Airless Bicycle Tire Reinvents the Wheel

[satanboy]

Flat bicycle tires could be a thing of the past thanks to BriTek‘s amazin Energy Return Wheel. Whereas most bike tires regulate tire firmness with air pressure, with the Energy Return Wheel one simply adjusts the tension of the rubber that is stretched around a 29-inch carbon fiber wheel.

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Initially tested on cars, the airless tire is comprised of two layers of rubber – one at the center, stretched and held by adjustable rods, and the other on the outside. The space between, usually filled with air, holds a series of elastic cushions. The internal scaffolding of rods and cushions allow the tire go give and, according to Britek, react better to compression. As the internal rubber layer gets compressed by bumps from the road, the elastic potential energy stored within the wheel is returned and converted into forward momentum.

The Energy Return Wheel is still being tested (the company is considering adding thin sidewalls to the fiber rims, to keep mud and trail debris from piling up within them). Whether or not the new bike tire represents the future of everyday cycling remains to be seen.

http://inhabitat.com/britek-reinven...s/mountain-bike-energy-return-wheel-britek-1/

 

[bdt]

Ah, so the tweel is making it to the land of pedal-pushing.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Was this tech not originally developed to protect military vehicles against land mines, shrapnel etc?

 

[Ocali]

interesting stuff this..

 

[Arthur]

Fascinating. About time.

 

[ToxicBunny]

This is massively old, and it didn't take off with cars, I would be surprised if this gets any real traction in the biking world either.

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

Pointless without sidewalls to keep all the debris out...

 

[Picard]

Pointless without sidewalls to keep all the debris out...

I think the lack of sidewalls is just to display the design.

 

[Shi]

This is massively old, and it didn't take off with cars, I would be surprised if this gets any real traction in the biking world either.

Would be great for off road especially competitions.

 

[Chevron]

This is massively old, and it didn't take off with cars, I would be surprised if this gets any real traction in the biking world either.

I see what you did there.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Would be great for off road especially competitions.

Depends entirely on the price and the performance...

Until they're launched onto the market we won't really know.

 

[Beachless]

I need these my tubeless bicycle tires are too often airless tires

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

I think the lack of sidewalls is just to display the design.

Actually no...and I quote:

The Energy Return Wheel is still being tested (the company is considering adding thin sidewalls to the fiber rims, to keep mud and trail debris from piling up within them).

 

[Compton_effect]

Actually no...and I quote:

The Energy Return Wheel is still being tested (the company is considering adding thin sidewalls to the fiber rims, to keep mud and trail debris from piling up within them).

They'll have to - the tweel was supposed to be very noisy.

 

[Picard]

.

 

[Picard]

Actually no...and I quote:

The Energy Return Wheel is still being tested (the company is considering adding thin sidewalls to the fiber rims, to keep mud and trail debris from piling up within them).

Which is why I said what I said.

The original poster said that rocks and stuff might accumulate in the wheels ... to which I said that it might only be for display ...

And now you say that they said that it was only for display ... which is exactly what I said ... initially.

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

Which is why I said what I said.

The original poster said that rocks and stuff might accumulate in the wheels ... to which I said that it might only be for display ...

And now you say that they said that it was only for display ... which is exactly what I said ... initially.

OMG....Last Word meets Word Salad...