with increased puncture protection, check out our guide to going tubeless.
Verdict
Impressive grip but frustratingly slow and difficult to fit; commuter-friendly, but not viable for most road cyclists
road.cc test report
Make and model: Tannus Aither 1.1 solid tyres
Size tested: 700 x 25
Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
It's "the most modern solid tyre in the world."
Tannus says: "The perfect hardness 105psi equivalent, incredible grip and extremely low rolling resistance. Aither1.1 had much enhanced elasticity than Aither 1.0 (Tannus' previous road tyre), ensuring a better feel whilst riding and good grip performance.Furthermore, Aither 1.1 is performing at a much lower rolling resistance - approximately 15% less. It now has the rolling resistance rate that closely matches premium pneumatic city bike tires, taking this a step closer to ideal bike tire."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Tannus lists the following:
Made from 'Aither', a micro closed cell polymer resin developed by Tannus
105Psi equivalent
Available in 12 colours
Weight: 400g
Rate the product for quality of construction:
5/10
Built to last but not to go fast, contrary to promises of performance improvements.
Rate the product for performance:
4/10
Good on the flats and at a leisurely pace, but you can feel every vibration through them, and the slightest hint of a hill felt like riding through treacle.
Rate the product for durability:
10/10
Tannus claims 1.5mm of wear after riding 9000km. You can't argue with that.
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
6/10
Heavier than a standard clincher and tube combination, but arguably lighter than carrying spare tubes and tools.
Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
2/10
A long way to go until they match the comfort of a clincher, tubular or tubeless race tyre.
Rate the product for value:
8/10
A bigger outlay, but in the long run cheaper than running most regular road tyres.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Obviously they're puncture proof, and the grip is reasonable, but they're frustratingly slow and harsh.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Not having to worry about punctures, of course!
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The harsh feeling and the lack of momentum when you hit a gradient.
Did you enjoy using the product? Sometimes...
Would you consider buying the product? Personally, no.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? If they were commuting in a flat city and were averse to performing any sort of bike maintenance, then yes.
Use this box to explain your score
It's a difficult product to score definitively, because it's horses for courses... As solid tyres go they're an improvement, but the Tannus Aither 1.1s in their current guise aren't the answer in the battle against punctures for road cyclists.
About the tester
Age: 27
I usually ride: Road bike (currently Specialized Tarmac) My best bike is: Ridley Chronus TT bike
I've been riding for: Under 5 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, triathlon races
Jack has been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of the website including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named Editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master's degree in print journalism and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it's a long story).
Latest Comments
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Boardman is brilliant at getting the point over. It's all about presentation and showing the benefits to all.
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Or, alternatively, get the Aldi front and rear for £15. The rear doesn't flash like the previous models, but does have the braking function. The...
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There is no way on that terrain the wheels would clog up.
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No. But do you think Trump is? 🤡💩🤣
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Was a stocking-filler type thing but always handy - reflective spoke straws. (They're not reflecting as I turned the flash off.)
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Don't open at Edinburgh Fringe with that one.
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34 comments
I wish I'd read your review before buying these tyres. These tyres shouold come with a serious health warning in my opinion as the grip is very poor. I'd installed these tyres and had been using them for about a week - approximately 50 miles in I was cornering and had to brake to avoid someone walking in the middle of the road (typical commute home). Normal tyres would probably have held - even if they had slipped, a normal tyre might have also regained some grip - enough to recover. Not the Tannus - they completely gave way and I am still suffering from the injuries today, almost a month on. I created an account so I could warn people about these tyres. If you do not lean into corners when you ride, then there will be enough grip for you, however I would seriously avoid any leaning into corners that put any lateral reliance on the tyre to grip the road as if you lose grip, you will not recover.
A bit of an essay here giving my take on these tyres for use commuting, hope it's helpful.
So I fitted them last night, it took about 1.5 hours in total, including wheel, tyre and rim tape removal, rim cleaning and reassembly. So actually installing each tyre took about half an hour, which is not bad. It's not nearly as hard as you might think if you've read reviews. I recommend watching some YouTube videos of the installation before getting started.
So, how do they ride?
- Bumps and poor surfaces are definitely more noticeable. I was using 32mm tyres before, so I would have probably had some increase if I had switched to 25mm puncture resistant pneumatic tyres. It is not bad, but I will be picking my lines more carefully. Definitely not a dealbreaker for me and the roads I ride on.
- Grip seems fine, but it's a fairly warm, dry day, so I'd be really concerned if there were any issues in these ideal conditions. No slippage when setting off from lights, and braking on the front seemed as sure as with rubber. If it rains soon I'll post another comment.
