The future... Tireless Rims...

[CAMAROWIDBASS]

http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=226925

[97chevycamaro]

hahhaha looks like a bicycle wheel

[andrew.brandon]

:rolleyes:

[andrew.brandon]

actually I wonder how big of a brake rotor you can fit in that thing can you imagine having 15" rotors all around stock :eek:

[4thgenowner]

Fugly, I wouldn't trust them.

[RancidCamaro]

I can't imagine they're as effective as standard tires for cornering.

Good if you're going to rob a bank, though!

[V6Maniac]

They don't look very trust worthy that's for sure [img]tongue.gif[/img] . Although with the way they look like they flex they'd be awesome for drag launching [img]tongue.gif[/img] .

[12secondv6]

Ewwwwww

[vanbibber]

:eek: [img]graemlins/barf.gif[/img] ugly

[Everglades W68]

Okayyyyyyyyyyyy.....

[black98V6]

ahh the good ole tweel. It was originally developed my michilen to go on the Segway. Then it was decided it would be cheaper to go with a standard pneumatic (air filled) tire. The whole idea behind the thing is that it's a tire and suspension system in one. We had to research the viability for them used as casters on different kinds of carts. I learned way more than I ever wanted to know about casters. At the time (about a year ago) they had a weight limit of 300 or so lbs per wheel. What I don't understand is how they put a brake rotor behind it. See that thing has no backspacking like a regular wheel. Anyway it's an interesting design and is really just waiting for the right application. The real science in the design are those spokes you all hate so much. They act as a suspension system, you can make those stiffer or softer depending on how you want the suspension. The biggest problem we saw with them is the fact that they break down at a relatively low temp and I thought they had a top speed of like 30-35 mph. Michelin has no idea what to do with this thing now so they are basically trying to find somebody to take it off their hands, pay for the research and go put it to use. I could go on and on because my MBA capstone project involved that little piece of technology so for 10 weeks my life revolved around the tweel.

edit:
ahh i went back and looked at the post, I see they retrofitted an aluminum wheel with it. that should help with some of the initial problems, the one I worked with which was a prototype was a little different. I see they have come a good ways with this after auctually reading the post, it's still at least 5 years away for a practical use though. At least from what I have seen it is.

[ January 14, 2005, 11:46 AM: Message edited by: black98V6 ]

[Speedin96]

i'm waiting for the wheels err balls in the iRobot movie...

you probably couldn't leave your car parked for a while on those they would warp too easy...