Most liked posts in thread: Airless tires

  1. Johngo

    Johngo New Member
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    #2 Johngo, Dec 9, 2011
    Hope they come in wider sizes and better colors... :)
     
  2. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    #3 Nathan, Dec 9, 2011
    Michelin calls it Tweel

    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcdmH_hVWBY]Michelin's Revolutionary Airless Tires - YouTube[/ame]
     
  3. Johngo

    Johngo New Member
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    #4 Johngo, Dec 9, 2011
    Would be cool if they could be "stiffened" for autocrossing applications. Not sure how that will work...
     
  4. goaljnky

    goaljnky New Member

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    #5 goaljnky, Dec 9, 2011
    But I just bought an air compressor. :confused:
     
  5. Angib

    Angib New Member

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    #6 Angib, Dec 9, 2011
    Yes, Michelin developed this idea many years ago and thought it was going to be the future of car tyres. Didn't happen, so this Bridgestone version may be, ahem, marketing material.
     
  6. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    #7 Metalman, Dec 9, 2011
    Yeah, air pressure stiffens the sidewalls. Wonder how well these will work with side loading.
     
  7. Steve

    Steve Administrator
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    #8 Steve, Dec 9, 2011
    Tweel, that's it. It's been so long since I saw anything about Michelin's version I forgot what they called it. That name points out an aspect many miss, the tire and wheel are a unit.
     
  8. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    #9 Metalman, Dec 9, 2011
    Huh, I thought that was a color. Kinda bluish gray....
     
  9. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    #10 Crashton, Dec 9, 2011
    Can you imagine the balance issues if those were used in the snow on a car? Seems like a decent tire for a bobcat, but not for my MINI.
     
  10. Steve

    Steve Administrator
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    #11 Steve, Dec 9, 2011
    Yup, I'm thinking low-speed applications are best unless they can figure out a way to keep out snow, gravel, etc.
     
  11. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    #12 Metalman, Dec 9, 2011
    Yeah but..... then you could get one of these JCW upgrade kits......:D

    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDafMzo4HO8&feature=related]Turbospoke - The Bicycle Exhaust System - YouTube[/ame]
     
  12. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    #13 Crashton, Dec 10, 2011
    That is sooo cool. I want 2 for my MINI. JCW FTW!!! Simply craptastic!!! :cool: We could mod the sound cards & get an Aston V12 roarrrrrr...

    Let's do a group buy. Can we have a turbospoke garage day at the shop Chuck? Please! :D
     
  13. ZippyNH

    ZippyNH Well-Known Member

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    #14 ZippyNH, Dec 11, 2011
    Wonder if they get softer as the plastic fatigues....so start out hard, end up cadalic soft...
     
  14. Crashton

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    #15 Crashton, Dec 11, 2011
    It has been my experience with things made of rubber & plastic that they get harder or maybe more brittle as time goes by. That is an interesting thought. Once those ribs start breaking those tweel things may become useless.
     
  15. ZippyNH

    ZippyNH Well-Known Member

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    #16 ZippyNH, Dec 11, 2011
    Just picture this...hit a pothole...
    rather than a blowout, and stopping on the side on a metal rim, you end up shattering the plastic wheel/rim combo...and skid to a stop on the rotor/hub....
    i guess by then we will have all regenitive braking, and electroic or fuel cell powered cars...but when this concept becomes ma)instreem, cars as a hobby will be truely dead...no different rims (ok styled sidewalls)....cars will truely be like a basic appliance...like a toaster(prius on stroids).