185
Backers
$14,978
pledged of $250,000 goal
Funding Canceled Funding for this project was canceled by the project creator on September 7, 2011.
Funding period
Aug 21, 2011 -
Oct 5, 2011
(45 days)
- First created · 0 backed
- Has not connected Facebook
Pledge $1 or more
30 backers
Do a good deed everyday - A number of cyclists and non-cyclists said they really wanted to contribute and do not want anything in return. You folks are great and we really appreciate your generocity!
Estimated delivery: Oct 2011Pledge $45 or more
13 backers
For a $45 pledge you are pre-ordering your very own City Cruiser PumpTire, plus one 65psi fixed pressure control valve and one inner tube. This set will sell for $64.95 retail. Please indicate schrader or presta valve when ordering. Includes shipping within the USA. Add $8 to your pledge for shipping to Canada, $20 for international shipping.
Estimated delivery: May 2012Pledge $75 or more
41 backers
For a $75 pledge you are pre-ordering a set of two City Cruiser PumpTires, plus two 65psi fixed pressure control valves and two matching inner tubes. This set is expected to sell for $129.90 at retail. Please indicate schrader or presta valve when ordering. Includes shipping within the USA. Add $10 to your pledge for shipping to Canada, $35 for international shipping.
Estimated delivery: May 2012Pledge $100 or more
84 backers
For a $100 pledge you are pre-ordering a set of two City Pro high performance PumpTires, plus two high performance 95psi, user-adjustable control valves and two matching inner tubes. This set is expected to sell for $149.90 at retail. The set is equipped with presta valves. Includes shipping within the USA. Add $10 to your pledge for shipping to Canada, $35 for international shipping.
Estimated delivery: May 2012Pledge $650 or more
1 backer
Bike Shop Order (City Cruiser) - Pre-order a case of 20 tires with 65psi fixed pressure control valves and inner tubes, each packaged for resale. It's a great option for innovative store owners that want to be the first in their area to sell PumpTire. In addition, participating store owners' contact information and links to your website will be added to www.pumptire.com. Add $600 to your pledge for each additional case you'd like to order. Please indicate schrader or presta valves. Includes shipping within the USA. Add $65 per case to your pledge for shipping to Canada, add $165 per case for international shipping.
Estimated delivery: May 2012Pledge $850 or more
1 backer
Bike Shop Order (City Pro) - Pre-order a case of 20 tires with high performance 95psi, adjustable valves and inner tubes, each packaged for resale. It's a great option for innovative store owners that want to be the first in their area to sell PumpTire. In addition, participating store owners' contact information and links to your website will be added to www.pumptire.com. Add $800 to your pledge for each additional case you'd like to order. Includes shipping within the USA. Add $65 per case to your pledge for shipping to Canada, add $165 per case for international shipping.
Estimated delivery: May 2012
Creator Kantis Väisänen on September 8, 2011
You know, there are other Kickstarter projects that have been canceled and then restarted and succesfully funded. (See PenMoto for an example.) However, in order to do that it is necessary to lure the previous backers back, and I don't think that a total information blackout is the way to do it.
Creator Kelii Hakau HanoHano Armstrong on September 7, 2011
You needed more hype, and to send emails and flyers to lots of bike shoppes. Not too many people even know about kickstarter. I never heard of it till I saw a post on Engadget about your new tire design.
Creator Richard NL on September 7, 2011
@Nik - I think your reaction is a bit premature. Right now all we know is that funding was canceled abruptly and all information that could be removed, removed. For all we know, there's a legal dispute (that would suck) or a major manufacturer has shown interest (which, let's be honest, would be pretty cool). Let's just await an official response before commencing any mudslinging.
Besides, knowing what size tires you have is a Good Thing anyway ;)
Creator NIK MASTERS on September 7, 2011
That's professional. What a waste of time. I measured my tires for nothing. You guys need to be kicked.
Creator bloknayrb on September 7, 2011
Why did you guys cancel?
Creator Andy Candler on September 7, 2011
What happened? Cancelled with no explanation?
Creator Richard NL on September 7, 2011
Huh. Funding canceled. What happened here?
Creator PumpTire Team on August 31, 2011
Also yes, the tire can also be inflated manually. You can order ones with Presta or Schrader valves.
Creator PumpTire Team on August 31, 2011
Andrew,
Yes the production tires will have the lumen more as an integral part of the tread. The video shows an over-pronounced lumen just for demonstration of the technology. We're looking at incorporating Kevlar/aramid-type materials into the lumen for puncture-resistance, and with the funds we will ensure that the tire is very reliable. We will be testing it for durability, puncture- and wear-resistance to very high standards just like other high performance tires.
Creator Andrew Murdoch on August 29, 2011
Hi,
Sounds like an awesome idea. I'm often halfway to work when I remember that my tyres were a bit flat and that I hadn't remembered to pump them up.
My main concern, which has been partially raised, is the strength and wear resistance of the lumen. Is it going to be molded more into the tyre for the production models ? Or is it going to be in a channel like the CAD model ? I would have thought that the channel would wear very quickly, because it's only a thin edge and when the lumen collapses it is taking the weight.
