Fast Company looks at Michelin‘s new ‘self-healing tire’:
Bicycle tire tubes need to stay firmly inflated against the inner surface of the tires themselves to ensure safe, rugged riding. But in the unlucky event of a puncture, that same pressure will only stretch the hole wider — even when it’s closed with sealant. Michelin’s new line of ProTek Max inner tubes employ a radical design to avoid this problem: The air pressure inside actually compresses a puncture closed, instead of blowing it further open.
The reason for this design problem is easy to visualize for anyone who’s ever had a hole in their sock. The simple fact of shoving your foot into the frayed heel and stretching the fabric will only make the hole bigger. Air pressure and friction in a punctured bike tube cause the same problem. But the funny-looking compression dimples on the ProTek Max’s surface change the distribution of pressure across the tube’s surface, cause the inner air pressure to squeeze a hole shut.
Photo credit: Michelin
