24 March, 2004

Building a better bicycle

This is a nice idea: a self-inflating bicycle tyre.  Rotation of the wheels power air pumps in the hubs, continuously topping-up tyre pressure whenever the bike is moving.  Excess air is automatically released to prevent the tyre from bursting, whilst an early problem of filling tyres with water in wet weather has been solved.
Currently 'only in Japan', I can imagine this sort of thing gaining global popularity.

NP: The Flower Kings, Würzburg, 1996