- Rolling resistance doesn't seem to be any more than my 32mm Specialized All Condition Amadillo Elites that these replaced. There were a few times when I was going uphill where I thought it might have felt a bit more difficult, but this may have just been down to me focusing on it. I had no trouble maintaining speeds of 18-20mph on flat. I averaged 15.1mph over 13 miles, compared to 14.9mph yesterday, so based on one commute, they have not slowed me down.
They will be staying on for the time being. The only way I see them coming off is if spokes start breaking, they wear too quickly, or they slip out from under me and leave me picking gravel out of my knees. I'll post an update if any of that happens.
Seems like these are only good for parents who take kids to nursery runs.
But I would never consider taking my kid on a bike for any school runs.
Not for me then.
I have run Tannus for well over 2 years now. I do agree with most of what you said but I would also like to point out that you are not compairing apples to apples.
The 700x28 are a good tyre for commuting and maybe tranning, but they are equiv to 90-95 lbs air. If the 25s can get 100 to 110 then they would be great for commuting and trainning.
For real road racing you have to go to the slicks that are only 700x23 and only the black models come in this hardness and these are about the equiv of 120 psi.
I would rerun the tests on these
Now yes you will see a slower response than pnumatic but they are much better than the 25s. Heck I even did my empire state ride from NYC to Niagara falls this year on them and was able to pass most of the people with contis (not an easy task for a clydsdale)
The 23's will make getting up the hills better and not feel so sticky. I know when I rode the 25s up a hill it felt like a very under inflated tyre and I wanted to get off and check pressure even though they were solids so I know what you mean there but the 23's don't feel like that.
Rolling resistance on the 23s are also MUCH better than the 28's
As far as getting them on and off.
Yes getting the on is a pain in the arse. But when I switched rims and did not want to take those 1s off I know what I was doing and how to do it and got it done is 25 mins flat for 2 tyres (hint you have to use the removable zipties that come with the tyres)
This past month I was stupid and did not remove the tape on rim, so when the tape broke under the tyre it created a ball and made a lump. So I found a way to take the trre off without damage but that took 30+ mins of not wanting to ruin the rim prying.
I would review it this way
Rate the product for quality of construction:
7/10
Built to last but not to go fast (with the 28mm and above, the 23 is a whole nother subject)
Rate the product for performance:
6/10
Good on the flats and at a leisurely pace, but you can feel every vibration through them, and the slightest hint of a hill felt like riding through treacle while on the 25mm. The 23mm removed alot of this although it did not resolve the issue totally but was much better.
Rate the product for durability:
10/10
Tannus claims 1.5mm of wear after riding 9000km. You can't argue with that.
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
6/10
Heavier than a standard clincher and tube combination, but arguably lighter than carrying spare tubes and tools.
Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
4/10
A long way to go until they match the comfort of a clincher, tubular or tubeless race tyre. While the 23 is faster and able to climb better it still feels like you may be riding on over inflated tyres when you hit rough patches.
Rate the product for value:
8/10
But that is from someone that has multipule sizes of the tannus tires and has riddent them and pnumatics as well for a long period.
I'm just curious, how do you have so much experience with the 25mm Tannus tyres? They have only just been released, and actually aren't yet available to buy in the UK yet. Did they provide you with a review set?
I'm planning to get some for my commuter, and am trying to decide which hardness to go for. Presumably you have the "soft" ones, as the hard ones are 115 "psi equivalent". Perhaps the harder ones will be closer to the 23mm tyres in performance.
One last question: when riding the 23 mm tyres, I'm guessing you didn't have any issues with spoke breakage or rim damage as you haven't mentioned it. Please could you confirm?
Well hell you are right... I have 23s and 28s not the 25s I thought I had the 25s.
As far as the 23s go they are 120psi Equiv.
I had some rim issues with them but that was on the cheep alexis rims that came with the bike. When I upgraded to good rims I have not had any issues with rim/spoke issues at all and im going on well over 1000+ miles now.
Ah right, I'll give the 25s a go then, probably at the higher psi equivalent. I managed to puncture my rear Specialized Armadillo a few weeks ago. The bike has a hub gear, so a rear puncture is a pain. It's not necessarily the time spend fixing that bothers me, it's how it impacts the rest of my day. Arriving at work late, dirty and annoyed is not the best start. If solid tyres work for me, I should have a pretty much bomb proof commuter.
My biggest concern now is the Alex rims that came on my bike (I can't find alexis rims, so guessing this is the brand you're referring to). I didn't realise they have a bad reputation. It's an "adventure road bike" though, so hopefully they are a fairly robust model...
Actually there are a few things you have to look at. Make sure you measure your rims before you buy. By measure I meen the gap pfor the tyre to fit in. You need to make sure they will fit. See this chart
https://www.cycletogo.com/tannus-no-flat-tires/tannus-fit-installation/
Also when putting the tyre on there is a trick.
