The Tannus Armour is the first insert on the market that is aimed at using an inner tube setup as opposed to tubeless.

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Tannus is a big name in ‘airless tyres’ (AKA solid tyres). It has been developing this product using Tannus’ Aither tech.

The general idea is to give the rider better flat protection and the ability to ride at lower pressures without getting pinch flats.

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Available in 2019 for 29in and 27.5in for mountain bikers. There will also be a 700 x 35-40C size for the drop-handlebar brigade. There is a general focus on off-road cycling and commuting.

Having said that it looks heavily geared towards the latter and, in particular, reducing pierce punctures (thorns, glass etc) rather than pinch flats. But it’s a noteworthy idea nonetheless.

“Designed to be used in conjunction with a clincher tyre and inner-tube combo, the Armour sits between the inner-tube and tyre. At its thickest point, the top of the Armour is ~15mm, which, combined with a tyre provides in excess of 20mm of puncture protection. The walls of the Armour are ~2mm thick and totally encase the inner tube, providing additional lateral protection from punctures to the sidewall as well as pinch flats. The Armour design allows riders to lower their PSI to as low as 20 psi, whilst at the same time ensuring ultimate protection to their rims. In the unlikely event you get flat tyre, you can also run flat on the Armour without any problems under 10km/h; which could be a real lifesaver.”

The most noticeable thing about the Armour is its simplicity. Anyone who has installed tyre inserts will testify that it is a wrestle, to say the least. The Armour installation claims to be as easy to set up as a standard tyre and tube combo and requires no special tools or maintenance.