BicycleTire
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Insert Coin: PumpTire self-inflating bicycle tire
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. We love tires -- they provide an infinite boost in life to the ever-so-necessary wheel, soften the blow while driving on dirt roads and over potholes, and, upon retirement, serve as an ideal plaything for our children. But there's still something missing. As much as we try to make it not so, our tires let their air supplies trickle away -- albeit at an ever so sluggish pace -- ultimately causing inconvenience, and often with unfortunate timing. A slightly deflated bicycle tire won't have the same damaging effect as, say, a battered donut that explodes as you roll down the highway, but it can still put a serious damper in your ride. The self-inflating PumpTire sets out to make sure you never have to suffer a flat bike tire again, using a unique detachable valve that senses when a tire needs to be inflated, then pumping air from a thin tube on the outside of the tire into the inner tube. PumpTire founder Benjamin Krempel is turning to Kickstarter to fund the project, which includes designing, testing, and manufacturing a pair of self-inflating bike tires. A $75 pledge gets you two City Cruiser tires, a $130 retail value, including a pair of 65 psi valves and inner tubes. If you pledge $100, you'll receive a pair of City Pro high-performance 95 psi tires, which are expected to retail for $150. Krempel has set his funding goal at a massively high $250,000 with just over five weeks remaining. A cool quarter-million is quite the lofty sum, but as always, you'll receive a refund if the project doesn't get the fiscal green light. Jump past the break to see it in action, and for an update on our previous Insert Coin project.
Cyglo Night Bright Tyres turn on the magic of colored light
Just in time for that Tron reboot comes a set of tires for your ride that will not only see you looking fresh at night but could also keep you from becoming someone's hood ornament. They're called Cyglo Night Bright Tyres, featuring embedded LEDs in the tread and the sidewalls. At a standstill the lights are well-separated, but get moving and they stream together to form a lighted arc powered by the motion of the wheel itself -- no batteries to change or charge. The folks at Cyglo have had the idea for quite some time now but have newly received patents to protect the idea in the US and UK, meaning they're finally close to production. The cost? Unknown, but surely not cheap. Another pic awaits you below, plus a glimpse into the company's inspiration.
Bicycle tire rocks Hello Kitty tread pattern, world wonders why
Just when you thought Hello Kitty had touched everything she possibly could, along comes a bicycle tire (of all things) to prove you wrong. Stock up now for $25.99 apiece.[Via OhGizmo, image courtesy of Nirve]
