Michelin's new "airless" tire. WTF?

[dcOne 2]

Here is one link. There are lots of pages on the internet available. It's apparently called the "Tweel"?

 

http://www.michelinman.com/difference/rele...e01102005a.html

 

Here is a closeup pic.

http://www.geocities.com/tiensoon_law/imag...in_tweel_01.jpg

 

http://www.geocities.com/tiensoon_law/imag...in_tweel_02.jpg

 

I can think of a problem or two already.

[NewbieJr 540]

Increased road surface damage.

[brinett9 0]

Airless tires for bicycles and scooters have been around for a while, and there has been much discussion about them.

 

I've tried them on various scooters I've had with good results.

 

The airless tire generally gives a bumpier ride than a pneumatic tire.

 

It also weighs more, but more is made of that than should be. I would expect them to produce just slightly less gas mileage than a pneumatic tire.

 

Of course a scooter tire going 20 mph and supporting 300 lbs and a car tire going 70 mph and supporting 2000 lbs are vastly different applications.

[dcOne 2]

Increased road surface damage.

 

 

Really? Well they appear to be, on the outside---just plain 'ol rubber, like a normal tire.

[brinett9 0]

Increased road surface damage.

Ever see what the road looks like after a pneumatic tire blows out?

[NewbieJr 540]

Really? Well they appear to be, on the outside---just plain 'ol rubber, like a normal tire.

Really? I didn't see all the links, just the first one. They appear to be much more narrow than a regular tire.

[ilovemustachios 0]

I can think of a problem or two already.

 

 

 It looks like SHlT

[brinett9 0]

Really? I didn't see all the links, just the first one. They appear to be much more narrow than a regular tire.

I think it's just the first pic that gives that illusion.

 

They are very thin in radial profile, but look like normal width side to side.

[Mungwater 588]

You won't have to worry about flats anymore, the width is the same, it can be retreaded, and the carbon "fingers" will actually give you a smoother ride.

[dcOne 2]

Airless tires for bicycles and scooters have been around for a while, and there has been much discussion about them.

 

Weren't the ones on bikes and scooters made of pure plastic?

 

 

 It looks like SHlT

 

 

I was thinking that if snow, mud or debris gets in them, it will throw the balance off drastically.

 

 

I wonder if you could run a long metal rod through the spoke of one tire, then through the spoke on the tire that is opposite it. It would act as a poor mans anti-theft device.

[NewbieJr 540]

If they're anything like my Big Wheel tires, they'll eventually split right down the middle.

[ilovemustachios 0]

I was thinking that if snow, mud or debris gets in them, it will throw the balance off drastically.

 

 

Oh yeah, good call....I'd assume that they'd make some kind of cover for em.

 

Snow would be a real pain.

[brinett9 0]

Weren't the ones on bikes and scooters made of pure plastic?

Yes and no. Some of them are an aerated synthetic rubber.

 

Others are a normal tire filled with a urethane foam.

 

I suppose that's all plastic, but aren't all tires synthetic rubber these days, and hence technically 'all plastic'?

[Mungwater 588]

Yes and no. Some of them are an aerated synthetic rubber.

 

Others are a normal tire filled with a urethane foam.

 

I suppose that's all plastic, but aren't all tires synthetic rubber these days, and hence technically 'all plastic'?

 

Tires still have a lot of natural rubber in them, the inner line is butyl, which is synthetic.

[George Carlin 1]

Airless tires for bicycles and scooters have been around for a while, and there has been much discussion about them.

 

I've tried them on various scooters I've had with good results.

 

[dcOne 2]

Yes and no. Some of them are an aerated synthetic rubber.

 

Others are a normal tire filled with a urethane foam.

 

I suppose that's all plastic, but aren't all tires synthetic rubber these days, and hence technically 'all plastic'?

I guess I'm thinking of the ones that came out in, like the mid 80s. I remember you could hear bicycles with plastic tires coming from a block away.

 

I meant more specifically, the tires that were solid, hard plastic.

[NewbieJr 540]

I can think of a problem or two already.

I think the noise from all the morons who think it would be cute to put baseball cards in the spokes would be annoying.

[parrot 789]

There is clearly air in that tire.

[D'ohmer Simpson 0]

Interesting technology. Except for cornering issues I think they would work. I'm interested to hear what problems you think they would cause?

[illiterate 0]

If you hit a big pothole, are those "spokes" going to bend?

 

They look expensive.

[dcOne 2]

Interesting technology. Except for cornering issues I think they would work. I'm interested to hear what problems you think they would cause?

 

 

I already mentioned them getting "out of balance" as sh!t gets stuck in them. Someone mentioned covers.

Only problem with covers is, IMO, is that they won't stay on. The tire flexes as it hit bumps, etc...but will the cover?

 

If you hit a big pothole, are those "spokes" going to bend?

 

I think they are supposed to bend in that situation.

