Michelin airless tires....cool stuff

trubluluc

Don't know if this has been posted before, I didn't find it in a search.

-Luc

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/tweel-airless-tire.htm

F1nut

Oh boy, everyone will have 22's.

tonyb

That is the most dorkish looking tire I've ever seen. Bet it would work wonders steering around corners.:rolleyes:

TouchOfEvil

tonyb wrote: »

That is the most dorkish looking tire I've ever seen. Bet it would work wonders steering around corners.:rolleyes:

Why don't you read the story on them?
Personally if they can bring something like this to the market eventually i would be interested as they are very light weight meaning better gas mileage .....oh and no flats lol. Too bad they won't be able to market this for some time as it's got some ways to go in making improvements.

audiobliss

Very interesting. Totally looks horrible, and I can't see any way they could overcome that issue...though perhaps 'wrapping' the sides with a layer of rubber to hide the 'spokes'?

audiobliss

TouchOfEvil wrote: »

Why don't you read the story on them?
Personally if they can bring something like this to the market eventually i would be interested as they are very light weight meaning better gas mileage .....oh and no flats lol. Too bad they won't be able to market this for some time as it's got some ways to go in making improvements.

Did you read the article? It said that currently the tweel "is within five percent of the rolling resistance and mass levels of current pneumatic tires", meaning it's NOT as efficient as pneumatic tires. Though it went on to say the economy aspect is within 1% of pneumatic tires and that with further development Michelin can be expected to make it even more efficient. But as of right now they're not as efficient.

Sherardp

They're ugly, but hopefully funtional. Nothing wrong with a set of 22's if they look good on the car.

tonyb

I read the article, doesn't change the fact that they are butt ugly. I wouldn't put those on my car if it were free. If your concerned about better gas milage,get a smaller car,or get an electric car, or petition your governing bodies for cheaper gas. An ugly tire,no matter how efficient, won't change squat for me anyway.

dorokusai

I think it's a cool idea but I'll let a decade of guinea pigs determine the outcome. Meanwhile, I'll order some new, traditional 22" aluminum rims for my warthog.

TECHNOKID

dorokusai wrote: »

I think it's a cool idea but I'll let a decade of guinea pigs determine the outcome. Meanwhile, I'll order some new, traditional 22" aluminum rims for my warthog.

Do you think they could have stolen the design from Polk?

dorokusai

lol

obieone

Fugly.

Toolfan66

That was funny Technokid..

madmax

I want a pair for my Scion xB. They should complement the looks of a box nicely! I bet those are super light weight compared to the standard rim/tire. Its about time we changed the wheel concept from the 1920's.

ledhed

I'd like to see the difference in traction between these and normal wheel/tires. Can't be good.

tonyb

ledhed wrote: »

I'd like to see the difference in traction between these and normal wheel/tires. Can't be good.

Yeah,they look like in the rain,they'd act like a pair of ski's. I'm all for advancement in technologies, but re-inventing the wheel ?? Seems to me the efforts could be more usefull elsewhere.

brettw22

Holy hell are those foul looking.........

Could you imagine having to slam on the brakes and all of a sudden the 'spoke wedges' all collapse at the same time? It'd be like your car was bagged and you jsut planted it on the ground.........lol......

cnh

I think audiobliss has the right idea about wrapping these up...they are ugly. Also, in the article you can't actually USE these tires well at HIGH speeds because they act up and make noise like the devil. If I remember correctly they have FITS over 50 mph. So that's a REAL problem with that design for now.

Nonetheless, the airless tire has been a kind of Holy Grail for years in the tire industry! A tire you never have to attend to, that won't go flat and never needs air! If perfected. Who could 'argue' with that?

cnh

tonyb

Who could 'argue' with that?

Me...looks like a bicycle tire. Ever have problems with a bicycle tire ? No such thing as a tire you never have to attend to. Road conditions ,speed, weight on the tire,temperture, all play a role in wear. I can't imagine how those spokes would hold up hitting a pothole at 50 mph. Plus by the looks of the design,you could pretty much throw a comfortable, quiet, ride out the window.

cnh

cnh wrote: »

If perfected. Who could 'argue' with that?

cnh

I ABSOLUTELY agree with you which is why I preface what you quoted...?

The article plainly states that these tires, do in fact, currently, have ALL the problems you list above. So I'm not endorsing these as 'is' by any means...and I'd never use them--at least not NOW or even in the near future.

We're pretty much in agreement, really.

cnh

concealer404

What exactly is so horrible about air filled tires, again? Have i missed a boat here?

Joe08867

concealer404 wrote: »

What exactly is so horrible about air filled tires, again? Have i missed a boat here?

The air can leak out... Causing you to have to change said tire.

Seriously, those things are weird looking. I do hope they cover the sides in some way. They look like a modern wagon wheel.

concealer404

Joe08867 wrote: »

The air can leak out... Causing you to have to change said tire.

Seriously, those things are weird looking. I do hope they cover the sides in some way. They look like a modern wagon wheel.

And i'm sure these new tires will be failproof and cost no more than traditional, inferior, air-filled tires....:rolleyes:

This is an answer to a question nobody asked, as far as i'm concerned. They can pry my air-filled tires out of my cold dead hands.