Flexible Wheels Means No More Curbing Them, New Tech is Mind Bending

It seems like, if someone gets off of the beaten path a little bit to much in the creative process, they’ll be told to “not reinvent the wheel.” As one of the oldest pieces of engineering that we use on a regular basis still today, the wheel still seems to be something that’s untouchable in terms of moving forward, quite literally. However, as one could probably imagine, the wheel is actually getting upgraded each and every day as companies in that industry certainly aren’t remaining stagnant in the pursuit of perfection with everything that is round and tire supporting.

One of the latest and most interesting developments that we’ve seen recently in the world of wheels is none other than a flexible wheel. Sure, it seems like something that might not even be possible when considering how the wheel has to be air tight with the bead on a tire. However, with a collaboration between Maxion Wheels and Michelin, the tire company that we all know and respect, a new sort of technology has poked its head out and presents us with another alternative to what we thought we knew.

 

“The patented new technology, developed by Michelin and Maxion Wheels for the passenger car wheel market, incorporates two flexible rubber flanges mounted on a special wheel body to create a flexible wheel that improves the ride and comfort and also absorbs impacts from potholes and curbs. The new wheel is compatible with all tires on the market and comprises an alloy rim – which is narrower than normal, two rubber flanges and an optional cosmetic insert to protect the alloy wheel.” Michelin.com

In layman’s terms, these wheels are hooked up with a set of rubber flanges between themselves and the tires that are designed to absorb the brunt of the impact when it occurs. Anyone who has ever come into contact a little bit too hard with a curb or pothole knows that these things can end up being rather destructive and expensive but as technology like this ends up panning out, those people wouldn’t have to deal so much with the repercussions of such a phenomenon.