airfree tires

OldGeezer

I ordered an airfree tire in November of 2003. After a couple weeks I requested the status of my order. I got a cryptic message saying they were moving the factory or something like that. Finally, in February of 2004 I cancelled the order as I knew the tire I ordered didn't exist and probably never would. If someone had been up front with me and told me the truth from the start I wouldn't be so upset but because the company didn't bother to tell me they had nothing to deliver, I crossed them off my list.

I don't usually bad-mouth a company but I believe Vlad is a shill for AirFree tires. I doubt he has ever seen a real tire either. As far as I'm concerned, the integrity of this outfit is definately in question.

vlad

ATTN Old Geezer

Sir,

Did you order tires from www.airfreetires.com ??

Every time I ordered tires, Hugh Waters sent me an email acknowledging the order.

Give Hugh a call at 1-800-771-9513. Leave a msg on his answering machine. He will call you back.

I will email Hugh to alert him.

OldGeezer

Yes, I ordered directly from the web page. But my criticism stems not from an acknowledgment of the order but rather the fact that an advertised product did not exist and nobody bothered to tell me so.

vlad

Mr Old Geezer

now what will you do?

will you call Hugh at 1-800-771-9513 or email him at info@airfreetires.com?

surely you can find an alternative choice of airfree tire that will serve you well.

OldGeezer

Vlad, I have lost faith in AirFree Tires' ability to meet my needs. I perfer to do business with companies that are up front and honest.

Ir_1234c

I recall seeing that there is another `airfree' company in this thread. If I may ask, did you get your money refunded? Hugh had told me by email last time that the reason why he wasn't reply to me was because they had been inundated with sales that month. Being a questioning person I did find it odd that an airfree tire company could be inundated with sales all of a sudden, keeping it in mind that they sell other types of solid tire as well, for carts etc as well as bikes, but I thought that it was feasible. If I may offer some encouragement, I wouldn't give up on that solid tire. When you say that `it does not exist', do you mean that you ordered one that does not exist, or do you mean that you looked one up on the website that was clearly available regarding size etc, but it hasn't been delivered?

OldGeezer

I gave them a credit card but it was not debited.

I ordered a tire directly from the web page. That is why I foolishly thought it would be available. But three months is a bit of a stretch .... especially without a word from anybody. Like I said earlier, an up-front update from someone at AirFree saying they were having trouble filling the order would have been nice.

For what it's worth, I've heard the same story from others. It's not just me.

vlad

In the past I bought airless bicycle tires from Hugh Waters at www.airfreetires.com and received good service. Although the website in still on the net, since May 2004 I have been unable to contact Mr Waters.

I now buy airless bicycle tires from KIK Tire 760-967-2777
Be aware that the tires are made to order. You must expect to wait three weeks or so for delivery.

These airless tires made of polyurethane/nylon microfoam. They have no air tube;and cannot blow out or go flat. I weigh 250lb. They give excellent ride similar IMO to Michelin WildGripper at 90psi. (I think fixing flats is a PITA and would use pneumatics again only in extremis.)

Pls note the link for each tire is from www.arifreetires.com site. I use the link only to give you detailed info about the tire.


26x1.9 Ocelot High Profile High Resilient +30% black. (actual OD 1.52")
tire requires a rim 24 mm to 27 mm inside diamteter and at least 8 mm deep. http://www.airfreetires.com/Bicycle/Legacy/26x19HR.html

26x1.9 Undirectional High Resilient +30% black. (actual tire OD 1.90")
tire requires a rim 21mm to 24mm ID, and at least 13mm deep.
http://www.airfreetires.com/Bicycle...26x19UniHR.html

I have used both Ocelot HE +30 and Unidirectional HR +30 on my Schwinn Impact which has 559-22 rims. They are excelletn/

I presently have Unidirectional HR +30 on my Trek 8000 on Shimano LX hub/Sun Mammoth rims.

We have five bikes equipped with airless tires. We like 'em.

PS ......... NOTA BENE ....... WARNING

I now buy ONLY High Resilient airless tires. Other tires NOT specifically marked HR or High resilient are a different foam. Under my 250 lb they are much too soft. Reminds me of trying to rdie through five inches of loose sand.

Teton standard foam tires ride OK for my 90 lb grandson, my 130 lb wife and others that size.

I bought two each Teton rated at 90 psi from Mr Waters. They were too soft.

I emailed Mr Waters, explained that I weighed 280 (at that time) and ordered two each Teton 160 psi. They were too soft.

To prove that I am a slow learner I then ordered two each Teton 200 psi from Mr Waters. They were too soft.

sigh so soon old. so late smart

Bill Knooihuisin at KIK Tire Inc knew exactly what I was talking about when I explained my weight, rolling resistance of tires etc. The Unidrectional HR +30 and Ocelot HR +30% are great.

I have Unidirectional HR +30 on my Schwinn Impact and Trek 8000, and have two each new unused Ocelot HR +30 and Unidirectional HR +30 in reserve.

We have high resilient airless tires from KIKTire Inc on five bikes. We like 'em.

davidmc

are they solid? How much do they weigh? Also i've heard of the "slime" product that seals up to 1/8" holes. The other one i've heard of that someone said weigh's less than the slime is stan's:
http://www.notubes.com/

__________________
I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death.
George Carlin
US comedian and actor (1937 - )

vlad

I have heard that Slime will seal small leaks. When I used Michelin WildGripper Sprint pneumatic tires I put slime in the tubes, and a kevlar insole in each tire. After a time the tires went flat or blew out. I think fixing flats is colossoal,PITA. I would use pneumatics again only in extremis.


