A Cycling & bikes forum. CycleBanter.com

Go Back   Home » CycleBanter.com forum » rec.bicycles » Techniques
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Michelin Airless Tire (for cars)



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old September 28th 04, 10:03 AM
Richard Tack
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Michelin Airless Tire (for cars)

"Michelin unwrapped an early prototype
of an airless tire, a product that could
change the face of an industry it helped
found. With a maximum safe speed of 170
miles per hour, the prototype performs
similarly to inflatable tires — with
important differences.

'No more pressure checks, no more flats,
no more spare wheels,' said Daniel
Laurent, Michelin director of conception
and development.

The tire is made from 115 rings of tough
resin laced with glass fiber and remains
roadworthy even when shot with a rifle.
Tests show it will outlast the average
car, Laurent said, leaving just the
outer treads to be replaced
periodically. No date has yet been set
for its commercial launch."

http://snipurl.com/9dwx
Ads
  #2  
Old September 28th 04, 01:05 PM
Doug Huffman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Will we see them on the road before the two hundred mpg carburetor.


"Richard Tack" wrote in message
news:WN96d.4143$2t5.1174@trnddc07...
"Michelin unwrapped an early prototype of an airless tire, a product that
could change the face of an industry it helped found. With a maximum safe
speed of 170 miles per hour, the prototype performs similarly to
inflatable tires — with important differences.

'No more pressure checks, no more flats, no more spare wheels,' said
Daniel Laurent, Michelin director of conception and development.

The tire is made from 115 rings of tough resin laced with glass fiber and
remains roadworthy even when shot with a rifle. Tests show it will outlast
the average car, Laurent said, leaving just the outer treads to be
replaced periodically. No date has yet been set for its commercial
launch."

http://snipurl.com/9dwx



  #3  
Old September 28th 04, 04:35 PM
Ryan Cousineau
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

In article ,
"Doug Huffman" wrote:


"Richard Tack" wrote in message
news:WN96d.4143$2t5.1174@trnddc07...
"Michelin unwrapped an early prototype of an airless tire, a product that
could change the face of an industry it helped found. With a maximum safe
speed of 170 miles per hour, the prototype performs similarly to
inflatable tires — with important differences.


Note that a wide variety of cars, especially those with no good place to
put a spare tire (Chevrolet Corvette) use run-flat tires now. The
run-flats have very stiff sidewalls, and are usually rated for reduced
speed and short distances (the relatively CYA 55 mph and 50 miles are
typical) while uninflated. Not sure how the deflated tire is retained on
the rim.

The tire is made from 115 rings of tough resin laced with glass fiber and
remains roadworthy even when shot with a rifle. Tests show it will outlast
the average car, Laurent said, leaving just the outer treads to be
replaced periodically. No date has yet been set for its commercial
launch."


Retreads are not a new concept; big truck tires are routinely re-capped.
I don't know exactly why car tires are generally not retreaded, though I
have some speculative guesses.

http://snipurl.com/9dwx


I found Michelin's press release, which shows a small picture, two other
tire concepts, gives some structural details, and notes this concept is
suitable for two-wheeled vehicles as well, which surprises me:

http://tinyurl.com/4ydsu

Will we see them on the road before the two hundred mpg carburetor.


The 200 mpg carburetor exists. You can find them attached to 50 cc
scooters. I was going to make a snarky comment about how the popularity
of scooters indicates how much people really care about fuel economy,
but at least in Canada, scooters are hot sellers. BC also has a a
growing (though not booming) market for electric bicycles, as the rules
were relaxed to allow electric bicycles with a maximum assisted
level-ground speed of 32 km/h to be ridden on the roads without a
license or insurance.

--
Ryan Cousineau, http://www.wiredcola.com
Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.
  #4  
Old September 28th 04, 04:49 PM
Wayne Pein
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Richard Tack wrote:
"Michelin unwrapped an early prototype of an airless tire, a product
that could change the face of an industry it helped found. With a
maximum safe speed of 170 miles per hour, the prototype performs
similarly to inflatable tires — with important differences.

