This incredibly lightweight tire inflator is just as small as an AirPods Pro case

Posted on 02/08/2023 by JC Torres

People have seemingly taken a greater liking for personal mobility these days, ranging from hulking motorcycles to sophisticated e-bikes to traditional yet versatile bicycles. Regardless of the type of two-wheeled transportation, they’re all bound by one common trait and the same weakness. They naturally rely on their wheels to get you places, and the ride is immediately over once you get a flat. You are unlikely to have a spare with you, and the nearest gas station might still be blocks away. You could bring an air pump with you all the time, but their convenience comes at the cost of portability and performance. Not unless you get this unbelievably small air pump that easily slips into your pocket while still delivering the air pressure your tires need, multiple times over.

Designer: MINI PUMP

Long gone are the days when bicycle tire pumps were tantamount to getting some exercise, coming in long metal cylinders that are just begging to be left behind at home. There are smaller versions these days, of course, that utilized motors to give your arms a break, but they’re still not that convenient to stow in small bags. Tiny electric pumps have started popping up left and right, but they sacrifice actual usefulness just to boast about their size.

The MINI PUMP seeks to address all those problems with a small package that belies its functionality. For an accurate size comparison, the MINI PUMP is just as small as the AirPods Pro case, the gold standard for pocketable accessories. At only 115g in weight, there’s no longer any reason for you to leave the house unprepared for any eventuality, especially when you can just slip this deceptively simple product into your pocket or your EDC kit. You might even want to leave one near your bike all the time, ensuring you’ll never panic ever again when you notice your flat tire.

Despite its unassuming size, the MINI PUMP is well equipped to inflate a wide variety of objects, not just tires. It can generate as much as 100 PSI of pressure, which means it can even pump motorcycle tires in a pinch. For an average 700x25C road bike tire, the MINI PUMP can put out 0 to 80 PSI in just 70 seconds so you’ll be back on the road in no time. With a 350mAh battery, you can inflate three road bike tires on a single charge. A unique design lets you swap out nozzles to be compatible with a variety of tire valves, including Schrader, Presta, and Dunlop.

The MINI PUMP can do more than just inflate tires though. It can also pump flattened balls or even blow away dust from camera lenses or hard-to-reach cracks. Its built-in battery charges from zero to full in just 25 minutes, so you won’t be wasting time waiting for your new traveling sidekick to be ready. Save yourself from the stress of having a flat tire or ball at the most inconvenient time and place with this small and lightweight MINI PUMP that packs a large punch, only $70 on Kickstarter.

The post This incredibly lightweight tire inflator is just as small as an AirPods Pro case first appeared on Yanko Design.

Revolutionary microplastic collecting tire could reduce air pollution to acceptable levels

Posted on 19/02/2022 by Gaurav Sood

Microplastics are the most common source of plastic pollution wreaking havoc on planet earth. The nature of microplastics is such that they are hard to detect for the naked eye, and have tormented marine life beyond belief. The toxic nature of this material has disrupted the food chain, and is also suspected to trigger a number of ailments in humans and other land animals and birds. So, common logic suggests, we should do anything and everything possible to suppress this nemesis.

A recent study found that airborne microplastic pollution is turning into a major contributor, and vehicle tires are to blame for that majorly. Andreas Stohl, from the Norwegian Institute for Air Research, said that an average tire loses 4kg during its lifetime. To top it off, the electric vehicle revolution is making things worse. Such vehicles are much heavier than their internal combustion engine counterparts, leading to more tire and brake pad wear. The solution is to design a tire in such a way that it doesn’t emit any microplastics into the environment. Unless tires are made out of some other revolutionary material, the only other way to prevent the dire situation is by collecting the microplastics in the tire itself.

Designer: Cheolhee Lee, Seongjong Kang and Lee JH96

Pureback Nexen Tire is a concept envisioning the prevention of air pollution primarily caused by tire wear. The eco-friendly tire separates and discharges the microplastics while driving. The harmful airborne plastic not visible to the naked eye is pushed through the inlet between the tire treads where the hazardous material is stored in the central capsule. The sides of the tire are made out of steel to create safe housing for the collected material. Designers suggest that the collected microplastics will be compressed and deposited at hydrogen charging stations by connecting to the hydrogenation system. The users will consequently be eligible for corresponding rewards and benefits. Logically, this radically designed tire is good in functionality, solving a serious problem for us all, while also being aesthetically pleasing to look at.

