Puncturing a tire is no fun at all. The process of changing it is annoying enough, and then you have to take it to a specialist to patch it up. The 21st century owes us some significant advances in tire technology, and we've seen some interesting prototypes in the past, but I believe the first step should be the creation of a good airless tire. Bridgestone presented its concept back in 2011, and now it has decided to expand it... to bicycles.
As someone who destroyed a couple of bicycles during childhood (?), flat tires are an incredibly irritating aspect. The technology is stable and has proven itself beyond doubt, but there's something underlying that makes us wonder: Don't modern tires seem a bit... obsolete? And not just on bicycles, but also on larger vehicles. Previously we studied concepts of dynamic tires that change their configuration, smart designs with the ability to recharge batteries, and spherical formats very futuristic, but it would be much better to start by eliminating air.
That's exactly what Bridgestone is working on. In fact, the project was first revealed in 2011, and the difference now is that there's a legitimate interest in bringing this technology to the bicycle market at some point in 2019. The images confirm a reduction in the size of the spokes to make way for a series of supports made from a special thermoplastic resin. These supports can absorb impacts and adapt to irregularities just like a normal tire.
Then Bridgestone was very careful in choosing a leisure bicycle to show off its new tires, and that gives us a solid idea about its intended application: low-speed urban environments, or rough terrains that demand extra resistance. Some articles suggest that the tires could reach cycling tracks at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, but the design generally doesn't look very aerodynamic, to say the least. Now, if it appears in stores at a reasonable price... why not?
