We Bought PUNCTURE PROOF Tires, Are They Any Good?

[@gcntech]

What do you think about these tyres? Would you buy them?? Let us know! 👇

[@Frank-mn4hx]

For a cyclist like me, Solid tyres are an good upgrade. My speed is; 25km/h. Only; I need 37mm wide tyres. The E-bike I have would benefit from solid tyres. The E-bike weighs 30kg. And the top speed is; 28km/h. Any idea what the top speed is what the solids tyres can have?

[@Aragorn.Strider]

Well I can imagine these are great tires if you are on vacation, exploring on a very long ride, say 1000km, through countries where you don't speak their language, or far away from civilisation.

[@bikecommuter24]

Probably not I'm slow enough already and changing out a tube is not that difficult, an inconvenience yes but thats why I have a spare tube, patches, tire boots and CO2 cartridges in my saddle bag.

[@Choedron]

It all depends. If you are simply training for yourself, according to a watts plan, then it would make no difference if the speed is higher or lower, since you are training to improve your FTP. Then if would be nice, if you did not have to think about the possibility of punctures - no matter if you ride with tubes or tubeless (it is not always the glue works). So, I can see them handy in that scenario. Then you simply put on ordinary tires when out riding with friends or participate in some event. But It could be interesting to see the difference between the Tannus Armour tire inserts compared to your ordinary tires - since it offers more protection than nothing added.

[@Choedron]

@@Frank-mn4hx You can get that too from Tannus.

[@normskilight]

I switched to solids for commuting as i was always getting punctures. They are heavy and less forgiving, and so slower and more more hard work. But when i switch back to pneumatics at the weekend, it's like ive been training in extra gravity 😄. That same hills suddenly feel so easy.

[@mlee6050]

I used to use schwalbe silento on my mountain bike and cycle over broken glass without punctures, at moment I'm looking at continental competition tubular for my road bike as schwalbe is being evil and stopping tubular

[@diego-wn2vk]

Goku training

[@edwardwilliammorris1340]

I have solids on one of my bikes and standard on the other , it's true it's harder but if you CAN'T get a puncture they are great , I love them 👍

[@JackMott]

it isn't the weight that makes them slow, its the extra energy it takes to deform them and the extra energy wasted bouncing on road imperfections

[@amagumba]

I put Tannus Portal 700x28c on my 20-mile-per-day commuter a few months ago and won't look back. One problem with this test is that you didn't break the tires in, they take about 50 miles to really settle. I wanted to buy them for a long time but didn't because of takes like this. After 3 months of 20 mile per day rides, I would say that as far as pedaling effort, they are better than the 700x28c Gatorskins I had before this but worse than the 700x25c Schwalbe Marathon Pros I had. With the Schwalbes I was usually riding at 22mph, with the Gatorskins and Tannus I'm around 18mph. That's roughly a 20% difference, though I also ride for fitness so it's not a problem and stoplights are the majority of the variance in my door to door time. As far as grip, they're roughly equivalent to Gatorskins, so they slide more easily than I'd like. Again not a problem in dry conditions, and I don't ride wet. But the main thing is, once you have them for a few months, a couple of things are really nice. One is that you stop thinking about your tires as a risk and something that can fail at any time, and start to think of them more like shoes. This is a big deal for me. The other thing is you never have to wonder, am I feeling slow because I have a slow leak? The experience on the bike is exactly the same every time.

[@k9taxi]

I ride the same Tannus Portal tires. These so called 28s are slightly smaller than my Continental 4-Season 25s. They're really 25s but who's counting. 🙂

[@SecondLifeDesigner]

I don't think the tires in this video were Tannus tires. Tannus tires are a lot more expensive than the ones he bought. I am sure he bought cheap Chinese solid rubber tires. Tannus tires are bound to be a heck of a lot lighter. I been riding Tannus tires for years and will never go back. Haven't had to worry about flats in about 5 years. I am just a casual rider for exercise about 12 miles over other day or every third day. Yes, the ride is harsher but I got a nice spring under my seat which pretty much cancels out the harshness.

[@chatteyj]

@@SecondLifeDesigner Yes he put them on in 3 minutes thats fast, don''t know what he was moaning about.

[@C345OFR]

Thanks for confirming a 20% difference - Tannus have tried to gaslight me on this but, as I said in my own comment, Komoot is consistent enough that I trust its statistics.

[@benlangleben8266]

Sick of getting punctures, I did a web search on whether you can put the anti puncture gel usually used with tubeless into inner tubes. Not only was the answer yes, but muckoff make a version of the product with a nozzle designed to insert into inner tubes. This has definitely kept me going. I found my tyre was slightly soft one morning and found a huge gouge in the tyre from the previous evening, which would otherwise have meant a long walk home.

