Michelin new tyre technology

[DaiRees]

I got sent this by e-mail today..... First thought was "is it April 1st yet"



Radical new tire design by Michelin. The next generation of tires.



These tires are airless and are scheduled to be out on the market very soon.

The bad news for law enforcement is that spike strips will not work on these tires.

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

SCROLL DOWN & SEE.

These are actual pictures taken in the South Carolina plant of Michelin.









and a slightly different version....

[teamster1975]

Now that's impressive.
What's to stop some nasty little sh*t putting a slice in a couple of the spokes though

[DaiRees]

What's to stop some nasty little sh*t putting a slice in a couple of the spokes though

Hey dude, I sometimes worry about the way your mind works . I don't suppose they're any more likely to be vandalised than some little sh*t slashing your existing tyres or cutting your brake pipes or whatever....


Looks interesting though doesn't it?

[teamster1975]

I've had far too many cars vandalised, I've developed a bit of a cynical streak
Fantastic technology though, I agree! No more punctures! Would be weird riding a bike with those fitted!

[steve_earwig]

Hooray for Ewetoob!!

[teamster1975]

That really does look impressive
I wonder how they would cope with speed humps though

[DaiRees]

I like it! Watched a few of the vids and I'm really impressed.

Now....I wonder when they'll start making mud terrains for me and my 4X4ing buddies, I'm sure the drive home'll be fun once the spokes have filled up with clay....

[mjb]

Put a heavy load in your car and you'll have to change wheels

[Welly]

They is THE most disgusting things I've ever seen on a car.

Looks like it's on skates

[steve_earwig]

Put a heavy load in your car and you'll have to change wheels

I was wondering about that, would the wear pattern of an under-inflated tyre still happen to these babies?

[puglover]

i like the idea ..... but what happens after you paid for these?

1 do they last as long as conventional tyres

2 do the "spokes" weaken after a few thousand miles leading to bad cornering straight line woble caused by stretched "spokes"

3 can they delaminate to leave you just the spoke section

4 can the whole tyre slide off your rim

i would be looking closly for these probs after their release before i go out and buy some

[xplosiv]

Hi,



What happens when you brake really hard look at it when you hit a rock (above) the whole tyre would collapse and the noise of the car would hit the road as the weight under braking moves to the front tyres.

Andy

[steve_earwig]

1 do they last as long as conventional tyres

See the tyre? See the tread? See how little there is!?

4 can the whole tyre slide off your rim

Looks to me like they've either got some pretty damn clever way of bonding the tyre to the wheel in the shop or you buy the wheel and tyre together (££££££££££££££££££££££££) Actually, that's probably it - Tyre + WhEEL

What happens when you brake really hard look at it when you hit a rock (above) the whole tyre would collapse and the noise of the car would hit the road as the weight under braking moves to the front tyres.

And, under the same circumstances, a normal wheel/tyre would...?

Some of those films on Yewchewb were posted a year ago, yet I can't find anything on http://www.michelin.com, so I'd guess they're either something they're playing with in their free time or they've given up trying to develop them. Or the military applications mean it's all subject to the French version of the official secrets act.

[DaiRees]

4 can the whole tyre slide off your rim

Looks to me like they've either got some pretty damn clever way of bonding the tyre to the wheel in the shop or you buy the wheel and tyre together (££££££££££££££££££££££££) Actually, that's probably it - Tyre + WhEEL

I'm sure in one of the youtube vids it says that just the tread band is replaceable, how they secure the treadband to the shearband is anyones guess but I'm sure they'd be extensively tested before release, a company like michelin can't afford the bad press of having them come apart on joe public's road car.

[steve_earwig]

That's probably why you can't buy them.