Smart’s airless bike tires use NASA tech to counter punctures

With NASA making breakthroughs every day, the agency has been looking the channel high-end technology into everyday products. The agency has made its next breakthrough by introducing tire tech which is basically super elastic tires that can withstand more deformation than any other non-pneumatic tire.

A startup called Smart is using that tire tech which was originally built for lunar and Mars rover for a bicycle tire called Metl. The tire is composed of interconnected springs that don’t require inflation, Smart claims the superelastic tires are built like titanium to withstand rugged terrains without going flat. This will primarily allow puncture-free rides can lure in eco-conscious cyclists sick of tossing rubber tubes in the trash.

As a NASA-approved startup, Smart has worked closely with the space agency on its Metl tire, which is set to make it to consumers early next year. The startup has already partnered with Spin, the Ford-owned e-scooter sharing company. Smart, which is co-founded by Survivor: Fiji champion Earl Cole and blockchain engineer Brian Yennie, also envisions its tires making their way to cars.

Source: Engadget