Bridgestone’s Air-Free Concept Tire is puncture proof

For sufferers of klatarismenophobia — the fear of flat tires — riding a bike can be terrifying.

To help the millions of cyclists who suffer from the 100% real condition, the good guys at Bridgestone came up with a bicycle tire that’s puncture proof and never needs to be inflated. The air-free tire prototype depends on a unique series of spokes made from recyclable resin. The spoke structure stretches through the interior of the tire and also supports the outer plastic rim, while the resin lends the entire wheel a high degree of flexibility.

Similar to other airless efforts — both internal and by competitors — the new air-free tires require less maintenance than their air-filled peers and severely cut down on the resistance you encounter with standard tires, 90% of which is caused by repeated changes in the shape of the wheel as it rolls.

They aren’t ready to roll out yet, but Bridgestone hopes to have the tires on the market by 2019.

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Evan Bleier

Evan is a senior editor with InsideHook who earned a master’s degree in journalism from NYU and has called Brooklyn home since 2006. A fan of Boston sports, Nashville hot chicken and Kentucky bourbon, Evan has had his work published in publications including “Maxim,” Bleacher Report and “The Daily Mail.”