Eli5: Why and how isn’t there any bicycle tire that is 100% rubber? Like, no air on the inside so no puncture risk isn’t it? Is really technology that far behind yet?
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Technology moved in the opposite direction. We started w it h solid rubber tires, but people got tired of having a sore bum after going for a quick scoot down to the pub. So, they developed a cushioned version that used the wonderful compressibility of air to act as a shock absorber.
There are solid rubber tires, but they’re heavy and expensive. Pneumatic tires are more practical even with the issue of leaks.
Schwalbe, a tire manufacturer in Europe, has an airless tire.
https://www.schwalbe.com/en/tour-reader/schwalbe-airless-allround
Its a nice system, but you have to mount it at a specialist. Its a bit heavier than a tire/tube combo and pricey. And only available in the Netherlands and Germany.
On my mtb and tour bike I sometimes change tires, for fun and to adjust to riding conditions. So it’s not great for those bikes
It would be great for my beater bike that I take to the train stations or City centre (theft and vandalism risk) but the cost of the airless tyre will double the value of the bike.
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