The grooves of the Pureback tire and the wheel cover housing have a connected LED lighting system on the side walls. When the tire is collecting microplastics it illuminates in blue color, and as soon as the collection capsule is reaching the full limit, it turns red. This indicates the time to deposit the toxic material at the next hydrogen filling station.

The post Revolutionary microplastic collecting tire could reduce air pollution to acceptable levels first appeared on Yanko Design.

DIY the NASA-inspired airless bike tires using PVC pipes, bolts and nuts. Watch the video!

Posted on 15/10/2021 by Shawn McNulty-Kowal

Popular DIY and science YouTube channel, The Q took his viewers through the process of replacing his bicycle’s traditional rubber tires with a set of airless ones put together with an old PVC pipe and some nuts and bolts.

We’ve seen airless tires on construction vehicles, like backhoes and skid steers, and smaller vehicles like golf carts and lawnmowers. No one wants a flat tire while mowing the lawn or playing golf and the chance for a flat tire is far higher in places like construction zones and building demolition sites. It makes sense that some vehicles prioritize airless tires and some don’t, but what about bicycles?

The Q, popular science and DIY YouTube channel, asked the same question and looked no further than an old PVC pipe and some nuts and bolts to answer it. Before constructing his airless tires, The Q was sure to pick a PVC pipe that had enough density to support a rider and ride well on different terrain. Settling on a ½” thick PVC pipe, The Q then sliced the PVC pipe into two-inch wide rings. From there, the DIY YouTuber connected all of the rings into a single link after drilling three holes into each and joining them together with nuts and bolts.

The Q then drilled corresponding holes into the rim of the bike, linking those holes with the ones previously drilled into the PVC rings. Reinforcing that layering with nuts and bolts, The Q repeated the process for two more rows, resulting in a triple overlay of PVC rings. With the main job complete, The Q finalized the project by carving the top layer of rubber from the bike’s original tire before laying it over the rows of PVC rings and gorilla gluing all of the pieces together. From there, the airless tires were ready to hit the road.

While The Q admits that the overall construction could benefit from slight modifications, the bike’s airless tires are fully functional and can ride smoothly over varying terrains, from sand to grass, and from pavement to gravel.

Designer: The Q

These students designed a way of repurposing chewing gum to make skateboard wheels!

Posted on 04/04/2021 by Shawn McNulty-Kowal

The plastics used to build car tires are the same plastics used to make chewing gum. From the moment we spit our gum onto the ground, it will take upwards of 50 years for that one piece to even begin decomposition. Noticing the wasted potential of chewing gum and the harmful effects it poses on the environment, design students Hugo Maupetit and Vivian Fischer decided to collect wads of discarded chewing gum out of which they molded and constructed wheels for skateboards.

After noticing that discarded chewing gum, made from synthetic rubbers, could be repurposed to construct wheels for skateboards, Maupetit and Fischer visualized a future partnership with Mentos and Vans. In the imagined collaboration, they worked together to take the gum from the streets and bring the gum back to the streets in a sustainable way. “Our initiative is supposed to clean the streets in a sustainable way. That is why we invented a system that will transform used wheels and turn them into new ones,” Maupetit and Fischer explained. “No more waste is created and the material stays in use.”

Initiating the collaboration, Maupetit and Fischer suggested that ‘gum boards’ be installed throughout their university city of Nantes, where residents could tack their finished chewing gum. As the gum boards filled up, the individual pieces would be collected, cleaned, molded together with a stabilizing agent, and stained with natural dye to form the wheels’ bases. The vibrant color of chewing gum along with its rubbery texture makes it a playful, yet tough choice for tire production.

People have been chewing on gum since the 1860s, but it was only after World War II that manufacturers began using synthetic rubbers, like polyethylene and polyvinyl acetate to make chewing gum. Plastics, like synthetic rubber, are able to be molded, pressed, and hardened into different shapes, making the building material relatively durable and easy to work with. Plus, there’s no shortage of supply– it’s everywhere.

