Bicycle tires that never go flat? NASA helped

The same Lunar Module tire technology applied to bicycle tires

very soon Your bike can be equipped with run-flat tires and technology which means they will never go flat. Reality is at hand from the results of a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter.

a Smart tire companyHeadquartered in Ohio (USA), in partnership with NASA, Upgraded Metl tires, which have no air inside and due to shape memory technology, never go flat.

genius? actually yesWho would risk sending a rover to the moon with tires that could run flat?? Hence NASA’s entry into this project.

How does this all work? Inside each Metl frame is a spring-style wire that runs throughout the frame. This spring is made of a shape memory nickel-titanium alloy known as NiTinol, which is described as being as strong as titanium but also as flexible as rubber.

According to information from Smart Tire, when Nitinol is put under pressure, it starts to deform, but then takes its original shape. AndThis feature allows the Metl tire to compress and rebound smoothly, providing a smooth ride like a pneumatic tire.

The spring is coated with polyurethane that forms the clear sidewalls and tread of the tire. According to the company, this composition includes only half the rubber found in a regular tire. Additionally, although the tread may need to be replaced approximately every 5,000 to 8,000 miles, the main tire should last the life of the bike.

To reach this framework, stakeholders must first Access to the Kickstarter platform that it Ensure that these reach production. At that time it should cost between $500 and $1,200 per pair (plus import and conversion to euros).

Prospective backers should appreciate that there will be no deliveries until the summer of 2024.