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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