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AirWinder self-inflating bicycle tire means you’ll never check your pressure again

AirWinder self inflating bicycle tire for city and commuter bikes
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If you commute by bike, or just use your bicycle to rip around the city and run errands, you’ve likely been there: You’re ready for a ride, possibly running late, and your tires are a bit too squishy. Or your kids run their tires too low because, well, because they’re kids, and they pinch flat or bang up their rims. All problems easily solved by pumping up your tires routinely, but also now solved with you (or your kids) having to lift a finger.

AirWinder never lets your bicycle tires go flat

The AirWinder pumps up your tire for you simply by riding it. It works by integrating a Peristaltic Pump into the outer layer of the tire, effectively a small air chamber atop the main air chamber. As it rolls over the intake section, it effectively closes off the opening and squeezes the air inside that chamber into the inner tube. Every rotation allows new air to be pulled in and pumped into the tire.

AirWinder never lets your bicycle tires go flat

To prevent overinflation, the main air valve has an adjustment dial where you can set your desired pressure. Once the tire is inflated to that target pressure, it seals off and won’t pull anymore air in. The result is that your tire maintains the desired pressure constantly. And in the event you don’t ride for a month or more and the tire is a little low, the AirWinder system can add up to 15psi in just over half a mile (about 1km) of riding. It can pump up to 72psi (5.0 bar), making it well suited for any type of city bike.

AirWinder self inflating bicycle tire for city and commuter bikes

These pressure gauges are for display only, the rendering shows what the final product will look like. The dial above shows how much pressure built up inside the pump chamber with just two revolutions…

AirWinder self inflating bicycle tire for city and commuter bikes

…and this one was in place to show the tire pressure.

OK, but what about punctures? Well, the AirWinder won’t magically fix those, but it does have a 5mm thicker tread section than typical commuter tires. So, it will take a bit more to actually puncture it and cause a flat.

The AirWinder tire is available in 26″ and 700c, will last for about 1,000km, and fits any standard rim with an inside width of 28-45mm. They’re not providing a claimed weight yet, but say it doesn’t add any weight over similar standard tube and tire combos. Retail should be about $100, look for a Kickstarter campaign to bring it to market this fall.

AirWinder.com

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Matthias
Matthias
6 years ago

Lasts for 1000 km, costs $100. Each. Seriously?! My third-grader can do the math. In his head. While pumping his tires. Which he will continue to do just like I will, because this is beyond silly.

Toffee
Toffee
6 years ago

100 bucks and lasts 1000km. Just makes no sense.

therealgreenplease
6 years ago

I’m ok with the price for the convenience but the life seems way too short.

Harry Bergeron
Harry Bergeron
6 years ago

These will have the most absurdly high rolling resistance. There is no way around it. They have essentially embedded a small garden hose inside the tread cap. I’m get tired just thinking about commuting on these.

Robin
Robin
6 years ago
Reply to  Harry Bergeron

Maybe it’s not quite a garden hose inside the tire, but nevertheless between hysteresis and the energy required to pump air, yup, the Crr will certainly not be negligible.

Spindicator
Spindicator
6 years ago

Just get some solid tyres like Tannus?

Jorge Lopes
6 years ago

1,000km ????

FFM
FFM
6 years ago

This is wild. I don’t plan on getting one but the fact that it exists and works is awesome. Every innovation leads us in the right direction even if it’s not immediately applicable to everyone’s needs. And let’s be honest, a lot of people who get this probably aren’t putting in 1000km any time soon.

Matthias
6 years ago
Reply to  FFM

Even innovations can’t cheat the laws of physics that dictate that the work for compressing that air has to come from somewhere. I bet if you factor in the higher rolling resistance it will slow down any substantial commute enough that you may just as well have spent a minute pumping at the start.
As for people who don’t quickly accrue 1000 km, they’re likely to have a bike that cost as much as a set of those tires. Even if they don’t calculate that they could run a cheap car at the the cost per mile incurred only by tire wear, they’re not too likely to want to double the cost of their bike just to avoid pumping.

FFM
FFM
6 years ago
Reply to  Matthias

You would be amazed what people would do to avoid pumping their tires.

jednobiegowiec
jednobiegowiec
6 years ago

1000km is about 620 miles, that is less than a month of my commuting. Quick calculation… 2400 bucks a year for bike tyres? I’ll give it a miss…
Cheers!
I.

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