This being a kickstarter makes it a non-starter for me but it looks pretty promising: Hopefully they work great and become popular.
Amazing!
I’ll check on this when they’re mass produced to see if it’s economically viable, stopping 12 mins to replace a tube for $7 is cheaper than all the bulletproof $250 tires made of NASA tech or $100 tubeless concoction.12 minutes? what spell are you casting to automatically change the tube?
Or do you have bike shops that aren’t filled to the brim with work, somehow?
You … can’t change your own tube?
I’ve been riding bikes for years, and I’ve only had to change a tube maybe 3 times. I only ride on paved surfaces though, so it’s nothing like trail riding or what have you… anyway, I’m very unpractised on tube changing; particularly when trying to get the tire off of the rim. It takes maybe 30 minutes to change a tube with a lot of pinched fingers and swearing.
I made the experience that tires can vary a lot in how easy/hard they are to get off and on your rim. I thought I was just dumb until I swapped tubes on another bike and it just… worked as it was supposed to
That makes a lot of sense. The tires I have were the cheapest ones I could find.
If I’m being honest I’ve actually had the same experience as you. I can do it and never thought to go to bike shop for it but it just sucks. And I also didn’t realize it was probably my cheap tires lol
Ive only done it about 4 times in the last 10 years. The last time I changed my front tube was a few months ago, and it took me 10 minutes, which I know for a fact because my adhd ass went to sleep without doing it, thinking ‘I’ll wake up early and do it before work’ and then promptly forgot until 15 minutes before I was supposed to leave. Granted that was in my kitchen not on the side of the road, with a real pump not a portable one. The biggest thing that helped me was getting a good pair of plastic tire keys or whatever they’re called. They slide in my little maintenance pouch, are lightweight, and super easy to use. Like 6 bucks on Amazon or something too.
I never even implied that lol, kinda rude to jump to that honestly.
No, i can change my tubes, it’s just an arse and a half because you have to unscrew the wheel, fiddle with the chain if it’s the rear wheel, and then bending off the tyre is annoying as hell and so is putting it all back. Most people absolutely cannot do it in 10 minutes, that’s a fantasy.
Get yourself quick release spindles and a single platic tire iron.
Flip the bike or put it on a stand.
Deflate the tire if it’s not completely flat.
Inflate the tube just one pump so that the inside rubber unsticks, then put the valve through the valve hole.
Before putting the tube around the rest of the rim, stuff it into the tire and place the tire and tube around the rim in one go.
The first bead should be easy, and the second bead might require you to use the tire iron.
Put the wheel back on and then reinflat the tire.
It shouldn’t take that much time.
Depends how often you typically have to replace that $7 tube. Also depends on distances you travel.
While a $7 tube once a year is a much better price, that number skews if you happen to need to walk miles when it goes.
A tube often lasts me ten years and I always have an extra tube in my frame bag, because it’s way easier than patching a flat.
I also do have most important tools, tube AND repair kit with me all times but you do realize that’s not majority of the people. A grandma could ride with the same tires for 20 years (mine did) and never having a flat during those years could definitely be worth it.
I’ve never had a flat. It’s just a matter of being prepared for the one or two times in my entire life I get one.
Tires like this significantly shift the cost/benefit analysis of biking in the first place, they’re just not practical for the vast majority of users.
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Have you looked at puncture-resistant tires like Schwalbe Marathon?
Exactly- I’ve been riding a $50 pair of Marathon Mondials for 5 years without a puncture, and the tech is well proven . Anyway, a sidewall cut in these new tyres is still going to allow the tyre to fill with water and road crud, so you are still going to have to repair bigger punctures anyway. Seems like an expensive solution looking for a problem.
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What are they called?
I am a fan of Flatout: I use it in my hybrid bike and my ebike. Seems to work well, at least with tubes.
Big if true
But seriously if these live up to their hype it would be incredible.
Doubt. 😄
If you ride them on a hot day, does the coil turn back into a rod?
So these are non-pneumatic or what?
They are not pneumatic: The metal structure gives them their shape and resilience, no air pressure needed.
Are they any good? No idea.
Looks like they are using a nickel titanium alloy for the shape and some exotic polymer for the covering. So, yeah non-pneumatic.
The current cost to own a pair is quite high and really unlikely to come down significantly in price though
If this actually takes off, price should come down substantially.
Kickstarters aren’t known for manufacturing prowess or efficiencies of scale.
Given the materials it’ll always be expensive, but there’s a lot of room to come down if these are sold in the 10s or 100s of millions
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This is the best summary I could come up with:
The Metl bicycle tire is the first consumer product we’re aware of to use nitinol, a NASA-developed shape-memory alloy made of nickel and titanium that can be trained with heat to remember its shape.
Just be careful: the tires are being sold via a crowdfunded campaign on Kickstarter and that brings along risk, which I’d rate as high for something as cutting edge as this from a small startup.
You’re also looking at a pledge of $500 for a pair of blue or clear Metl tires (weighing 450g with an equivalent size of 700x35c) that are “DIY easy install” onto most common road or gravel bike rims.
Here’s a Verge video that provides a deeper dive into nitinol and its NASA origins (and future):
Despite their memory-metal construction, the tires do provide grip thanks to an integrated all-weather tread that offers “medium low” rolling resistance, according to the campaign.
Stretch goals (if the campaign earns enough) include making wider Metl tires for e-bikes and mountain bikes, and more road/gravel sizes and tread patterns.
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