[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9SWIsY8rzQ&feature=player_embedded[/video]

Not convinced how suitable that would be for harder riding – particularly given how slowly he rides over those rocks – but an interesting idea…

Could they handle British mud..?

Looks like a showoff prototype, it’d be a simple (and sensible) matter to fill the holes with something similiar to a thin tube for mud. But then you couldn’t see that it’s a weird tyre.

Bit unconvinced, since there’s no one correct tyre pressure, there’s also no one correct construction for an airless tyre.

At first I thought the demo guy in the video just wasn’t very good but he’s obviously got some skills- so why is he babying it so much? Suspicious.

given how slowly he rides over those rocks

There’s a reason for that – he’s trying not to rattle his teeth out. Even when stepping through individual frames in that vid there’s still no perceptible give in that tyre when going over edges etc.

it’d be a simple (and sensible) matter to fill the holes with something similiar to a thin tube for mud.

I wonder who’d be the first to think of pressurising that to get rid of the need for such stiff sidewalls on the tyre?

I wonder who’d be the first to think of pressurising that to get rid of the need for such stiff sidewalls on the tyre?

I reckon you’re onto something there.. 😀

Since you wouldn’t be able to adjust the air pressure, they would almost have to be custom made based on rider weight and riding style. Or there would have to be multiple versions (like springs for suspension), and you’d pick the one that works best for you. No adjustment, though. Even coil springs have preload.

And if it doesn’t catch on, I predict a long rambling thread on how the tire and inner tube makers have conspired to prevent this holy grail from seeing the light of day. It will be a conspiracy, with research needed, for sure!!!

They do look a bit unforgiving, but still pretty cool outside the box thinking, now all he needs to do is mould a tyre round the outside of it.

Looks like the ‘tweel’

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tweel