[@FaithsFallen]

Solid tyres are a great option for solo female commuters who may be commuting at night or early morning, would not want to end up in a sketch part of town with a puncture at midnight!

[@MrLM002]

Y'all should test Tannus' Airless Tires.

[@mlee6050]

I want to see how they affect if can rotate wrong way, mainly as was tempted to put them on a bike but it have a flip flop hub

[@MrLM002]

@@mlee6050 I'd be interested to see that as well, it looks like most (if not all) of their airless tires are directional.

[@yutehube4468]

I put Tannus Aither (26 x 1.75") on my eBike and get pretty much the same range out of it I was getting before. Maybe 45 miles now instead of 50 before.

[@joshuafoster8976]

I have tannus on my genesis with a hub gear too.... They aren't as quick, but on a commuter honestly can't say it's that noticeable. Grips always been good too. Bugger to get on with the tabs!! glad they last a lot longer than normal ones, saved me trying remove em😅

[@mlee6050]

@@joshuafoster8976 yeah they better last, I use tubular to commute on so yeah lucky I never had a puncture yet

[@CHJohnson-vg4oj]

Alex. I'm on my second pair of solid tires. The first set did over 14500km. They cost £100 the pair. A good investment. I'm 61. Can't do speed anymore - I do loads of long rides and the piece of mind is what I like and I can off road if I need to. Also and you didn't mention this, I have to work harder as the rolling rrsistanceyis greater. Uses more calories.

[@nihonbunka]

I am 59. I do speed. Is something going to happen next year, I wonder.

[@kmetz878]

Interesting concept. As a bike commuter, I can definitively say that waking up to a flat tire on your bike when you're already running late is extremely frustrating and has a tendency to make you want to buy the most puncture-resistant tires possible - it's not just how fast you can change a tire, but the worst timing possible of needing to do so. My husband and I have been riding on Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires the last couple years, and have had no punctures on them - I even found a large (several mm) gouge in one of mine while doing my bi-weekly dig-glass-shards-out-of-my-tires session, which I take as proof enough that they've stopped at least one serious puncture. 😅 They are an absolute pain to fit onto a rim though (especially my bike with 700x25 tires), and I can't imagine fitting a full solid tire on.

[@ssenssel]

I have gotten flats in the awkward places and at weird times.. Makes me want to give solid tires a try.

[@ruan13o]

I've been using Schwalbe Marathons and haven't had a puncture for years even commuting in central London. But it takes me about 20minutes to put both tyres onto the rim though so it's just as well they don't puncture!

[@olommentes]

Same tires, 5 years commuting without a single puncture.

[@kai_v_k]

I kind of also would think the comparison to the Marathon Plus would be interesting, since they already feel almost wooden.

[@stephenconnolly1830]

Swalbe Marathon plus tyres are heavier than Tannus aether 2.0 solid tyres!

[@10ktube]

I rode Tannus tires for a couple months. They were slower, roughly 7 percent in either speed or power numbers. However, not carrying a pump, tube(s), patches, levers, was really nice. If you truly train off power and TSS, and your ego can deal with being slower than usual, and a rougher than normal ride, they work as intended.

[@gcntech]

It definitely would be nice not to carry stuff all the time!

[@stephenconnolly1830]

​@@gcntech- you need to test Tannus aether tyres. The solid tyres used in the video don't appear to be Tannus so the test wasn't really representative of the best in class. Tannus tyres are great for commuting and on training runs precisely because they are fit-n-forget and weigh less than pneumatic tryres with puncture resistance. They also last way longer than pneumatic tryres.

[@karlproctor7526]

I used Tannus on my commute bike for two years Pre-Covid. I put them on for one reason, puncture prevention. I even did some 50 mile rides on them. Bit sketchy in heavy rain.

[@benbrennan8991]

I used the Tannus solids for commuting a couple of years ago and although the speed was affected and the initial ride was boneshaking, after a new saddle and inner tubes underneath the bar wrap there were no complaints. Solids are perfect for commuting but they do make riding in wet interesting.

[@gcntech]

Sounds like you made them work for you! How did they cope in the wet... please tell us more

[@kevinfeeney5309]

​@@gcntechmost of the tannus solid tires come in different hardnesses... soft are equivalent to 95psi, regular at 100psi and hard at 110psi... this is for 700x28 on a 16mm internally wide rim. I've never used them myself but another cycling youtuber used a pair for quite some time... Cruise over at Two Wheel Cruise while he was living in Japan. I've somewhat debated on getting a set myself but ended up with Schwalbe Marathon Plus on two bikes and Panaracer tourguard plus on another.

