Mass'Debator
Posts: 4,205 
Location: Atlantic Canada
Location: Atlantic Canada
June 5th, 2008, 02:59 PM
^ Looks like besides your shocks absorbing impacts, these would also help absorb as well. From what I can tell, they wouldn't wear their traction any worse then a regular tire.... if not, they'd do even better, considdering the ability to flex more then a regular tire and thus reduce friction, at first glance.
let's see what else I can dig up:
"When the Tweel is put to the road, the spokes absorb road impacts the same way air pressure does in pneumatic tires. The tread and shear bands deform temporarily as the spokes bend, then quickly spring back into shape. Tweels can be made with different spoke tensions, allowing for different handling characteristics.
More pliant spokes result in a more comfortable ride with improved handling. The lateral stiffness of the Tweel is also adjustable. However, you can’t adjust a Tweel once it has been manufactured. You’ll have to select a different Tweel. For testing, Michelin equipped an Audi A4 with Tweels made with five times as much lateral stiffness as a pneumatic tire, resulting in “very responsive handling
Michelin reports that “the Tweel prototype… is within five percent of the rolling resistance and mass levels of current pneumatic tires. That translates to mean within one percent of the fuel economy” of the tires on your own car. Since the Tweel is very early in its development, Michelin could be expected to improve those numbers."
^ Looks like besides your shocks absorbing impacts, these would also help absorb as well. From what I can tell, they wouldn't wear their traction any worse then a regular tire.... if not, they'd do even better, considdering the ability to flex more then a regular tire and thus reduce friction, at first glance.
let's see what else I can dig up:
"When the Tweel is put to the road, the spokes absorb road impacts the same way air pressure does in pneumatic tires. The tread and shear bands deform temporarily as the spokes bend, then quickly spring back into shape. Tweels can be made with different spoke tensions, allowing for different handling characteristics.
More pliant spokes result in a more comfortable ride with improved handling. The lateral stiffness of the Tweel is also adjustable. However, you can’t adjust a Tweel once it has been manufactured. You’ll have to select a different Tweel. For testing, Michelin equipped an Audi A4 with Tweels made with five times as much lateral stiffness as a pneumatic tire, resulting in “very responsive handling
Michelin reports that “the Tweel prototype… is within five percent of the rolling resistance and mass levels of current pneumatic tires. That translates to mean within one percent of the fuel economy” of the tires on your own car. Since the Tweel is very early in its development, Michelin could be expected to improve those numbers."
