Photo: Smart Tire Company
A U.S. startup by the name Smart Tire Company promises a solution to bikers’ oldest problems: punctured tires. Leveraging NASA technology, the startup hopes to bring the METL tires to market as early as next year.
According to Smart Tire Company (hat tip to Gizmodo), METL (Martensite Elasticized Tubular Loading) tires will have the elasticity of rubber and the strength of titanium. In their development, the company used the Airless Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) tire technology, also known as NiTinol alloy.
NiTinol is a metal alloy made of nickel and titanium that displays a shape memory effect. It has the strength of other metal tires used by NASA for rovers it sent to the Moon and Mars, but also the ability to bounce back time and time again after being deformed, without damage.
What this means is that METL tires will never go flat. They can deform to absorb impact on any terrain, and they will bounce back into shape right away, much like a rubber tire would. To offer a good grip, which is not possible with the smooth metal surface, the company will offer a rubber-like tread made from Polyurethane.
Smart Tire Company estimates these metal tires will have a very long shelf-life, thus reducing waste from the “very dirty” tire industry. The tread, on the other hand, would have to be reapplied at regular intervals.
Maintenance would still be an issue, of course, but the costs would be comparatively lower than if you had to buy new tires. Smart Tire Company says that the first tires using this type of tech, expected to arrive on the market as early as 2022, will be a “premium” offer, much like racing tires are for cars. The high price would be offset by the long life and reduced maintenance costs, though.
The company also notes that these metal tires won’t be for every cyclist because of the weight they would add to the bike, in addition to what one can only assume will be prohibitive pricing.
NiTinol is a metal alloy made of nickel and titanium that displays a shape memory effect. It has the strength of other metal tires used by NASA for rovers it sent to the Moon and Mars, but also the ability to bounce back time and time again after being deformed, without damage.
What this means is that METL tires will never go flat. They can deform to absorb impact on any terrain, and they will bounce back into shape right away, much like a rubber tire would. To offer a good grip, which is not possible with the smooth metal surface, the company will offer a rubber-like tread made from Polyurethane.
Smart Tire Company estimates these metal tires will have a very long shelf-life, thus reducing waste from the “very dirty” tire industry. The tread, on the other hand, would have to be reapplied at regular intervals.
Maintenance would still be an issue, of course, but the costs would be comparatively lower than if you had to buy new tires. Smart Tire Company says that the first tires using this type of tech, expected to arrive on the market as early as 2022, will be a “premium” offer, much like racing tires are for cars. The high price would be offset by the long life and reduced maintenance costs, though.
The company also notes that these metal tires won’t be for every cyclist because of the weight they would add to the bike, in addition to what one can only assume will be prohibitive pricing.
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