The PUNCTURE-PROOF bike tyre: Solid wheel contains no air and can ride over nails and even shattered glass


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It's the bane of cyclists around the world, but now the hassle of a puncture could be about to become history.

A bike tyre that never gets a puncture because it is devoid of air is to go on sale.

The solid tyres, which weigh the same as a normal tyre, still work after running over nails and shards of glass.

They are made from nanofoam, an ultra-light polymer that absorbs the piercing and impact of sharp objects, and has a constant pressure.

Scroll down for video demonstration 

London-based company Tannus has made solid tyres for bikes (shown). The company claims the tyres never get a puncture. They are made from a polymer called nanofoam - also found in trainers

London-based company Tannus has made solid tyres for bikes (shown). The company claims the tyres never get a puncture. They are made from a polymer called nanofoam - also found in trainers

The weight of the tyres, made by company Tannus, is 0.95lbs (430g) which is 0.01lbs (5g) less than a traditional tyre and inner tube.

Made of Nanofoam, it is a similar technology to that used in lightweight trainers.

They contain no rubber, but have a similar flexibility and are 100 per cent puncture resistant, according to the company.

They fit all bikes with common clincher wheels including folding bikes and regular road bikes, and come in a range of sizes from children to adults. 

The tyres also have a lifespan of 6,000 miles (9,650km), but the company adds that skidding on the tyres would void the warranty as they are not built for it.

Tannus says it is now ready to produce more than three million of the tyres per year.

The tyre has already proved popular in the Far East as a reliable commuter tyre where it has been fitted on more than 200,000 bikes.

In the UK the developers are also in discussion with folding bike company Brompton and a number of other international bike manufacturers.

There is no air in the tyres so they do not need to be pumped up. If nails, glass or other items become wedged in the tyres, they can simply be pulled out with a pair of pliers (shown)

There is no air in the tyres so they do not need to be pumped up. If nails, glass or other items become wedged in the tyres, they can simply be pulled out with a pair of pliers (shown)

The weight and size of the bike tyres are nearly identical to a regular tyre. They have a range of 6,000 miles (9,650km) and cost from £89 per pair

The weight and size of the bike tyres are nearly identical to a regular tyre. They have a range of 6,000 miles (9,650km) and cost from £89 per pair

Jazz Walia, a cycling entrepreneur who is behind the innovation, said: 'Commuters can leave their house on their bike, safe with the knowledge that they will not get a puncture.

THE BIKE THAT NEVER FALLS OVER 

Back in July a Philadelphia company unveiled its innovative bike for children that never falls over.

Called the Jyrobike, it makes clever use of gyroscopes to keep the bike balanced even when a child leans from side-to-side.

According to the company, this means a child can learn to ride the bike in just one day.

The Jyrobike works on the principle that a bike is more stable at higher speeds.

Inside the front wheel of the bicycle is a fast spinning disc.

This creates a gyroscopic force that balances the bike even when it is ridden slowly, as might be expected for a child getting behind the handlebars for the first time. 

'Riders don't have to worry about reliability. They never have to worry about getting to work late, changing a punctured tyre in the freezing weather and worrying about what time they will get home on their bike.

'They don't need the fuss of pump, spare inner tubes or tyre levers.

'We are hoping this will open up cycling to people who would previously have never considered getting on a bike.

'In that way the tyres represent a major shift in cycling history.

'The fundamentals of cycling have barely changed in more than a century - but this represents a revolution.

'Solid tyres have been looked at before, but none were as light, as safe or reliable in the long-term.'

The tyres, which come in 14 different colours, are currently being sold in a handful of London Cycling shops including The Solid Tyre Bicycle Shop in Whitechapel, East London and online at the website for Tannus

The tyres, which come in 14 different colours (red shown), are currently being sold in a handful of London Cycling shops including The Solid Tyre Bicycle Shop in Whitechapel, East London

The tyres, which come in 14 different colours (red shown), are currently being sold in a handful of London Cycling shops including The Solid Tyre Bicycle Shop in Whitechapel, East London



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