[@benbrennan8991]

@@gcntech It was sketchy. I didn't come off but avoided manhole covers and was careful going over road markings. The tyres were slippery on the lines.

[@jbdelphiaiii7637]

also slippery on rail crossings, trams

[@DarthAwar]

Solid bike tyres are more meant for Off road and Mountain Bikes aka front and more importantly rear suspension on a solid bike frame the tubes do all the shock absorption Also a solid bike frame with a good suspension seat instead of a solid mount seat helps a lot since their is no Wheel Suspension If you do have Rear Suspension and still rough ride on a seat with springs snd/or balls and good padding will help massively

[@StornofuerKasse3]

nice test. Next time it would be interesting to get a third contender on board, the Schwalbe Marathon Plus. The next best in protection behind solid tires but still the compliance of having inner tubes.

[@Aragorn.Strider]

I have the Schwalbe Marathon Plus on one of my city bikes, where speed is not that important. They have a thick 5mm (!) puncture layer and are close to impossible to puncture. I see these tires as the standard in my country, the Netherlands, they are everywhere and for that reason. One such tire ways 900grams (!!) though, which double that of these solid tires, at say 460grams. 460 is slightly less then Pirelli Cinturato Gravel-Hard 40mm at 480grams, so its not the end of the world.

[@gcntech]

Good suggestion!

[@etherealicer]

Honestly, I cannot remember having a puncture on my commuter bike (doing roughly 100km / week). Schwalbe Marathon Plus FTW

[@xykel13]

I've never used the Schwalbe Maraton Plus on any bike, but my son is using them for his wheelhcair and never punctured as far as I can remember (which pleases me since I'm the one that would have to fix it...)

[@Aragorn.Strider]

The older Schwalbe Greenguard has a green 3mm [uncture layer and is a lot more4 flexible and much more enjoyable. The Plus is like a road bike with 120psi, so very bumpy

[@jahen65]

Interesting test… besides the tyres you also had quite different wheels that might had some saying in the test as well 😊

[@Dobiecx]

Wheels aren't going to significantly effect a 9+ minute deficit

[@AutoCAD681]

Thanks Alex, this is what GCN need some more down to earth normal riding questions. But it would be nice to test this against puncture resistance tyres, like gatorskin or marathon plus

[@knightwish1623]

I've used Marathon Plus tyres for the passt 12 years and havan't had one puncture. I'll have to get some new one soon because the tread is wearing thin.

[@otm646]

Urban commuting in a major metro center which is all broken glass and metal debris Gators have yet to let me down.

[@mynameismaomao]

solid tyres are usually found on city shared bikes.. those are slow & heavy, slow down even on downslopes... but just about zero maintenance needed

[@lordraiden5398]

I ride on Michelin Lithion 2 tires and thick thorn resistant tubes. At one point I was commuting to work during the warm months 18.5 miles one way about three times a week. I have only had a flat twice. The nice surprise is the thorn resistant tubes are thick enough that when they go flat you are not riding on the rim. Still enough cushion to be able to slow then stop without losing control.

[@shellypalumbo5297]

There is a huge difference between flat resistant and solid tires. Alex, I believe that you’ve taken this to an unfair extreme. I have previously ridden 37 mm Continental clincher puncture resistant tires for many, many thousands of miles. I never had a puncture however, rolling resistance, comfort and high speed cornering suffered. I recently purchase Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires 35mm which are advertised to be highly flat resistant. The rolling resistance and cornering are greatly improved and I’ve yet to have a flat. The nicest thing about the schwalbe ciinchers are that due to some special side wall, I’m able to run them at 15-20psi lower pressure than any equivalent tire I’ve used in the past. This yields more comfort and way better handling. Pneumatics can not be replaced for more reasons than I could think of. YOU know that Alex!! 🤔 I’m a road endurance rider so speed it not as important to me as distance, compliance and comfort, so the Schwalbe offer a huge improvement for me. I’m surprised those cheap, plastic tires didn’t slide out from under you when cornering. Thank goodness they didn’t You don’t need another crash. 😂

[@user001zyx]

there is also the middle option of using inserts, that give you the option of continuing your journey even when you have a flat, while still having the comfort of air, e.g. Csixx Double Decker, Cush Core Pro, Flat Tire Defender Elite, Huck Norris Double Pack M, MarshGuard FCK Flats, Pepi’s Tire Noodle Raceline, Schwalbe ProCore, Tannus Armour, Tire Trooper AllMountain, Vittoria Airliner etc

[@levbobrov1398]

I haven't used solid tires myself (and probably never will), but one of the interesting things I've read in the review somewhere is that they also can wear out unevenly, thus making your wheel non-round and the ride feel like ... that one time when your inner tube got pinched between the rim and the tire and you didn't notice at first.