'No more pressure checks, no more flats, no more spare wheels,' said
Daniel Laurent, Michelin director of conception and development.

The tire is made from 115 rings of tough resin laced with glass fiber
and remains roadworthy even when shot with a rifle. Tests show it will
outlast the average car, Laurent said, leaving just the outer treads to
be replaced periodically. No date has yet been set for its commercial
launch."

http://snipurl.com/9dwx



Are they heavy? That wouldn't be good for economy.

Wayne

  #5  
Old September 28th 04, 05:21 PM
Werehatrack
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On Tue, 28 Sep 2004 08:05:06 -0400, "Doug Huffman"
wrote:

Will we see them on the road before the two hundred mpg carburetor.


Since the 200mpg carburetor was a myth anyway, if the Michelin airless
tire ever gets launched at all, it will be on the road first.

Chances are that it will get a limited run on exotic vehicles if it
gets produced at all. Michelin has announced radical tire designs
previously without their becoming commonplace. It usually turns out
that the tech is jusr too pricey, even with economies of scale, to get
to the mainstream.

--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.
  #6  
Old September 28th 04, 05:32 PM
Werehatrack
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On Tue, 28 Sep 2004 08:35:23 -0700, Ryan Cousineau
wrote:

Retreads are not a new concept; big truck tires are routinely re-capped.
I don't know exactly why car tires are generally not retreaded, though I
have some speculative guesses.


From several sources in the industry, the reason is simple; used
belted radials are not a reliable source of carcasses because the
common flaws that make them unsuitable are not readily detectable by
economically feasible inspection methods.

The 200 mpg carburetor exists. You can find them attached to 50 cc
scooters.


From what I've seen, the Chinese-made scooters sold in this area
wouldn't crack 150mpg coasting downhill without a rider. The tech
they use is *crude*; they're at the level of toys, not serious
hardware. 200mpg may be claimed, but I sincerely doubt that anything
close is actually achieved. The people I know who have had one state
that 60mpg is more like the real figure.

I was going to make a snarky comment about how the popularity
of scooters indicates how much people really care about fuel economy,
but at least in Canada, scooters are hot sellers. BC also has a a
growing (though not booming) market for electric bicycles, as the rules
were relaxed to allow electric bicycles with a maximum assisted
level-ground speed of 32 km/h to be ridden on the roads without a
license or insurance.


In the US, in past years, interest in scooters and other low-power
personal transport devics has usually been stifled by application of
regulations. In the early '70s, mopeds managed to get a toehold due
to the gas crunch, but the reports I am hearing currently lead me to
believe that the present crop of scooters will not make a lasting
impression. Most of them are, quite frankly, crap, and existing laws
make their use on streets and highways questionable or illegal,
depending on where you are and who you ask. That's not the way to
build an alternate transportation structure.

--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.
  #7  
Old September 28th 04, 09:36 PM
Leo Lichtman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Ryan Cousineau" wrote: (clip)I don't know exactly why car tires are
generally not retreaded, (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
It used to be very common to recap car tires also. I was told be a local
recapper that the manufacturers save a little bit on the cost of a new tire
by using rubber that does not bond well to the new tread, and that is why
it's no longer done.

We had a recapper here in the SF East Bay who provided recaps all the sports
car and performance car buffs. I even heard of people who liked his work so
much they would buy new tires, and then have him grind off the treads and
recap them.


  #8  
Old September 29th 04, 03:56 PM
Ryan Cousineau
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

In article ,
Werehatrack wrote:

On Tue, 28 Sep 2004 08:35:23 -0700, Ryan Cousineau
wrote:

Retreads are not a new concept; big truck tires are routinely re-capped.
I don't know exactly why car tires are generally not retreaded, though I
have some speculative guesses.