After you have put all the tabs in, take the tyre and start putting it on Dont worry about putting the tabs in all the way at this point
Now put your zip tie on the tyre and through the spokes of the rim to hold the tyre on to the rim at that point
Now on the exact opp side do the same thing
The tyre will now form a bid D
Now use the leavers and brute strnght to get the rest of the tyre over the rim
Once you have cut the zip ties off.
The zip ties hold it on just so it does not slip off when you are moving around trying to make the D shape go to the O shape.
Also if you can afford it get the Tannus P-Tool Installation Pliers for Tannus Bicycle Tires Tool. They make getting the tabs in to the rim a piece of cake. Or if you have a 3d printer print a set as that is what they are Printed plyers.
Yep Alex rims. They are not that good unless you get some better spokes and have it rebuilt buyt they are really thin rims. I bought some http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10053_10052_603...
because they were rated for riders up to 300 lbs and I have not had 1 issue with the rim I did have the bearrings replaced they were crap.
Thanks for the tips. My rims have a 17mm gap, hence me having to wait for the 25s - everything else is too big or too small! They are sold as MTB/trekking rims (XD-Lite, hopefully fairly resilient) and are laced to an Alfine hub at the back. I'd rather not have the expense of having new wheels built on top of the cost of a pair of Tannus tyres, just to find I don't get on with them, so I'll try the wheels as they are, fingers crossed
I'd be interested in road.cc doing a power/speed comparison vs a pair of Marathon Plus and or Specialized Armadillo tyres. The comparison in the article isn't really comparing apples to apples.
I commute many thousands of miles a year on a combination of a Specialized Espoir Elite on the front and a Schwale Durano Plus on the rear. I flat maybe twice a year.
For me, modern tyres are so good at protecting against flats, it doesn't really make sense. If a solid tyre adds even a couple of minutes to each journey, then that's a net loss. Sure fixing a flat is a pain, but in my case, pop in a spare tube, 10 mins and we're done.
Totally agree if you have a standard rear wheel set up. Changing a tube, even in nasty conditions, doesn't take very long so, if you only puncture once or twice a year, and you value the small sppeed difference, these tyres make no sense. Get a rear wheel puncture on a brompton though and you will lose a considerable amount of time trying to sort it. You will undoubtedly get messy as well, which rather ruins the whole being able to dress for the destination part of using a brompton (or similar folder).
The purpose for which you use the bike is the thing that determines whether these tyres make sense. Yes, and can easily blast round the cityat 30+kph as I go to various meetings on my brompton, but if I do that I will get hot and sweaty, which isn't an option most of the time because I need to look presentable at my destination. My proclivity towards being sweaty is by far the biggesst limiting factor affecting my speed in my day to day urban cycling - the tyres don't even feature. Having a tyre that will never puncture, that I will never have to get dirty by the roadside to deal with, in this circumstance is great.
Would I stick them on my road bike? Not a chance - they are just not suitable for that purpose. Future versions maybe, but currently, they are just lightyears behind my current road set up (tubeless schwalbe pro-ones) or any of the other top quality road tyres
I was speaking with someone* recently about these. They said the biggest problem with solid tyres is that they destroy rims - the harsh ride just shakes them to bits. He also mentioned that wheel manufacturers may catch up with this and change their smallprint to state any warrantee is invalidated if solid tyres are used.
*can't for the life of me remember who
I wondered about this. it would be interesting to see some hard data on the impacts on your wheels but it seems likely that solid tyres can't protect them the way an air-filled one does.
Wouldn't installing this solid tyre make a lot more sense on a tubular rim and the new 3m tubular rim tape used by Cadence wheels :-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV1X4fWsCfk
Less faff, and substantial wheelset eight gains...
Not too sure on why they've chosen to be '105psi' equivalent either...
Good, solid, honest review. Commuter's tyre. And a sensible choice for many, I'm sure. Just not the majority of road.cc readers. Good to know about it the tyre though.
Put a pair on the winter commuter a few years back. Sucked all the joy out of a half-decent ride. Only lasted a year before becoming treacherous and switched back to Marathons as soon as I could. And they were a right sod to take off to boot.
Not for me.
They are slower and less comfortable than a good quality 700c clincher, which effectively rules them out for me on my road bike. I do though have a set of tannus' brompton tyyres. For the brompton I think they make a lot more sense. Yes, you lose a bit of comfort, but given most people have heavy duty tyres on their bromptons you are not going to lose any material speed. Anyone who has ever had to deal with a rear wheel puncture on a brompton will know just how awkward of a job that is, so completely removing that risk makes these a much reasonable option. Given the average mileage that people do on a brompton, the prospect of being able to go for years without every thinking about your tyres is an attractive one
This is pretty much my exact thoughts - if this were a review of an airless tyre for a folding bike I expect my verdict would be completely different.
