[Sovkiller]

Not sure if this has been posted here before, but to me is a really amazing step over the traditional solution, take a look here guys...Wondering what will be next???

 

[choomanchoo]

I read about these in a different forum just the other day, and boy, does it look promising, to think that our kids might not know what a flat tire is.

 

[Al4x]

i fear for the grip level not having a tyre that moulds to the road as well, strong but moulding is pretty hard without gas or liquid

 

[breakfastchef]

Road grip might definitely be a factor. I would be more concerned about fast tire wear on these low profile things. Much faster than a conventional tire. They are pretty unattractive as well.

 

[Al4x]

i cant see how you can have the best of both,
the flexibilty of air and the support of rubber tube at high pressure work as a combo in the normal tyre,
if this is too rigid grip and stability will be lost, if its too flexible it will just collapse [and if not collapse, fuel efficiency will be poor],

want to see how theyve managed this

 

[Uncle Erik]

I can't see how ride comfort would be pleasant without a thorough rework of the suspension.

Also, do we really need to replace traditional tires? I've been getting 40k+ miles from newer sets and the prices are fair.

Don't really need the performance, either. Considering traffic, there's no place to put them to the test. Even a stock Model T would probably be OK for LA's traffic.

 

[oicdn]

Michelin has had those tires in "conversation circulation" for about 5 years now. I used to be sponsored by Michelin for MTBing and I used to get a monthly newsletter with new "maybe's"...and that was something that was talked about in like 03. Look at the year of the Audi in the pictures....should be a good enough indication, as does the ad saying it came into the "publics eye" in 2005.

You know the reason it will likely never hit the streets? because too many people ride tires to wire, often times much past the pops. People would ride around on those until the rubber tread ring wore off and here come the lawsuits from idiots. Camber for your car would have to be ZERO, else there would be excess ply/stress on the bands, especially when it got worn down excessively....there were a number of reasons why it was still in developmental stages back then...lemme see if I can find that newsletter and scan it for your guys...

 

[jordanross]

I've seen the prototypes on a Segway. They are perfect for the the Segway. Very cool concept I hope these end up getting used in the real world. Although it's not a new concept they have been using these types of tires on fork lifts for years.

 

[Baines93]

Not keen. Come on horrible wheels, cant seem to be bought and fitted to original wheels, comfort and isolation will be bad, thin and would wear after spinning them in a CL55 AMG, grip problems, and even less protection for the edges of the alloys than low low profiles, and less protection on keeping the wheel fully perfectly circular (?)

And they look ugly IMO.

Matt

 

[Lazarus Short]

I think I last saw tyres like this on the Lunar Rover.

 

[KUNFUCHOPSTICKS]

1 word: Firestone.