From several sources in the industry, the reason is simple; used
belted radials are not a reliable source of carcasses because the
common flaws that make them unsuitable are not readily detectable by
economically feasible inspection methods.

The 200 mpg carburetor exists. You can find them attached to 50 cc
scooters.


From what I've seen, the Chinese-made scooters sold in this area
wouldn't crack 150mpg coasting downhill without a rider. The tech
they use is *crude*; they're at the level of toys, not serious
hardware. 200mpg may be claimed, but I sincerely doubt that anything
close is actually achieved. The people I know who have had one state
that 60mpg is more like the real figure.


I wasn't even thinking about the various unlicensed motorized
kick-scoots and mini-motorcycles that are currently rolling around; I
was referring to real live normal, licensed scootes like the Honda
Jazz/Metro, Yamaha BWs 50, etc.

But having looked them up, I have overstated the real-world claimed
mileage for these. The most optimistic site I could find quotes a top of
130 mpg. I extrapolated from the performance of the Suzuki GN125, a very
small motorcycle which tested out at over 100 mpg.

I was going to make a snarky comment about how the popularity
of scooters indicates how much people really care about fuel economy,
but at least in Canada, scooters are hot sellers. BC also has a a
growing (though not booming) market for electric bicycles, as the rules
were relaxed to allow electric bicycles with a maximum assisted
level-ground speed of 32 km/h to be ridden on the roads without a
license or insurance.


In the US, in past years, interest in scooters and other low-power
personal transport devics has usually been stifled by application of
regulations. In the early '70s, mopeds managed to get a toehold due
to the gas crunch, but the reports I am hearing currently lead me to
believe that the present crop of scooters will not make a lasting
impression. Most of them are, quite frankly, crap, and existing laws
make their use on streets and highways questionable or illegal,
depending on where you are and who you ask. That's not the way to
build an alternate transportation structure.


Again, I'm not talking about the mini-scoots and other silliness; I mean
real live scooters with lights, license plates, and non-dubious legality.

As for my self-imposed 200 mpg challenge, I could probably manage it on
a scooter, as the basic tendency with those poor things is to wring
their necks at every stoplight to get max acceleration. That's not
crazy, since max acceleration is still pretty tepid.

Rode a pretty cool Benelli in Greece,

--
Ryan Cousineau, http://www.wiredcola.com
Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.
  #9  
Old September 29th 04, 11:04 PM
qtq
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Ryan Cousineau wrote in
:


As for my self-imposed 200 mpg challenge, I could probably manage it
on a scooter, as the basic tendency with those poor things is to wring
their necks at every stoplight to get max acceleration. That's not
crazy, since max acceleration is still pretty tepid.


You know, a hybrid scooter/motorbike would probably get 200mpg quite
easily. All you need is regenerative braking.

--
to email me, run my email address through /usr/bin/caesar
(or rotate by -4)

  #10  
Old September 29th 04, 11:04 PM
qtq
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Ryan Cousineau wrote in
:


As for my self-imposed 200 mpg challenge, I could probably manage it
on a scooter, as the basic tendency with those poor things is to wring
their necks at every stoplight to get max acceleration. That's not
crazy, since max acceleration is still pretty tepid.


You know, a hybrid scooter/motorbike would probably get 200mpg quite
easily. All you need is regenerative braking.

--
to email me, run my email address through /usr/bin/caesar
(or rotate by -4)

 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Easy Coker Airfoil tire change john_childs Unicycling 27 June 21st 05 01:52 AM
When to change the tire Jose Capco Techniques 10 July 1st 04 08:15 PM
RoadBikeRider newsletter on tire wear Matt O'Toole Techniques 2 June 11th 04 12:08 AM
DIY Tire Removal 2 g.daniels Techniques 4 May 21st 04 05:25 PM
DIY Tire Remval 2 g.daniels Techniques 1 May 17th 04 10:26 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 01:29 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 CycleBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.