Airfree tires are made of polyurethane/nylonmicrofoam. that measn tiny bubbles. they are not solid.

As stated on line twelve of text in the link, manufacturer states that the Unidirectional weighs 1240 grams. Please see link
http://www.airfreetires.com/Bicycle...26x19UniHR.html


grams x 0.03527=oz

1240 grams x 0.03527 = 43.70 oz = 2.73 lbs

I weighed two 26x1.9 Unidirectionals High Resilient +30% on my bathroom scale. (My bathroom scale is not legal for trade.) The combined weight of two Unidirectional tires is 5 lb.
I weighed two 26x1.9 Ocelot High Resilient +30%. They also weighed 5 lb on my bathroom scale.

May I ask? do you use pneumatic tires? What is the weight of each tire plus tube? Do you carry a tire pump? Do you carry an extra tire? an extra tube? a patch kit? What is the combined weight o f tires, tubes, air pump, extra tube, and patch kit?

How does that combined weight of those things compare to the weight of the two Unidirectional airfree polyurethane foam (not solid) tires?

My TREK 8000 with two Unidrectional tires installed is 31 lb.

The last time I bought tires from KIK I paid about $50 for two Unidirectional delivered to my door by UPS. That was some months ago. I do not know the current the price.

davidmc

you have done you're research! I did not account for the flat repair paraphenalia, as you pointed out-tube, patches, levers, ect...which add wieght to the bike

__________________
I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death.
George Carlin
US comedian and actor (1937 - )

vlad

at the risk of repeating myself ..........

you MUST measure your rims if you intend to buy airfree tires.
mm x 0.03937 = inches inches x 25.4 = mm
0.750" (3/4 inch) x 25.4 = 19 mm
0.500" (1/2")x 12.7 mm

you may have to buy a different wheelset. Take care that you get a 36 hole 3x or even 40 hole 4x rims if you are heavy. Heavy is a relative thing. I am a svelte 250.

Next time I'm gonna get a 40hole 4x rear rim.

The Bontrager wheelset on TREK 8000 is too narrow for airfree tires. I bought a Shimano LX/Sun Mammoth wheelset.

I have not had a flat or blowout since Oct 2001 thanks to airfree tires.

There are those who insist that fixing flats is a sacred rite of bicycling. I wish them every happiness.

Ir_1234b

Thanks for that detailed information Vlad. I think now with hindsight that the tires I ordered from airfreetires.com will have been too soft. I don't know what I weight in pounds, but in stones I am 21.

I tried green slime a year or so ago and they sealed some punctures according to the dealer, but I still got a puncture that flattened the tire. The slime worked better with a motorbike I had presumably because it had a thicker tire and innertube. More recently I have been riding my small wheeled cycle (20" x 1.75") on pneumatic tires that have got a nobbly tread around a third of an inch thick on the top and around the sides of the tires. I think if you've got a really nobbly tread that will go a long way to preventing punctures. I'm also thinking of buying some armoured tires from specialized.com. Over here in London in the UK there are many potholes and other dents in the pavements and roads and I have been told by several dealers that those who have tried solid tires do not recommend them. They can also apparently slip in the wet.

You have to know the wheel's bead size as well to order airfree tires. This is the space between the rims (I think), and I would imagine the space just below the bead which goes to the inside of the rim, as well as it's hight from the rim, otherwise the tire might not fit inside it. Although Mr Waters told me by email last year that my tires are the right size after I emailed the size of the rims to him, I thought it better to send the wheels to him for him to fit the tires, and then send them back to me. This got put on hold. Nevertheless, if you're in America (as there are no dealers selling them in the UK to my knowledge), I would recommend seeing if you can send a spare pair of wheels to the dealer for them to assess what the rim size is and fit the tires for you.

vlad

Ir_12344b

one stone = 14 lbs
21 stone = 294 lbs

at the time I bought 26x1.9 Unidirectional High Resilient +30 I weighed 286 lb or 20 stone and the tires were just fine. No noticeable rolling resistanace.

I now weigh 252/18 stone as I eat mostly meat, fish, cheese, nuts, sunflower oil .....and carefully limit carbohydrates to 60 grams in 24 hours.

Wheels on Shwinn Impact stamped ERTRO 559-22 (near valve stem hole), and LX Shimano hub/Sun Mammoth rims on Trek 8000 (unmarked), accept Unidirectional HIgh Resilient +30, Ocelot High Resilient +30, (............. and Teton tires which are NOT high resilient foam.).

WARNING ----- 26x2.0 Teton All Terrain High Performance allegedly 90 psi, allegedly 160 lb and allegedly 200 psi were all MUCH too soft and have enormous rolling resistance under my 252 lbs or 18 stone. My pal who weighs 225 lbs or 16 stone finds them to have too much rolling resistance. My grandson weighs 90 lb or 6.5 stone. He says they give a good ride on his 18 speed.

this info on tire and wheel size may make things clear for you.

http://sheldonbrown.com/tire_sizing.html

Please consider your weigh when buying wheels. I had a 32 spoke Mammoth break while riding on pavement. I suggest that you get 36 or 40 spoke rear rim.

Got questions or comments? Please email me strelok60@yahoo.com