Over the last year, a new trend has been steadily growing in the cycling world – airless bike tires. And while they might not provide as smooth a ride as traditional inflated tires, there are three major benefits to this seemingly odd concept.
The biggest perk of airless tires is that the risk of punctures is removed, and there is no need to check or adjust air pressure. Many bikeshare companies use airless tires to prevent customers from getting flats, but if you’re going to be riding on rough ground where the risk of punctures is steep, having airless tires is also a great idea.
Additionally, tire wear is also consistently low with airless tires. Most completely new wheel and tires have a lifespan of around 8000km, while the average lifespan of an inflated road bike tire is between 4800-8000km.
Finally, airless tires promote sustainability. More than ten million tonnes of bike tubes and tires are discarded every year. Because airless tires are made from one single material – solid rubber composites, typically – they can easily be recycled.
