Tennis balls serve as decent bicycle tires that don’t easily puncture
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Re: Tennis balls serve as decent bicycle tires that don’t easily puncture
#2this caught my eye as similar to a concept from long past readings its not a new concept,
e.g https://www.evolutionwheel.com/blog/advantages-of-segmented-...
this was proposed for consumer automotive, as a tire with a number of wedges/segments with a sealed pneumatic core. you would buy an allotment of these tire segments and replace individual ones in moments as need be. maybe i read about it from a mid-80s issue of Omni.
i thought the bicycle would be a good start vs cars n trucks
Re: Tennis balls serve as decent bicycle tires that don’t easily puncture
#3This is innovation. Do stupid shit and see if it works.
Re: Tennis balls serve as decent bicycle tires that don’t easily puncture
#4It is interest that from a functional perspective these are just traditional tires with thicker walls to prevent punctures and internally compartmentalized to reduce the impact of a puncture.
Re: Tennis balls serve as decent bicycle tires that don’t easily puncture
#5This is wicked cool and I want it on my fatbike asap! Might need to attempt and DIY this.
Re: Tennis balls serve as decent bicycle tires that don’t easily puncture
#6How’s the braking performance? Wouldn’t the tennis balls function as a kind of high-friction ball bearing, and allow the outer tire to slip when stopping?
Re: Tennis balls serve as decent bicycle tires that don’t easily puncture
#7Doesn't the metal ring used to bind the tennis ball lose all the springiness?
Re: Tennis balls serve as decent bicycle tires that don’t easily puncture
#8this caught my eye as similar to a concept from long past readings its not a new concept, e.g https://www.evolutionwheel.com/blog/advantages-of-segmented-... this was proposed for consumer automotive, as a tire with a number of wedges/segments with a sealed pneumatic core. you would buy an allotment of these tire segments and replace individual ones in moments as need be. maybe i read about it from a mid-80s issue of…
I think Continental had something similar near production already but cannot find a link.
edit: looks like every tyre manufacturer has an "airless" product:
https://www.bridgestone.com/technology_innovation/air_free_c...
https://corporate.goodyear.com/us/en/responsibility/blog/adv...
https://www.michelin.com/en/innovation/vision-concept/airles...
Re: Tennis balls serve as decent bicycle tires that don’t easily puncture
#9How’s the braking performance? Wouldn’t the tennis balls function as a kind of high-friction ball bearing, and allow the outer tire to slip when stopping?
I'm concerned about the tire slipping off on a corner, too.
Re: Tennis balls serve as decent bicycle tires that don’t easily puncture
#10Doesn't the metal ring used to bind the tennis ball lose all the springiness?
Looks like it's plastic. PVC I guess.