Michelin's newest technology

[Gordonfan24]

Michelin has released info on it's newest idea/concept. I have yet to read more about it. I got these pics in an email, but I'll go to the Michelin site later.
Here's the pics I got:



(Click for larger views)

What do you think? Personally, I like the idea. It'll be a lot better cause drivers wouldn't have to worry about flat tires anymore. And if they perfect it and get it real safe, I could see these being put into production and being sold. But not for their appearance...

 

[Nick_Johnston28]

Wow.. they look wierd. But also look like they grip well and stuff.

Maybe they can make a rubber cover to go over the spokes so they dont look gay..

 

[DJM PRODUCTIONS]

Wow.. they look wierd. But also look like they grip well and stuff.

Maybe they can make a rubber cover to go over the spokes so they dont look gay..

They look quite bi-sexual to me actiually

Cool concept 👍

I wonder how well they hold up to the torque from accelerating/stopping.

 

[animateria]

Wow.. they look wierd. But also look like they grip well and stuff.

Maybe they can make a rubber cover to go over the spokes so they dont look gay..

I'm pretty sure they would if it goes in production.. They probably didn't cover it so they could see whats going on inside... Besides if they had covers, it would look exactly like a regular tire... BTW thats pretty awesome... No worries about flat tires thats for sure...

 

[Blake]

I think there can't be a cover over them because they're not supposed to have air pressure there, it just works on the flexing of the rubber. At least not a cover that stops the ciruclation of air completely.

Blake

 

[Jmac279]

Welcome to 2004 ...

Old news ...

 

[Gordonfan24]

The story from Michelin.com is from January 9th, 2005...
And I didn't think it was old news. It certainly wasn't to me. Plus I searched the topic, and found nothing, so I found this as an oppurtunity to inform others of future tire technology...

Full story at: http://www.michelinman.com/difference/releases/pressrelease01102005a.html

 

[Emohawk]

Welcome to 2004 ...

Old news ...

Yeah, everybody's posting almost the exact same comments I saw last time somebody posted this.

The proposed sidewall in the production version would not contain any air pressure, it would just keep the whole dealy normal looking and stop debris from getting inside and messing with stuff.

 

[PS]

God those are ugly tires.

 

[Gordonfan24]

The first two times I searched, I found nothing like this. I just searched again and found it.

I apologize, but if I saw it on here already, why the hell do you think I'd repost it? I wouldn't...

 

[misnblu]

Don't worry about it.
It happens and can't always have the search give you all of the answers.
There are some ppl that like to throw stones and not consider themselves as sinners too. Maybe they should be a bit less calous??
It's all good.
Misnblu
Btw, those don't look so good for the street racing crowd. Ewwww

 

[McLaren'sAngel]

Hiya! Meow! (='.'=)

I love the idea of that technology there! 👍 I suggest they should put up a rubber sidewall with some holes in them if that rim/wheel thingy needs to push out the air so it can bend itself on rocks. 👍

 

[Omnis]

um, duh...they could just put sidwalls on the outside and leave the inside wall open. that or they can just put sidewalls altogether. just because you have sidewalls on your car doesn't mean it has air pressure inside. think of it as a flat tire with structure inside. rubber is flexible, remember?

 

[humbo]

How would the cover work though? The entire wheel has to be flexible, so would they just cover the entire thing with a sheet of rubber or something? I don't see how you could have the inside part actually look like a regular rim like we do with current wheels.

 

[LoudMusic]

BRILLIANT! I've made similar designs over the years and always thought a system like this could really be beneficial to the automotive world.

I wonder if a more honeycomb arangement could create more stiffness and support.