 

What about cops trying to put out "stop sticks"?

 

They'll have to resort to something else. Maybe a twist on my anti-theft idea would work. Instead of stop sticks to puncture the tire, cops could simply lay along the road, then when the speeding crook came by, they could quickly insert their Night-Stick into the spokes. When it came around, the L-shape portion of the handle would jam against the underside of the fender, causing the car to skid out of control.

 

One thing that the cops would have to remember, is to let go of the nightstick once it was inserted.

[parrot 789]

I already mentioned them getting "out of balance" as sh!t gets stuck in them. Someone mentioned covers.

Only problem with covers is, IMO, is that they won't stay on. The tire flexes as it hit bumps, etc...but will the cover?

I think they are supposed to bend in that situation.

 

What about cops trying to put out "stop sticks"?

 

They'll have to resort to something else. Maybe a twist on my anti-theft idea would work. Instead of stop sticks to puncture the tire, cops could simply lay along the road, then when the speeding crook came by, they could quickly insert their Night-Stick into the spokes. When it came around, the L-shape portion of the handle would jam against the underside of the fender, causing the car to skid out of control.

 

One thing that the cops would have to remember, is to let go of the nightstick once it was inserted.

I assumed that picture was a cut-away to show what goes on inside the tire. Are they actually open like that?

[dcOne 2]

I assumed that picture was a cut-away to show what goes on inside the tire. Are they actually open like that?

 

 

You may be correct on it being cut-away. That makes more sense.

 

Although, they may want to leave it open, so they cops will be able to incorporate my nightstick-stop-method.

[illiterate 0]

What about cops trying to put out "stop sticks"?

 

They'll have to resort to something else. Maybe a twist on my anti-theft idea would work. Instead of stop sticks to puncture the tire, cops could simply lay along the road, then when the speeding crook came by, they could quickly insert their Night-Stick into the spokes. When it came around, the L-shape portion of the handle would jam against the underside of the fender, causing the car to skid out of control.

 

One thing that the cops would have to remember, is to let go of the nightstick once it was inserted.

 

This is a joke right? How many rpms is a tire rotating at 20 mph? 30 mph? 40 mph? I'm sure some math geeks here can figre it out.

[D'ohmer Simpson 0]

I already mentioned them getting "out of balance" as sh!t gets stuck in them.

I suppose it could happen, but the "spokes" are pretty big. It won't be like your tire tread now where stones get stuck between them. We're talking rocks and they'd most likely get tossed out once the wheel started spinning.

 

And no, it doesn't appear to be a cut out, this is exactly how the tire would look.

[dcOne 2]

This is a joke right? How many rpms is a tire rotating at 20 mph? 30 mph? 40 mph? I'm sure some math geeks here can figre it out.

 

Enough to where you wouldn't want to be in that car when it spun out from getting a stick jabbed throught the spokes.

 

 

 

I suppose it could happen, but the "spokes" are pretty big. It won't be like your tire tread now where stones get stuck between them. We're talking rocks and they'd most likely get tossed out once the wheel started spinning.

 

I was referring mainly to snow.

[thedanzone 2]

What if a flood happens and it suddenly gets freezing cold?

[BMoney 0]

thats what i was thinking....

 

i could see these tires struggling with sudden downpours or heavy winds...

[swandown 0]

Where's the valve stem??

[SUXBNME 1,335]

Where's the valve stem??

 

 

[parrot 789]

And no, it doesn't appear to be a cut out, this is exactly how the tire would look.

Well if that's the case, I would guess that noise would be a big problem. The air rushing through those at a high rate of speed would make a hell of a racket I would think.

[GobbleDog 816]

"tweel".... sorta like "spork"

[thedanzone 2]

"tweel".... sorta like "spork"

 

I guess I'm missing something big then.

 

Spoon + Fork = Spork

 

_______ + Wheel = Tweel

[GobbleDog 816]

tire

[NewbieJr 540]

I guess I'm missing something big then.

 

Spoon + Fork = Spork

 

_______ + Wheel = Tweel

(tire)

[brinett9 0]

They should cover it.

 

It looks pretty crappy like that.

 

Maybe ethnic people of some kind will buy it.

[dcOne 2]

They should cover it.

 

It looks pretty crappy like that.

 

Maybe ethnic people of some kind will buy it.

Nah...someone else said it looked expensive.

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

This is anti-American. Those tires would take away jobs of American tires. We should do what we can to subsidize regular tires to prevent these "airless" tires from taking over. Just because they are cheaper and work better, that does not mean that we should embrace them.

[Mungwater 588]

This is anti-American. Those tires would take away jobs of American tires. We should do what we can to subsidize regular tires to prevent these "airless" tires from taking over. Just because they are cheaper and work better, that does not mean that we should embrace them.

 

 

Those are made in South Carolina...

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

Those are made in South Carolina...

 

By Mexicans, I bet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sarcasm.... Catch it