Designers: Hugo Maupetit and Vivian Fischer

In an imagined collaboration with Vans and Mentos, Maupetit and Fischer conceived a mode of operations for their “Off The Street” gum-wheel initiative, including gum collection and tire production.

Gum boards throughout the city designate a spot for passersby to tack their gum for future collection.

Once the gum boards are filled up, they’ll be collected for future cleaning, molding, and staining.

Finally, following the mold and stain manufacturing process, wheels can be made available in stores for skateboarders to purchase.

Goodyear’s smart tire concept ‘prints’ its own treads

Posted on 03/03/2020 by Engadget RSS Feed

The thunk-whumma-whumpa-whuppa sound of a tire puncturing and losing pressure at freeway speeds is unmistakable. However, if Goodyear has its way humanity might not have to endure the filthy, sweaty, swear-inducing process of swapping rubber on the s...

Pirelli’s 5G tire warns other vehicles about dangerous road conditions

Posted on 19/11/2019 by Engadget RSS Feed

The future of cars is connectivity, with vehicles able to communicate with infrastructure like traffic lights and to share information about traffic conditions with other drivers and local authorities. Tire manufacturer Pirelli is bringing its own ap...

Bugatti’s record-breaking speed run required special wheels and nerves of steel

Posted on 09/10/2019 by Engadget RSS Feed

Speed kills. That had to be on the minds of Bugatti and Michelin engineers (and driver Andy Wallace), when together they pushed a modified Chiron to 304.77 miles an hour. As you would expect, driving a production car that fast involves more than jus...

Michelin Plans to Produce Airless Tires by 2024

Posted on 10/06/2019 by Conner Flynn

Forget having to fill up your car tires ever again. Airless tires are where it’s at. Soon you won’t have to worry about getting flat tires and filling them up to the proper pressure levels. The Uptis (Unique Puncture-proof Tire System) is a line of airless tires that Michelin and GM have teamed up to launch on some consumer vehicles by 2024.

This new airless rubber tire is supported by flexible spokes. They can’t go flat, and will supposedly last longer than normal tires. This is in part due to the punishment a lot of regular tires suffer from under or over-inflating. Sure, they don’t look very stylish, but they will be a lot less hassle than air-filled tires.

The real question is how these tires will perform after being exposed to the weather for a few years. They will be in the hot baking sun, harsh winters, and wet climates. I guess we will find out soon how well these handle the weather. Also, those slots on the side are going to get caked with mud and other debris, so that might create another problem.

The first Michelin Uptis tires are expected roll out sometime before 2024 with the Chevrolet Bolt EV likely to be the first production vehicle to get them.

[via Fast Company via Geekologie]

GM and Michelin will bring airless tires to passenger cars by 2024

Posted on 04/06/2019 by Engadget RSS Feed

Airless tires for everyday cars might soon be far more practical. GM and Michelin have unveiled a prototype of Uptis (Unique Puncture-proof Tire System), a Michelin-made tire intended for passenger cars. It looks like Tweel and other air-free conce...

AutoAuto All-In-One Tool Makes Changing Tires Easy

Posted on 28/01/2019 by Conner Flynn

Changing your car’s tires is a lengthier process than it should be. You need several tools with you, and many people may not have them all handy. That’s why the AutoAuto car tool looks like a more efficient way of doing things. The tool has an all-in-one design that’s supposed to make changing tires faster.

This all-in-one gadget can loosen the lug nuts, crank up your jack, and air up your tire once mounted. It features an automated design for those of us who aren’t used to doing the job. It can be easily used by even the most inexperienced mechanic, without having to head to the shop and be charged way too much.

It is also compact enough to be stored anywhere. Changing a tire has never been easier. This tool will certainly shave some time off the process and allow those who aren’t so good at it to do it more easily. The AutoAuto car tool starts at about $299, and is currently raising production funds over on Kickstarter. If it does everything it’s supposed to as efficiently as claimed, it could be worth the asking price.

[via Geeky Gadgets]

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