[@AGENDA_1938]

ATTENTION!!! It's about safety - and therefor another reason for an urgent WARNING concerning these types of tires that actually has nothing to do with speed: Over time - actually a very short time, the cross section of these tires wears down from circular to a circle with a flat top. To lay the wheel into a corner the bike first has to get lifted over the edges of that flat part against the entire system weight. Out of the corner it's the other way round. That results in a completely unaware feeling/handling experience - which is nothing else than troubling and likely very unsafe. Control over the bike is simply impeded. I fortunately yet didn't have to make the experience of an emergency situation with that effect. Furthermore: The fit of these tires runs loose on the rims over time. That first can get detected in a strange quirking sound resulting from the tire lifting up and down in the rim. It literally sounds like having ducks in the wheels. I expect, that not much later there will get a kind of bubble pushed around the rim impeding the round rolling - and potentially leading to a dangerous failure. I didn't get the brand referred to in that video. I refer to Tannus Aither 1.0 and 2.0, 700c/28mm, which are in an entirely different price level. I did go for them on a bike with which I want to be as safely as possible IN TIME. It doesn't help if you are quicker at a train station on bike if you have to calculate safety time for a possible puncture into your ride. Therefor these tires make some sense. But they are simply scary! Tannus improved two main issues. They removed the tire threats that had a "self-cornering" effect (meaning that the tire literally pulled itself into the corner). They improved the compound to be more comfortable, having more grip and a more predictable cut-off of the grip (the 1.0 didn't slide first in a corner, they just dropped of...). So everybody - be aware of these dangers!

[@kaspervestergaard2383]

Never trust a comment where every sentence is followed by a press on the enter button.

[@krishnansrinivasan830]

I just did replace my rear wheel with Tannus Slick Solid Tyre 700 23C to avoid the puncture problem for my cross training process :) It felt and rides like a pneumatic tyre :) But it's definitely not for racing ( at the least for now) :) I personally think if the demand for solid tyres in the market grows, there will be adequate amount of R & D going in the development of efficient solid tyres Imagining, say from Aither 1.1 to Rubber ones :) Thanks for the video GCN :) I just had the assurance from my bicycle retailer about the Amazon / Ebay Sold Solid tyres, after watching your video guess it could be the most affordable trustworthy option :)

[@buckettraveler8398]

I use Tannus tire armour and it slows me down. I use them for going to and back from work where one flat could make me late and still use tubes for everything else. Putting them in is a pain so I have two sets of wheels.

[@stewartpalmen6898]

Really great information, I saw these tyres on ebay and wanted a review and this was perfect.

[@Jayneflakes]

That was fun, I have never tried solid bicycle tyres and to be honest am unlikely to ever want to, but this confirms that choice for me. Thanks for taking the hit for the rest of us Alex. The only time I am ever likely to try solid rubber tyres is if I can ever afford to buy that Chieftain tank I have always wanted! 🤣

[@tommanseau6277]

Had some years ago. They keep coming around. They're prefect for indoor businesses that use trikes to carry stuff around, say a metal shop where you would just shred a normal tire. But they have some drawbacks. Aside from the defficiencies listed in the video, they are slippery on road paint. It's almost like riding on wet train tracks. It's not confidence inspiring. Then there's the wheel longevity issue. The beauty of a pneumatic tire is that it is a form of suspension. Spoked wheels do not like solid tires that aren't kept tight and true. They can shake enough to loosen spokes and there goes the wheel strength. These tires come and go with regularity as any good bike mechanic can tell you.

[@bytesandbikes]

These would have been worth it when I was commuting on the Portway in Bristol. That seemed to be actually constucted of rusty old screws. Near 25% puncture rate. Counting the time to patch tubes when you get home really adds to the time 😅

[@Dreggz1312]

Id like to see a test with a solid tire on the rear only. Most flats I get are in the rear. There's more weight on the rear to push glass through the tire. Often if I see debris at the last second I can swerve or hop the front wheel but it's harder to get the rear out of the way as well. Also it's easier and less greasy to fix a flat on the front. Air in the front tire would soften the road and still allow you to adjust traction on the front wheel.

