The American company launches bicycle tires made of shape memory alloy, which claims to never burst.

CTOnews.com, September 14, a company named The Smart Tire Company in Akron, Ohio, recently launched a bicycle tire called Metl on the Kickstarter platform. The tire is the first consumer product to use Nitinol, a shape memory alloy made of nickel and titanium developed by NASA and whose shape can be remembered by heat treatment. Compared with traditional bicycle tires, the company promises that Metl tires will never burst and can be used for life.

Metl tires are expensive, costing $500a pair (CTOnews.com Note: currently about RMB 3640), weigh 450g and have an equivalent size of 700x35c, which can be easily installed on the rims of most common road cars and gravel road vehicles. If you choose a set that includes aluminum rims, the price can be as high as $1300 (aluminum rims) or $2300 (carbon fiber rims). The Metl tyre will be delivered to supporters in June 2024, the company said.

Although Metl tires are made of memory metal, they also have grip because they have an all-weather tread that provides medium to low rolling resistance. The tread has a rated mileage of 8000 miles (about 12874.75 km) and is refurbished at $10 per tire. The company claims that Metl bicycle tires have a "lightweight, smooth cycling experience, excellent handling and durability" and can "increase traction" compared to typical pneumatic tires.

So far, the company has secured funding from 128 supporters on Kickstarter, raised three times the target amount, and has 28 days to go. If the fundraising amount reaches a higher level, the company also plans to introduce wider Metl tires for electric bikes and mountain bikes, as well as more road car sizes and treads.