Too Simplistic?

[Doc333]

I'm fairly new to cycling so please don't rip my head off when I ask ...... Why don't cyclists have solid rubber tyres? I have between 90 and 110 psi in my tyres and that makes them extremely hard to press in because they're almost solid. I've also had 3 punctures in the 6-months I've been cycling. I'm confident that a compound can be used that would give exactly the same performance, movement, stability etc that we get from an inflated tyre, so why do we use a more difficult method/system?

Anything to stop the hassle of swapping out clincher tubes.

 

[Archeress]

There was a time in the late 80s when solid rubber tyres with a foam core came onto the market. My brother decided they were a good idea. But he didn't fit them. My father and I did, and they were a real pig to put on. Both of us fighting to hold the tyre on and get the next few mm on before repeating.

Hugs
Archeress x

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

There have been various attempts over the years to produce alternative tyres and to date none of them has yet been able to match the grip, performance, comfort or durability of a pneumatic tyre.

3 punctures in 6 months is unfortunate. What tyres are you running?

 

[Doc333]

"3 punctures in 6 months is unfortunate. What tyres are you running?"

Schwalbe Lugano Phil and as I'm a newbie I've had some great fun swapping out tubes as you can imagine.

You only need look at the F1 tyre technology to see how things have moved on. Grip won't be a problem with the correct compound, and also the density of the tyre can be made to reflect differing levels of psi equivalence. As for fitting I would imagine the wheels would need taking into a LCS where they can be machine fitted and tested, as it's not like you are ever going to want to change the tyre until its worn out?

So far I'm only seeing positives but there must be some major technical things that I'm missing? unless it's the old business adage of why change from a captive customer base to something where revenues/margins are lost and industries die.

 

[Markymark]

It may seem almost solid but as you turn at speed, the warping of the tyre improves grip and they do soften the road surface slightly which on longer rides will help comfort.

 

[raleighnut]

The weight of a solid/foam filled tyre would be quite high and you would lose the strengthening effect of the tyre pressure on the rim so would need a heavier rim.

 

[Beebo]

If there was a better option the motor industry with it's $billions would have found it.
F1 are always looking to improve technology, and punctures are very common, maybe one per race, yet they still stick with the old tyres. I guess the odd puncture here and there out weights any other benefits.

 

[Alex H]

exactly the same performance, movement, stability etc that we get from an inflated tyre, .

I had a solid 'green' tyre on my hybrid many moons ago - stability is not an area in which they excel - I was sliding and wobbling all over the place until I went back to a 'normal' tyre.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

"3 punctures in 6 months is unfortunate. What tyres are you running?"

Schwalbe Lugano Phil and as I'm a newbie I've had some great fun swapping out tubes as you can imagine.

You only need look at the F1 tyre technology to see how things have moved on. Grip won't be a problem with the correct compound, and also the density of the tyre can be made to reflect differing levels of psi equivalence. As for fitting I would imagine the wheels would need taking into a LCS where they can be machine fitted and tested, as it's not like you are ever going to want to change the tyre until its worn out?

So far I'm only seeing positives but there must be some major technical things that I'm missing? unless it's the old business adage of why change from a captive customer base to something where revenues/margins are lost and industries die.

Perhaps try Durano for your next tyres - I know a few people on here use and like them for their puncture resistance without much performance penalty.

I do follow F1 and I'm not sure that it's a good example to use as they are still using profiles from the 1970s and are deliberately making the tyres less durable at the moment to make the racing more "interesting". The closest motorsport has come to the kind of tyre you describe was the ones with the run-flat "mousse" insert (no I'm not talking about tyre sealant) in the WRC and rally-raids. This is still a pneumatic tyre but if pressure is lost the insert expands to replace the air and allow you to finish the stage. It's been around since the 1980s but as far as I'm aware isn't available for normal road use - probably due to costing a lot to make.

Tyre companies spend a lot of money on research and development. For example; kevlar (the stuff used in bulletprof vests) came out of research into stronger carcasses, so if a solid tyre that is better than a pneumatic can be developed I'm sure it will come along.

 

[Doc333]

Can't argue with anything said guys, cheers

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Mousse's are quite common with dirt bikes, but I believe they add weight (as a trade off against puncture resistance and they degrade over time so you are still taking tyres off before the tread wears out. I know a lot of people have had success with Slime (green goo you add to the tyre that fixes punctures by sealing when blown through them) on tubed dirt bike tyres, saying when they've finally taken the tyre off there have been multiple fixed punctures there, but I'm not sure it's great for the metalwork when it does get to it and again it adds a little weight. Would have thought it could work with bicycles though, providing you were dealing with a small puncture and not a rip. Although having the sharp bit still in the tyre could cause extra problems because they are so thin.

 

[SomethingLikeThat]

I always thought John Dunlop's design was adopted because it made the ride so much more comfortable than a solid wheel.