[@williammorales-gonzalez1637]

I was told by a bike mechanic that these do work well BUT, will be destroying your WHEELS making you REPLACE them FAR more frequently than when using standard air. I imagine it's ultimately down to the vibration compared to regular air tires/tubes, that tears up the wheel structure.

[@brauljo]

2:47 ¿What about the weight of the inner tube/sealant and rim tape?

[@robest334]

In a post apocalyptic scenario/small under-developed island, id 100% prefer that tannus tire/solid tire.

[@backpacker3421]

I spent a few years biking in a southern European nation that shall go unnamed. Let's just say that when I wasn't on cobblestones, I was dodging wires, nails, screws, broken glass, and all other manner of tube killing road debris. This was before tubeless and sealants etc etc. In that situation ONLY, I would consider solid tires. I mean, I got REALLY good at changing my tubes fast, but otherwise, it was a HUGE detractor from my enjoyment of the rides and solids would have been a good trade off - less pleasant to ride, but not having to stop 3 or 4 times a ride to change a tube. Plus all the money saved on tubes.

[@hugobci]

100kg guy here. I used a pair of tannus in my road bike for about 2000 km. They are harsh and had a tendence to catch more objects than traditional tyres. But never before I ride 700x23 without the average of 1 puncture every 100km. Moved myself to a gravel bike with larger pneumatic.

[@borisgurevich5504]

My solution is tannus tire inserts. If you have a puncture you can still finish the ride to work or bike shop without damaging the wheels. Great solution. I looked at tubeless and indeed you get excellent protection from minor punctures but if you have a big one that it can’t seal, it is much harder to fix. Inserts seem like a good compromise.

[@jgcoppens]

Weird that riding comfort was not part of the final assessment.

[@kk908900]

I tried solid tires quite a few years ago. To put it simply they were rubbish. Very slow, very harsh ride, and one came off in a hard corner. Modern tires are so much better than what we used to use. I have a new bike with Zipp wheels. Wide internal rim width and much wider tubeless tires are so much more comfortable. Not flat-proof but getting close.

[@hornetluca]

Pretty sure that in a couple of year that solid tyres technology will improve to a point that we'll opt for those

[@jameslee-pevenhull5087]

Greentyre, Tanus or Vittoria Air Liners are OK for commuting to work. Nothing else. Note. For commuting, get an old bike that is not attractive to thieves. Clearances for mudguards and a dynohub. Battery front lamp to see with, unless you ride in city 100%. Commuting is not a TimeTrial. It is a survival test :-) Give way to everything, and use 4 x Walking as your aim average speed. Starley designed it this way.

[@tychoMX]

I never liked them for commuting or basically anything. These were old tires (about 15 y ago) so was curious if they had significantly improved. Appears not. That said, I do think they had their place. I rode a bike in a factory where they were used to do inspections and move people faster (faster than a walk, but less than 20 kph - speed limit in the facility for loaders, movers - and bikes). That was really clever since you there is always the risk of sharp bits or bad transitions between buildings that cause flats. That was clever use of solid tyres. The other one I think it's really good - the AfricaBike. Used to transport goods, personnel, etc. across dirt roads where there's minimal access to maintenance. That's perfect!

[@johnbeaven8951]

Nothing new about these, I tried solid tyres when daily commuting in London in the late 90's. I found them very unforgiving especially on poor road surfaces giving a much harder ride and they put far more stress on your wheels especially the rear. All in all I think after a year or two I went back to ordinary tyres and find Gatorskins just fine on my steel Holdsworth for travelling around London.

[@cktrading72]

Solid Tires for Me,from the Philippines

[@myPPPLab]

Training - yes with Tannus. last about 2 years for IM training. Well worth it!!. yes a little harsh but body adapts and their trainer tires so who cares if slightly slower. installation about 20 minutes to install for the easy ones (i'm a reailer installer and know how to do them all). 100 mile rides, every gotten more than 3 flats? not with Tannus solid tires!!

[@michaelclarke8066]

wow that time difference is big! i guess i'll keep my gp5000's on for now. Great watch as always nice work 😎

[@333wheeler]

Tried some in the 80s Were like a v shape wedge with a black plastic hula hoop type insert. Fluro Orange , or Black . Were pretty lethal . some came off the rims . the long term ones bone shaked the spokes loose till a near wheel collapse. "But did not Puncture" :).

[@Seppster58]

Lets see some skid tests on different surfaces including wet tarmac. Interesting to see this.

[@ravennexusmh]

jeez i've not seen those things since i worked in a bike shop as a saturday kid in 1990, sales guy came around pitching them to the shop owner, they were a nightmare to fit back then, super super tight, much tighter then shown here. you needed big zip ties to hold them in place as you worked them on with a huge tyre lever.

