Take a look at these tyres!!!

[jdp1962]

Attached are pictures of the new Michelin tyres. These tires are
airless and are scheduled to be out on the market very soon. The bad news for law enforcement is that stingers will not work on these tyres..................

This is what great R&D will do and just think of the impact on existing
technology:

a.. no more air valves
b.. no more air compressors at gas stations
c.. no more repair kits

 

[Kevint]

Cracking idea - not too sure on the looks though?

Can the tyres be replaced or are they part of the wheel?

Kev.

 

[TDI-line]

This was in Autocar quite a while ago, i think the main problem was that the tyre was attached to the alloy, making a very expensive combination. Also no real scope for low profile tyres either, and i think the idea may have been scrapped.

And at the end of the day, it does look rather silly.

 

[OutLore]

Not to mention people cutting halfway through the webs just to see what happens when they break at speed....

Perfectly ridiculous idea if you ask me. But then, I don't think you did, so who cares?

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sleep.gif

 

[PaulJC84]

I am sure they could fill the sides with pretty soft rubber.

I wonder if they will ever take off??!! Only time will tell.

If they were lower profile then they would not look so weird.

 

[fallmonk]

Along the same idea of "run flat" tyres BUT have u ever priced one of these tyres? VERY EXPENSIVE! but who knows?????

 

[jdp1962]

A classic case of engineering led by function, rather than aesthetics. Maybe in 40 years, people our age now will look back at "walled" tyres & think "how quaint".

 

[Japper]

Yeh, didn't they call these 'treels' or something similar. They look....well, awful and I think they are / were having problems with the idea.

 

[AndyMac]

Reminds me of those tyres a while back that had layer of glue all the way round which sealed up on contact with air so puncture proof. They never took off either.
Can't see why they can't just fill tyres with silicon or similar, I guess it's to do with the way they react to temp changes, rock hard in winter and jellylike on a hot day

 

[TDI-line]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeh, didn't they call these 'treels' or something similar. They look....well, awful and I think they are / were having problems with the idea.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, was something like that. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[richy]

tweels they are called..


would hate to go round corners at some speed..

 

[madvw]

the idea is cool, and with a bit more development, i'm sure they can improve the looks of them.

What i can't figure out, is how theyre gonna make the centres big enough to accomodate big brake setups... it just aint gonna work.

 

[Drill]

IIRC the pics of the sidewall-less Tweel was just for demonstration purposes. The finalized product was supposed to have a sidewall and be "Inflated" just with low pressure.

 

[Paul-RS6]

the open version is one way to add cooling to your brakes!

 

[Scotty]

They were scrapped about a year ago due to being too noisy. Expect to see them on wheel chairs and the like though.

 

[DaveACQ20v]

[ QUOTE ]
Expect to see them on wheel chairs and the like though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Potential for the agricultural market aswell i would think.

 

[fallmonk]

Would work well for construction!

 

[DaveACQ20v]

Also good for trailers and caravans that usually suffer from `perishing` sidewalls of the tyre.

 

[MikeA3]

great idea, I wonder if they will be able to make them for motor bikes as well? - I think they would save lives as bikers can fall off when a tyre blows out

also nice to see they tested them on a decent car