Yeah, for the right purpose they make a lot of sense. A road bike used for sportives and club runs is probably not that right purpose. A commuter where speed is not the goal and getting the rear wheel off is a proper faff (either because its a hub geared folder like a brompton, or its got a belt drive) - makes more sense
Agree, I'm another happy Brompton user. Self fitted (I recall it needed a certain amount of swearing but didn't take that long once you got the knack of it). I haven't noticed any significant speed difference, or comfort (but the Brompton elastomer does most of that anyway).
I've had these on my commuter bike for just over a year now (used through Winter and if I ever need to leave bike locked up somewhere).
The ride is hard compared to the clinchers I have on my road bike (though I seemed to have gotten more used to it) but the weight penalty is not that substantial for your average commuter wearing a backpack once you can leave a couple of inner tubes, levers and a pump at home.
The biggest reason I got them is for twice a week taking my daughter to school/childminder. If you have ever had to change a tube by taking your Hamax seat off to flip the bike over whilst holding a 2 year old at the side of the road in inclement weather you will see how attractive these are!
As for fitting, yes they were a right a**e to put on, but no more than an hour and a half whilst sat in front of the TV.
They seem on the expensive side for tyres when you get a good set of Continentals for ~£30, but Tannus guarantee these for 9000km which is far more than I've ever got out of a set of clinchers.
They do not perform anywhere near as well on performance for air-filled tyres yet, but they more than fit the bill for a lot of commuters.
I've got no noticeable wear on mine so far, and as far as I can see they are consistent material all the way through - see the cross section on their website too https://www.tannus.co.uk/ctg_1393786330.html
Tannus guarantee 1.5mm wear over 9000km as long as you buy from an authorised retailer (i.e. not ebay).
I've fitted these to my wife's bike for the same reason -- avoiding punctures whilst transporting kids.
They can be removed and transferred to different wheels if required. Having done that a few times, the time taken to re-fit drops dramatically from the first attempt. One thing to note: the fitting tabs come in a range of sizes to fit to different rim widths and there's not much margin for error if you order the wrong ones...
A year of daily use commuting 10km each way along roads and bridleways and they don't show much wear, although there are a few cuts. Well worth it for the peace of mind on the nursery run as far as we were concerned.
I like your thinking, especially when the bike I use for carrying kids (and not much more than other local errands) has 700x28c tyres and my biggest worry is snakebite punctures on the local roads. I'd like to put something wider on it, partly for that and partly to make it more versatile on gravel, but there's limited chainstay clearance.
In my case, however, the school is so close that it's barely worth cycling at all, but she likes it. If I ever got a puncture, I'd just lock the bike to nearest lamp post, walk the rest of the way to drop her off and then pick bike up on way home, as I'd be working at home anyway.
Seems harsh comparing them to GP4000s? Surely Marathon Plus or GatorHardshell would be a fairer comparison?
Can you check those speeds again? I make it a 1.4mph difference.
As for the value, do you have any data on how long they'll last? ( Are they the same compound all the way through so you could wear them down to the rim, or are they a casing filled with some kind of foam that you couldn't ride on?).
Apologies this was an editing error, I originally wrote 4 minutes which is indeed a shade over 1.4mph.
re the tyre build - there's no casing, it's the same material all the way through the tyre. It's 'micro close-cell polymer' foam, so there are minescule pockets of air within it that presumably allow them to roll better. Tannus claim you only get 1.5mm of wear after 9000km of riding.
The place I had them fitted told me a Tannus customer came back after more than four years, who had actually managed to break their rim because the tyres were still rolling while completely worn down - the tyres outlasted the wheels, basically!
I used the previous model Tannus tyre on my Synapsis and on my regular 30 mile ride in the hilly Chilterns I was 20 minutes slower. Average normal ride on clinchers is about 1.46 minutes and with the Tannus tyres fitted it was 2.10 minutes. Also when you get a speed up you can feel the bike wobbling from side to side as the tyre wall is just not as stable as that of a clincher. My advice is to stick to clinchers but use a good latex inner tube (Vittoria pink are very good). Alternativily go tubeless.
I can imagine your speed losses would have been greater on a hilly ride, this makes sense to me as I felt a lot of momentum loss on inclines, particularly on short + sharp hills - although the new versions do roll 15% better according to Tannus. They do psychologically feel like harder work, 237 watts on Tannus for three quarters of an hour felt harder than 238 on clinchers.
I'm confused regarding the speed. So one day you did 18.9mph on the solid tyres, and 20.3mph on the regular tyres. So that is only a speed reduction of 1.4mph? Where does the over 4mph claim come from?
Not defending the tyre, I want comfort which it seems these don't give. But it seems that the speed difference isn't great, and considering the time saved on fixing punchers, checking and pumping tyres ever few days etc, then they should be a time saver for a commuter.
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