[@devilsboxcar3925]

Had some on my Raleigh Rascal when I was 5…..they were brilliant

[@yutehube4468]

Something not mentioned in the video is the increased risk of breaking a spoke, or how it might be impossible to fix without having to destroy the tyre to get it off to replace the spoke. On 700c rims with thin tyres anyway, there's (obviously) far less shock absorption between the road and your rims. Maybe the risk of spoke breakage is not increased if you're using smaller wheels like 26" with 32 or 36 spokes and a wider version of the solid tyre. I'm just telling myself that because that's my setup. 😛

[@binitbob]

Alex it cannot be the weight causing the difference in a previous GCN Tech video Oli said that a heavy wheel has no bearing on speed as it is a flywheel and slower to spin up means slower to spin down (ignoring spin up time if braking is involved). This was with regard to deep section aero wheels Vs narrow light climbing wheels. Therefore the difference must be the compound. Also cannot think they would be fun to use on a lumpy road in the rain.

[@teckendrums]

i live in a area with a lot of broken glass and other sharp stuff on the streets so punktur resistance is important. i had good results with tires like gatorskins, gp5000 or schwalbe marathon plus, maybe punkturing once a month or less, with other tires i had punktures multible times a week. i tryed tannus tires but my rides became way more exhausting and it felt like they got loose a litle and it was very uncomfortable. still i think that a good working airless tire would be a big improvement and would make a lot of people ride theyr bikes more frequently. i also would not mind to stop carrying a pump and a tube and repair kit everywhere. still thanks for the test.

[@DummyUrD]

"only difference being the tires" looked like you had pretty deep wheels on too

[@mariusmihai1292]

I use them only on my rear wheel. I use a gazele city e-bike and it's very hard and time consuming to fix a puncture on the back wheel. and everytime i change put the wheel out the shift gears works a little different...

[@gcntech]

Thank you for sharing your experience with us!

[@maxx0r050]

I love that Alex says "ever so slightly" in every show ❤

[@samtravis4822]

The comparison with the time it takes to fix a puncture only really works if you get a puncture every 12kms, which would be a lot even for me!

[@pg5200]

I mean, I litterally got 2 puctures in the last 30000 km I rode... One shard puncture with an old (>10k km) and dry Durano tyre. And one pitch puncture with a fairly new but underpressured Conti Contact Urban (which I have ridden thousands of kilometers since without any problem). None with Schwalbe Marathon+, slower (not nearly as slow as solid tires though ^^) along dozens of thousands of kilometers. So my take : even if you want to be (almost) 100% sure to never get a puncture, just use Schwalbe Marathon+. If you accept a pucture every 10000 km or so, then you have a wide choice of high-performance yet really strong tires. :p

[@CHJohnson-vg4oj]

Further to previous comment. My set did not wear unevenly even after a lot of miles but maybe that's down to the bike shop mechanic who put them on for me. In my experience provided you don't do kamikaze manoeuvres on wet white lines or iron drain covers then I've not had an issue with grip or skidding.

[@trdi]

I takes me 90 minutes to fix a puncture, so...

[@philiphumphrey1548]

Not for me. I'm don't care much about speed and loathe having to stop for punctures, but I also value comfort and safety on our pothole strewn roads. Fat Schwalbe Marathons or Hurricanes or equivalent with puncture protection seem to do the job nicely.

[@reyreymtz]

I bought a used Specialized Sirrus and it had solid tires. The first thing I replaced was the tires. I installed GP 5000 !

[@gsestream]

try two part symmetric rims, that you can fit solid tires directly into, just keep the two rim halves together with the wheel mounting lug screws, or more.

[@walsonsinc5915]

Sid's bike shop on 34th Street before they went out of business 20 years ago had introduced solid tires for the delivery people did not go over well

[@joelcohen4353]

Another option not mentioned here is a tire liner, which can provide run-flat capability, without all the compromises...

[@leonbroekx]

I've tried the Tannus solid tires. It's crap, because you feel everything. My back couldn't handle it. Concept was nice, but in reality it doesn't work. If it did everyone would commute with them.

[@gcntech]

Good point, the benefits don't always outweigh the flaws!

[@kaspervestergaard2383]

What hardness did you pick? My tires are rated at about 6 bars.

