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Forget tubeless....go airless.


Page Turner

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If you’re a consumer and you want to see what Bridgestone is up to, you can get a glimpse of the airless tire solution during the Tokyo Summer Olympics in a few months time. As the official tire company of the Olympic games, Bridgestone will be outfitting the entire area with publicly available bicycles with new airless tires.

 

https://jalopnik.com/bridgestone-says-airless-tires-are-coming-soon-to-bicyc-1841140591

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1 minute ago, Parr8hed said:

why?

Ride quality (yes it matters on farm equipment) is less than satisfactory.  They get torn up and are extremely expensive to replace.  They do have issues with mud getting packed into them, that causes wear issues and ride issues.  I think there is more than that too, but the ones I knew that got tractors with them, ended up paying for new rims and regular tires, which was also cheaper than replacing these.

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1 minute ago, Indy said:

Ride quality (yes it matters on farm equipment) is less than satisfactory.  They get torn up and are extremely expensive to replace.  They do have issues with mud getting packed into them, that causes wear issues and ride issues.  I think there is more than that too, but the ones I knew that got tractors with them, ended up paying for new rims and regular tires, which was also cheaper than replacing these.

Gotcha.  

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6 minutes ago, JerrySTL said:

There's been many attempts at airless tires over the years. Yet we are still pumping them up.  I have my doubts. 

These have probably been the closest to getting it right, but still not there.  They breaking down of the rubber spokes over time seems to be the issue and the open, exposed design just makes that worse as dirt and rocks get in the spokes.

A lot of people really wanted these to be good.  They are better than a solid rubber tire, but at the cost, solid rubber wins if puncture resistance is your primary concern.

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3 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

Gross.  

Yep. I've been seeing this sort of tire for years, and no one has pitched it effectively as alternative to the existing systems we've had for decades on cars and bikes.

Good buzz, though.  Compared to a mildly changed tread pattern or a tweaked rubber compound, what exciting stuff ever comes out of Bridgestone?

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I'm strictly a roadie..., so not too worried about mud getting trapped.  

4 hours ago, Dottles said:

I wonder about the tread. If I buy a tire that can never go flat, what good is it if it's worn and bald? It's only as good as the tread lasts.

That is a good point I never thought of, not a huge issue with road slicks, but still

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I saw the airless tires and thought about how much it would reduce the tools I carry.  When I started cycling after decades away and never previously owning more than a 3-speed and was REALLY out of shape, I greatly feared getting locked inside a park that locked its gates at dusk due to walking out from the middle with a flat, braking a chain, or some other mishap.  I spent lots of time on YouTube and the Beginner's Forum on that other site making sure I had all the tools and skills to fix my bike - buying a cheap bike stand and practicing adjusting derailleurs, disc brakes, etc.  I keep a bicycle pump, a spare tube, and duct tape wrapped around a tool in case there's a slash in a tire I need to protect a new tube from being pinched in - not to mention a patch kit.

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2 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

Yep. I've been seeing this sort of tire for years, and no one has pitched it effectively as alternative to the existing systems we've had for decades on cars and bikes.

Good buzz, though.  Compared to a mildly changed tread pattern or a tweaked rubber compound, what exciting stuff ever comes out of Bridgestone?

...the RB-1 road bicycle.  For years they commanded high prices on the used bike market.

 

The Cult of the Bridgestone RB-1

Can you say, "Grant Petersen" ?

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3 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

Yep. I've been seeing this sort of tire for years, and no one has pitched it effectively as alternative to the existing systems we've had for decades on cars and bikes.

Good buzz, though.  Compared to a mildly changed tread pattern or a tweaked rubber compound, what exciting stuff ever comes out of Bridgestone?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BRIDGESTONE-POTENZA-RE-11S-225-45-17-HIGH-PERFORMANCE-RACE-TIRE-SET-OF-4-JAPAN/292485745624?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3D171f3b1aaa09459eb2a13590eaa66058%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D8%26mehot%3Dco%26sd%3D292485708570%26itm%3D292485745624%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

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