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For decades, various manufacturers have dabbled in flat-proof bicycle tires that have a solid or foam-filled core. The problem is, those tires tend to be heavy, plus there's no way of adjusting their firmness. Italian startup MrWolf is now offering an alternative, in the form of the Banger. Not only is it lighter and more adjustable than a solid tire, but it reportedly also gives mountain bikers a smoother ride than they'd get with regular tires.
Designed specifically for mountain bikes and e-bikes, the Banger is a loop of "technopolymer" (i.e: a proprietary low-density foam) that sits inside a regular third-party tubeless tire. Once installed, it occupies 95 percent of the tire's inner volume, which would otherwise be filled with air. That does still leave some room for air, however, so it remains possible to adjust the hardness according to rider weight, trail conditions, or other factors.
The rider can still continue on the Banger in the event of a tire puncture.
Also at MTB magazine.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 05 2017, @09:13AM
> I've found you can ride a significant distance at speed over rough ground on a completely flat tire without the bead popping.
It really varies. I one must turn, a looser fit can roll out the side, both for mtb and road tyres. And you're right it mangles the rim (both the edge and trueness). It also varies by tyre width; a really narrow road tyre might squish down to inside the rim, and then one is left rolling on rubber on one edge of the rim at best, which is extraordinarily uncomfortable and not very safe.