Tyres have always played an important role in our daily lives. We might not realise it, but they do hold significant power over how our day pans out. A single puncture or a tyre problem can leave us stranded for hours and completely ruin our plans for the day.
It thus comes as no surprise that tyre companies have been persistently trying to improve modern-day tyres to make them even more robust, durable and convenient.
Tubeless tyres are, in fact, a product of these very efforts and have been touted as the new-age tyres poised to replace the ancient tubed tyre. What makes them better and why is there such a surge in demand for tubeless tyres? The answer to these questions lies in the differences.
The Traditional Tube Tyres:
A man named Philip Strauss invented the much-needed combination of a tyre and an air-filled inner tube in 1911 that made it possible for pneumatic tyres to be commercially produced and used in automobiles.
These principles used by Mr. Strauss in 1911 went on to form the very essence of modern-day tube tyres. For the next 50 years, almost all tyres were made with a provision of an inner tube that when filled with air provided a soft, cushioning quality to the tyres. The air-filled tube pushed against the outer tyre giving it the characteristic round shape and the support it required.
These tubes, in fact, are also a common sight at your local puncture repair wala who usually dips them in water to find holes/punctures (see picture below).
Complications Due To The Tube
These tube tyres although revolutionary, were infamous for their drawbacks. The presence of the tube meant that the tyre was fragile and in case you had the misfortune of running on a nail or a sharp object, the resulting puncture would cause rapid air loss and the tube would completely collapse. As soon as a puncture happens, the air escapes out of the gap between the tube and tyre while the valve, which is directly connected to the tube inside, gets completely sucked into the tyre.
Another risk factor in tube tyres would be the fit of the inner tube. It's extremely important that it fits perfectly inside the carcass. If the inner tube is too big, it may fold and result in premature failure. If the inner tube is too small, it could be over-stretched, thereby increasing the chances of tearing .
Here's a list of the risks associated with the usage of inner tubes and tubed tyres:
- Incorrect size of tube (and/or flap if present).
- Increased heat/ overheating from friction between tyre and tube.
- Sudden loss of air pressure if the tube is punctured.
- Exposed inner tube if tyre is damaged, leading to sudden tube failure.
- Possible requirement of rim tape or flap to protect the tube.
- Increased weight due to the presence of the tube which reduces fuel economy
- High speed instability due to the presence of the tube.
- Lack of durability
- Chances of uneven pressure exist with a tube which can also make the car wobble at high speeds.
- Deflates immediately increasing the risk of tyre bursts and accidents due to loss of control.
The Advantages
Despite the drawbacks, tubed tyres do have certain advantages over tubeless tyres. Firstly, they cost lesser than their counterparts and can be repaired for peanuts. The tyre is also generally composed of a soft compound which means when it comes to gripping the road surface, these tyres are the best in the business.
These tyres are also very good for spoked wheels. The bonding of the tyre to wheels in tubed tyres is not exactly airtight since the inner tube already takes care of it. Hence, bikes with spoke wheels always prefer to run on tubed tyres as the tension of the spokes affects the wheel leading to higher chances of air leakage with tubeless tyres.
Also See: Radial Vs Bias Ply Tyres: Differences Explained
Tubeless Tyres:
Off late there has been a huge surge in demand for tubeless tyres. Both the 2 wheeler as well as the four-wheeler industries across the globe are increasingly gravitating towards offering tubeless tyres. Let's find out how the tubeless version differs from the tubed tyre and what are some of the advantages they offer.
The tubeless version as the name suggests does not have a separate tube within the tyre. These tyres have an internal part of the tyre form the inner liner and the air resides between the wheel and the tyre in an airtight assembly.
Tubeless tyres fit perfectly against the special elevated edge (hump) of tubeless wheel rims, which helps to create an air-tight seal. This means special inner edges and rim tape are not needed. These tyres are so compact - in terms of carcass and rubber composition - that the pressure loss through the pores is almost negligible.
The valve in tubeless tyres is directly attached to the wheel rim with the help of a special rubber seal.
A major advantage of tubeless tyres is simply the lack of the tube. As they lack a tube, they lose air very gradually if there is a leak in the carcass. As a result, vehicle handling and stability do not suffer as much during punctures because there is no rapid loss of tyre pressure. This is an immense step up as far as tyre safety is concerned.
Punctures on tubeless tyres can often be repaired by placing a tyre plaster on the inside of the carcass, using puncture repair strips or via vulcanisation, in case of severe damage.
Advantages of Tubeless tyres
- Prolonged retention of air pressure: Tubeless tyres are definitely better than tube tyres when it comes to handling punctures. They offer much better resistance and if a tubeless tyre is pierced, it does not lose air pressure as rapidly as tubed tyres. The valve also stays intact. Air comes out slowly, allowing the vehicle to be driven a fair amount of distance which is enough to reach a place that can fix the puncture. This is simply because of the fact that the air is held within the tyre itself and not a tube.
- Safer during punctures: If any object punctures the tread and the inner liner, air escapes only around the nail and the valve remains intact. Tubeless tyres can also be filled with liquid sealants which helps in temporarily repairing a puncture as soon as it happens.
- More Durable: Definitely more durable due to the absence of the fragile tube.
- Less sensitive to pressure changes: This is simply due to the fact that there's no flimsy tube that might pop.
- More fuel-efficient: Tubeless tyres are more fuel-efficient as they are lighter.
- Increased heat dissipation: Better heat dissipation as the air is in direct contact with the rim. In the case of tubed tyres, the friction between the tube and the tyre result in overheating which is absent in tubeless tyres. Also, since the air is in direct contact with the rim, it helps to cool the wheel which heats up as the car runs.
- Lighter in weight: The absence of an inner tube makes tubeless tyres lighter in weight. With less weight, the rolling resistance also decreases which enhances the drive quality, experience and fuel economy.
- High durability and longevity: Since there is no tube and the tyre has to be made of a harder compound, tubeless tyres offer much higher resistance to bruising and cuts. They last longer in comparison and represent more value for money.
- Better safety at high speed: Since they don't deflate immediately, tubeless tyres are much more safer at high speeds as the lack of the tube lowers the possibility of tyre bursts as well as accidents due to loss of control. Also, unlike tube tyres, the air pressure remains uniform throughout the tyre which ensures greater stability at high speeds.
- Compatible with Nitrogen Gas: Instead of normal air, one can also opt for nitrogen gas in tubeless tyres.
- Ability to run at lower pressure: Since no chance of the tube getting pinched with the wheel as is with tubed tyres.
The advantages that tubeless tyres brought to the table justify the tyre industry's constant endeavour to push the envelope when it comes to making tyres. Tubeless tyres single-handedly transformed the way we interact with tyres and increased the convenience with which we deal with our tyres today. This is precisely why companies are now looking at airless tyres as the next big revolution. These tyres, if made commercially viable would completely remove pneumatics from the equation, bringing a major shift in the centuries-old relationship that human beings have shared with tyres.
Image credits: shutterstock. zigwheels