[@ellipticalsoul]

Schwalbe Marathon tyres would be my preferred option if puncture protection was number 1 priority

[@pzimusic]

Yes, that's the perfect balance tweaked towards puncture protection. I'm using that. My other favorite is specialized sworks turbo t3/t5 released recently. One of the best road tyre with tube and with low rolling resistance and better puncture resistance. Not as protected as marathon, but better than most/many road tyres with rather low rolling resistance. These two I use this year

[@sebastianschenker9775]

I used marathon plus for >10 years and wasn't aware how slow and uncomfortable they are and how much they add to wearing out your wheels. Switch to Ritchey WCS alpine and tubolitos and don't regret it.

[@edudutra]

I rode solid types in a bike from a bike sharing service here in São Paulo. Even though there are awful, it makes a solid choice (no pun intended) for a service like this.

[@triathlonsteve9675]

Great vid Dave, a good solid review 😅

[@Shindinru]

GCN focuses on road bikes and the sporting end of the spectrum. I'd like to see the other end, 4.0 fats on a full suspension frame. This configuration is becoming more accessible and common in both acoustic (ie regular) and e-bikes.

[@MrElliottDuran]

This reminds me of one of my first bikes as a child that had spongy solid tyres, much easier to just pull the thorn out than having to get my parents to fix a flat for me!

[@kidShibuya]

Solid effort there Jim.

[@cb6866]

Thanks Andy and crew...do you notice any difference with the oversized pulley wheels ?

[@bubblesezblonde]

I'm thinking they need to make them for e-bikes. Having a grocery-grandcub hauler without punctures would get more peeps on bikes. I like your vids Felix. When I'm feeling down I pull up tha "Mr Foamy" vid.

[@gcntech]

Good point! Cargo bikes would probably benefit from them e bit more!

[@EstelonAgarwaen]

you should try schwalbe marathon plus. they are pretty much unflattable but still offer comfort.

[@CwazyWabbits]

I tried solid tyres years ago on my mountain bike, they seriously slowed you down, it felt like riding through treacle. It was also relatively easy to roll them off the rim whilst riding.

[@gcntech]

That doesn't sound ideal! 😅

[@crossbow5318]

i have an hybrid ebike, road bike i really hate having punctures, the bike is heavier so it puncture much easier, mostly flints/rocks and glass cause my punctures, but now i think i've solved my puncture likelihood extremely well, i bought silicone lineers, i put 2 in 1 tyre and bought some self sealing tubes, the tyres are heavier, much firmer and the ride isn't as smooth, but i think this is very worth it, i lose a bit of speed, but because the ebike provides that extra power it doesn't feel any different, bit bumpier ride, but now not having to worry about walking a bunch of miles from work incase the tyre goes flat, or putting a new tube on the roadside is so much piece of mind, 2 silicone layers plus self sealing tube costs me about 50£ for both tires, is extremely worth it, now the only thing i gotta be concerned about is changing the brake discs every month because my bike can go at high speeds, but i rarely use extra speed, encase i need it too get out of dangerous situations or for overtaking other cyclists, so the pros outweigh the cons by alot.

[@knightwish1623]

We hear in a lot in GCN video's on what to take with you on your rides. Spare tyre/innertube and tyre repair kits/plugs and of cause a mini pump. I'm sure the extra weight of puncture proof tyres (not the tested ones) as in Marathon Plus or the like would not amount to the same weight as what you suggest we should take with us on a ride.

[@sebastianschenker9775]

Yeah, but you could probably carry along a spare pair of wheels and it'll slow you down less than the solid tires

[@knightwish1623]

@@sebastianschenker9775 What I mean are the normal tyres with puncture proofing and not the solid tyres

[@Destide]

Issue that swayed me off Tannus airless' raised by Francis Cades video on them, you can create a flat spot that you'll feel. That being said I had a mystery puncture inside my marathon plus' that lasted 2 days so maybe a spare set of rims with these on could be an idea.

[@fastfire04]

It’s funny to see this video a day after my zwift racing team were discussing on discord how in Switzerland they have never punctured. Both guys living there attest that over 10k of riding and not 1 puncture. I think that isn’t the market for these tires.

[@michaeloakes2408]

I just commute to work Going is easy as all down hill On the way home however is all up hill, the speed loss of solid tyres makes this a nightmare ride home and i took the wheels off , back to normal tyres now and enjoying the riding again 😁👍

[@wimbladt7357]

Solid tires are fantastic for a wheelbarrow (highly recommended), but for a bike I prefer regular tires.

[@trottophone]

About 25 years ago, I fitted solid tyres to my get-to-work bike. I can't remember what make they were. One problem (of many!) was that they soaked up water, making them rock-hard (and lethal) in freezing weather.

