Airless tyres.

[Chippy_Tea]

I have seen these on off road machinery it looks like they are heading for the car market, any negatives you can see?

 

[crowcrow]

I remember seeing them on Engadget in like 2007 and they were 'soon to be launched' back then. Look good but I wonder if they become softer in time? I wonder what failure looks like on these, and how aggressive braking or acceleration does to them? Plus hot and cold?

 

[jof]

Suspect they take a lot more material to make so will be heavier, costlier and probably lower mpg.
Also you may not be able to do 1 tyre size fits many as they have a fixed equivalent tyre pressure too.

I think they still have a place in specialist applications though.

 

[Graz]

I had a bit of a love hate relationship with the run flats on my BMW. I liked them as you knew if you got a puncture and it was late at night, pissing down with rain, etc. you could just carry on home albeit slowly. Also unbeknownst to me one of my front tyres had worn down on the inside edge (hard to see) and "blew out" on the M5, now on normal tyres that could be quite catastrophic but I just heard a pop, thought that's odd, shortly followed by the tyre pressure warning coming on, but no drama, just carried on.

What I didn't like about them was a hard ride and if you got a flat and ran on it the tyre is a write off, need a new one even if it's only been used for 10 miles. They were expensive

I suspect these sort of tyres will have similar benefits and drawbacks though obviously you can get a puncture and it doesn't matter so no need to replace. They will be heavy, the run flats were so these will be even more so, and I suspect the ride will also probably be firm. Be interesting to see if they start appearing on any mainstream car manufacturers wheels. Might not sell so much tyre insurance though

 

[Bernie]

I have seen these on off road machinery it looks like they are heading for the car market, any negatives you can see?

Scrubbing of the sides when one brushes the curb.
Stones and detritritus in the gaps and casing damage.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Round here they'll be full of mud in no time

 

[Stevieboy]

If they go flat, how do you pump them up?

 

[Graz]

Round here they'll be full of mud in no time

I thought these open ones were just to demonstrate the concept and that the actual production tyres will have normal side walls hiding the internal gubbins mainly for several of the reasons already mentioned.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I thought these open ones were just to demonstrate the concept

I don't think they could stick sides on but they might, tyres similar to this are already being used.

 

[dad_of_jon]

airless inserts work on bikes apparently, you can choose the sponginess (aka pressure ) of the insert in your tyre.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

 

[dad_of_jon]

airless inserts work on bikes apparently, you can choose the sponginess (aka pressure ) of the insert in your tyre.

ooh that isn't even an insert

 

[Clarence]

'airless tyres? Isn't that the same as saying "bald tyres"?

 

[Goldthirst]

The police with their stingers wouldn't like them.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

'airless tyres? Isn't that the same as saying "bald tyres"?

It could be if you are from Cumbria as we tend not to pronounce out H's

 

[Chippy_Tea]

The police with their stingers wouldn't like them.

That is a good POINT.

 

[Clarence]

Very interesting, but what a motor-mouth! Didn't like the idea of all those pins, I can see them breaking and letting the tyre roll off. They were red? Must get my screen fixed.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I can see them breaking and letting the tyre roll off

I assume they have been rigourously tested when you consider what holds a tyre to a rim now I wouldn't have any concerns about metal pins.

 

[Bernie]

1. The rolling resistance would be higher
2. They can't be fitted like normal beaded tyres.