If Berlin-based startup BigRep has their say, we could be using 3D-printed bicycle tires instead of pumping them up. The company has taken to the streets of the German capital to show off their airless bicycle tires prototype.
The BigRep prototype replaces the air inside a tire with a three-layered honeycomb complex support structure. The pattern and density of the infill can be customized for different biking terrains, such as mountain biking and road racing, or different conditions like rain or cobbled streets.
They developed the tire to demonstrate the ease and speed at which flexible spare parts can be 3D printed and to promote their thermoplastic polyurethane Pro FLEX filament. This material can withstand high-impact and high-temperature resistance that can be used to customize and print parts for medical, aerospace, automotive and other industries.