 

[Omnis]

How would the cover work though? The entire wheel has to be flexible, so would they just cover the entire thing with a sheet of rubber or something? I don't see how you could have the inside part actually look like a regular rim like we do with current wheels.

just because you have a sidewall doesn't mean the tire is inflated or sealed. remember the holes on the rims for the inflation nozzles? that would be a way for air to escape, even though you dont need one because the tires don't use air for support. this tire was designed never to go flat....that means it doesn't move besides the flex that the supports give. so even if air was a factor, it'd still be none of your concern. it doesn't have sidewalls in the pics because they are trying to demonstrate the construction.

 

[cjrciadt]

Scared the crap out of me at first. But the concept is awesome hopefully they could get to that point before everyone runs away in horror.

 

[LoudMusic]

I wonder if you can sign up to test drive them (:

 

[skip0110]

I bet they won't work too well in mud/snow. Especially if water/snow enters the "tire" and refreezes.

 

[LoudMusic]

I bet they won't work too well in mud/snow. Especially if water/snow enters the "tire" and refreezes.

I'm sure production tires would have sidewalls.

The only area I see them not performing as well might be high torque situations. It seems like the "flexible spokes" would just wrap around the hub and the wheel would colaps.

 

[Double_R]

Those tires are gayyyyyyyyyyy. They dont look safe.

 

[LoudMusic]

Those tires are gayyyyyyyyyyy. They dont look safe.

U R gayyyyyyyyyyy. 👍 👎 👍 👎 👍 👎 💡 💡

(:

 

[misnblu]

Well, they really don't look safe.
Even with the sidewall in place, just don't see how they can give you the same handling or performance as a tire with air in it.
You never know, may have these common place in a decade or so.
Misnblu

 

[skip0110]

Well, this type of tire will certainly eliminate a very common type of tuning today--changing the tire pressures to fine-tune handling....

 

[misnblu]

Well, this type of tire will certainly eliminate a very common type of tuning today--changing the tire pressures to fine-tune handling....

I know what you mean.
When I go to the dragstrip, use the front tire pressures for better traction and raise the rears to give less "give" when launching the car.
With this "new" technology, won't have that capability and might just as well go back to the old spoked wheel they used on the wagons that founded the West.
Misnblu

 

[PS]

Those tires are gayyyyyyyyyyy. They dont look safe.

Read This.
Or this, being the same thing as noted by Punk Rock:

Small tidbit of info I thought I'd add to this thread:

Using the word "gay" or "queer", or any other moniker targeting homosexuality should not be used to denote something you dislike or disagree with. It just shows how narrowminded and shallow you are, surely you don't want that, right? It's a form of respect, purely and simply.

This is valid for all the site, not just the Rumble Strip.

Thought I'd post this so you don't have to hit the link. 👍 Misnblu

 

[pathardo6]

Michelin has released info on it's newest idea/concept. I have yet to read more about it. I got these pics in an email, but I'll go to the Michelin site later.
Here's the pics I got:



(Click for larger views)

What do you think? Personally, I like the idea. It'll be a lot better cause drivers wouldn't have to worry about flat tires anymore. And if they perfect it and get it real safe, I could see these being put into production and being sold. But not for their appearance...

I really admire the whole concept behind it and all... but there wont be any choosing in what kind of tire for certain cars... would it be good for rally racing?

 

[(G)]

I'm pretty sure that one of the main non-commercial uses would be offroad, so I guess rally racing would use these.

 

[Double_R]

Read This.
Or this, being the same thing as noted by Punk Rock:

Small tidbit of info I thought I'd add to this thread:

Using the word "gay" or "queer", or any other moniker targeting homosexuality should not be used to denote something you dislike or disagree with. It just shows how narrowminded and shallow you are, surely you don't want that, right? It's a form of respect, purely and simply.

This is valid for all the site, not just the Rumble Strip.

Thought I'd post this so you don't have to hit the link. 👍 Misnblu

Im sorry its just that in england the use of the word gay is not offensive when use in my termonology. Well atleast not in london.

 

[Double_R]

U R gayyyyyyyyyyy. 👍 👎 👍 👎 👍 👎 💡 💡

(:

Now thats a offensive way of using the word.