"Tweels" - the future of wheels?

[maveRick]

No need to debate which gas is better to inflate your tires with:


http://www.michelinman.com/images/difference/releases/tweel_01102004A.jpg


Read the MICHELIN Story (http://www.michelinman.com/difference/releases/pressrelease01102005a.html)




Things that make you go, "hmmmmm" :confused:

[White90GT]

Somebody showed me those at work the other day. I wonder how well a slick like that would hook? Wonder how noisy those things would be (similar to an offroad tire)?

[Blue91]

That is just showing the inside of the wheel. From what I've seen, the actual tires will have a sidewall covering all that.

[Shaggy]

Actually Fred the tweel does run exposed polyurethane spoke as pictured. They have an airless tire that does have a sidewall though. The airless with a sidewall should actually appear on the streets sooner then the Tweel. The "airless" using existing multi piece rim technology whiole the tweel incorperates a rim incluided with the wheel as the outside spokes are fewer in numbers to soften minor bumps and the spokes you see in close to the hub are flexible as well toabsorb major bumps. They also have under development a whole contained "active" wheel that includes brakes electric motor and suspension so the only unsprung weight is the wheel and brake assebly itself not the control arms and such in modern cars it acts as a drive wheel with the electric motor and provides braking with the electric motor as well if you hit the brakes hard enough it energizes the hydralic brakes but it is self contained. Imagine the kit car possibilitys when all of a sudden all you need is a wheel hub assembly on any chassis to make it go and stop no more hood clearence problems or any of the such.

Here are more photos of the tweel in action..
http://www.michelinman.com/images/promo/2005_tweel_gallery/tweel_001.JPG
http://www.michelinman.com/images/promo/2005_tweel_gallery/tweel_002.JPG
http://www.michelinman.com/images/promo/2005_tweel_gallery/tweel_003.JPG
http://www.michelinman.com/images/promo/2005_tweel_gallery/tweel_004.JPG

[Shaggy]

MOre action pictures

http://www.michelinman.com/images/promo/2005_tweel_gallery/tweel_005.JPG
http://www.michelinman.com/images/promo/2005_tweel_gallery/tweel_006.JPG
http://www.michelinman.com/images/promo/2005_tweel_gallery/tweel_007.JPG
http://www.michelinman.com/images/promo/2005_tweel_gallery/tweel_008.JPG
http://www.michelinman.com/images/promo/2005_tweel_gallery/tweel_009.JPG
http://www.michelinman.com/images/promo/2005_tweel_gallery/tweel_0010.JPG
http://www.michelinman.com/images/promo/2005_tweel_gallery/tweel_001.JPG

[Shaggy]

Here is the michelin english public info press release.....

click it (http://www.michelintransport.com/ple/home/viewnewsRT.jsp?news_id=14419&lang=EN)

Oh one other thing the "airless" in actually on roads now on both autos and bikes being tested so I would guess within 5 years for it and probaly about 15 before the tweel becomes a reality if it doesn't get scrapped. AND assuming that our goverment does not ban them because of the pressure from SBA and others about it killing an industry in our country, yes the lobbyiest have already begun in Washington so it none of it may actually ever hit our shores for many moons.

[Rusman]

So any ideas on mileage limits for one of thoes tweels? It may absorb small bumps and never go flat, but if you can only get 10,000 miles out of it, it's not getting much use.

[Shaggy]

So any ideas on mileage limits for one of thoes tweels? It may absorb small bumps and never go flat, but if you can only get 10,000 miles out of it, it's not getting much use.

Milage from what I know is still up in the air but expected to be at leas 50,000 to 60k before you regroove them up to 3 times then a whole wheel assembly is replaced as a unit. I believe there thinking is that even though a whole wheel assembly is more expiensive then a just a tire the money saved in just being able to regroove them is going to save you money over the life of the tire.

My personal intial problem is that while they currently have them structerd is that for turns the sidewall is stiff to promote good handling but under acceleration the tend to wrap up on themselves much like a drag slick or a spoke rim but to a higher degree, personally until they can control the excessive windup they do not offer to much potential for a tire I generally like to use on a street car.