[@jrstegeman9466]

I wonder how they might compare to a standard tire when used with a wheel-on turbo trainer

[@barryshields3648]

I wonder what the impact on wheel lifespan is with solid vs alternative?

[@TheHaitian]

Amy difference in climbing between the tyres?

[@philadams9254]

6:33 it's not the same everything though - you used more aero wheels for test 2

[@k9taxi]

Been using Tannus Portal tires for last three years. No flats, no CO2 and no spare tubes. Just get on your bike and ride. More rolling resistance and harsher ride though.

[@davezzzz172]

I tried using solid tires on my commuter bike and couldn't believe how bad the rolling resistance was. It was like riding with my brake shoes rubbing. I switched to another bike for commuting after that (nicer bike). I then went back to my earlier commuting bike (some years?) later and tried removing the solid tires. I was horrified that they literally disintegrated when I tried to take them off the rims! Glad I discovered it that way, rather than on the road and trying to corner on them!

[@jbdelphiaiii7637]

You might as well chop the solids off of a bike -- its easier. I think the description of brake pads rubbing is quite accurate in how it feels to try and coast with the Tannus tires I have.

[@jeffreyquinn3820]

I had a late sixties to early seventies bicycle as a kid that had solid tyres. They weren't skinny road bike tyres, either. Mind you, the tyres were the only part of the bike that weren't completely worn out after ten years of heavy use by various kids.

[@georgeszentesi441]

My tires same result, could you do goam tire inserts?

[@mlustosakm]

I tried Tannus tires, and replaced flats. For broken spokes, so much harsh the ride become, and the rolling resistance its huge

[@tychoMX]

Whoa, never heard of them messing up spokes. That's really bad. Yikes.

[@kaspervestergaard2383]

Just pick some with lower "pressure". Those I use are 5,5 to 6,5 bars. @@tychoMX

[@seanoleary771]

I tired Tannus Tyres pre Covid. They were absolutely awful. Bone shaking ride, slow as hell, and felt positively unsafe the one time I tried to ride on them in wet weather.

[@C345OFR]

I've tried the Tannus brand and - while I accept they have their uses (i.e. urban riding) - they are not the all-rounder they're marketed as. I'll be going back to pneumatics once I've had ROI on a £120 outlay. As other commenters here have said, a roughly 20% decrease in speed. Tannus disputes this but Komoot is consistent enough that I trust its statistics.

[@jens-joachimvonbandemer1981]

Wouldn't the time difference actually decrease with speed, since rolling resistance increases linearly as opposed to aerodynamic resistance (power of two)?

[@gemshiddenhistories6575]

My main concern with the solid tires would be grip, or lack thereof. I would think cornering, especially in the wet, could be disastrous.

[@tychoMX]

I used them a bit during an autumn. They were really bad on wet surfaces; so much I didn't even consider using them when we were getting close to freezing. Good for things under 20 kph or so with minimal handling.

[@kaspervestergaard2383]

Using Tannus tires during the winter right now. Just ride carefully. @@tychoMX

[@gizmobytes]

Wheelchair user and can't fix a flat when out. Have been using quality G-SHOX tyres for over 20 years happy to lose ease of pushing (when fully inflated) over going nowhere when punctured.

[@edwardwilliammorris1340]

Been riding on solid tyres I got cheap on eBay for over 8 years . Just can't be bothered with punctures , so the extra effort to ride on solids is worth it for me

[@torinsall]

My ebike with rear hub motor going to get a rear Tannus Airless tire, then will use the stock tire/tube as a front spare. Best of both worlds, eh?

[@mlee6050]

@askgcntch just wanted to ask say you ride a 56 frame, will then swap to 54 frame limit power or cause any issues? Frame I want seem I have to go to Dublin for 56 but can get shipped within UK for 54 as still in stock

[@Alksbbch]

also solid tyres have advantage due biger rooling resistance, that you less often use brakes. so you save money on brakes. if you have rim brakes, your wheel can last longer.

[@walsonsinc5915]

Sid's bike shop which is on 34th Street in Manhattan introduced puncture-proof tires for the delivery people with their bikes was not a success hopefully the new ones are better when the weather is wet they had a hard time then

[@ortizma13]

I use the best of both worlds. I have FSA training tires that are thicker rubber but still use inner tubes. I ride gravel with them and never had to stop for a puncture.

[@sebastiandomagala9233]

I did not expect solid tyres to be THAT much slower. On a normal bike for commuting (with things like a pannier rack, light, mud guards etc) the remaining speed might be so low that walking could bei the most reasonable alternative if puncture protection is top priority. Except with Nike Air shoes of course.