Can the pressure valve be inflated normally or removed in the event that the lumen wears out or is punctured ?
Thanks
Andrew
Creator PumpTire Team on August 25, 2011
Philippe,
Yes, the technology is patented. I will make some changes on our sites to make that more obvious. We've been asked that from several backers / potential backers. And thank you very much for backing us!
I totally agree with you on the bike fleet maintenance. We haven't reached out to those groups yet, but it does offer a significant ROI for bike fleets. Paris is one of the largest, if not THE largest rental bike fleet. Would you have any personal contacts within management?
Ben
Creator Philippe on August 25, 2011
I really like the idea and have already pledged. I have a couple questions:
- Do you have a patent on that ? If not get one quick.
- Have you contacted any bike rental services ? I understand that it's a convenient tool for urban bikers, but the area where this could really make a difference is pay as you go bike sharing services. I live in Paris where we have one and the bikes are often flat or underpressure. They have people who go around the stations and fix them, but obviously not enough. They'd save tons on maintenance if they could have tires like that.
Creator PumpTire Team on August 23, 2011
Richard, thank you for the vote of confidence! Ben
Creator Richard NL on August 23, 2011
Excellent answers - pledge bumped up :)
Creator PumpTire Team on August 22, 2011
Richard, thanks for the great questions and interest! Here are answers. I'm also posting them to the FAQs.
1. Where is the air intake situated?
The air is intake is actually at the end of the pressure valve. Air is essentially drawn in through the valve stem then pushed from the tire into the tube.
2. How does the lumen affect the feel of the bike/tire?
My experience riding the prototypes is that I couldn't feel the lumen unless I was at very low pressures (i,e., less than 15psi) and this was due to the prototype lumen overlapping where it entered and exited the tire. Unlike a solid rubber, raised center tread, the lumen collapses under the contact patch and conforms more with the overall shape/deformation of the tire.
3. Would the PumpTire concept be compatible with inner tubes that use sealant?
Conceptually the PumpTire inner tube is compatible with sealant. The sealant would have to be injected into the tube before the tube and tire are connected to avoid sealant moving through the pumping mechanism. We haven't tried it yet, but future products should be able to work with sealant with little modification.
4. What happens if the lumen gets punctured?
The lumen in the production tires will be fairly puncture resistant and we are looking to incorporate Kevlar/aramid-type materials in the lumen. If the lumen is punctured, however, it will most likely lose some or all ability to pump. The pressure in the tire would not be compromised as one way check valves stop air from flowing out of the tire.
5. How sturdy is the pressure control valve? Would it be possible, design-wise, to have the pressure control valve assembly be at an angle - where it could then be affixed to a spoke for additional sturdiness?
Yes, The control valve may need support from one of the spokes. The prototype valve images do not take into account how the vavle is mounted on the system. The size of the valve in the pictures is based upon valves modified from industrial applications that we used in our prototypes. We think we can make them significantly lighter, smaller, but they still may need additional support.
Creator Richard NL on August 21, 2011
This looks like an exciting product - although I don't mind taking a minute to inflate my tires, it's not always at the most opportune times, or locations, that I realize they need inflating; especially if a prankster decided to deflate my tires in the middle of nowhere (down side to Blitz valves, which are commonplace here).
I do have a few questions that aren't covered in the FAQ, though.
Q1. In the video you show what you call a 'lumen' and describe it as the actual pump (squeezing a tube of toothpaste aka peristaltic pump?). It doesn't really go into details - and perhaps it shouldn't - but I guess that means that it's not a continuous loop, but rather a tube with one open end for air intake, and another open end that goes to the valve. My question is where the intake is situated. The FAQ does mention a filter against water, but if it is situated along the profile that impacts the streets, I would think that e.g. mud would be a bigger problem.
Q2. How does the lumen affect the feel of the bike? Considering it protrudes from the normal profile, does it make it feel slightly wobbly - as if trying to ride on top of a cable - at all?
Q3. The FAQ mentions that the PumpTire does nothing to shield against punctures of the inner tube. Would the PumpTire concept be compatible with inner tubes that do - e.g. those using sealant? I presume I'm understanding correctly that the inner tubes are part of that concept and it can't be easily fitted to existing inner tubes.
Q4. Similar to the above, but this time the actual tire. With a regular tire, a puncture doesn't cause much problems as long as it doesn't puncture the inner tube, the inner tube has a sealant, or it's a tubeless system with sealant. What happens if the lumen gets punctured, though? I would imagine loss of pressurization capability?
Q5. Extending from pranksters are those into vandalism. The pressure control valve juts up quite a bit - far further than a Presta valve. Q5a. How sturdy is the pressure control valve? Q5b. Would it be possible, design-wise, to have the pressure control valve assembly be at an angle - where it could then be affixed to a spoke for additional sturdiness?
I know it's a lot of questions - just want those out of the way before I bump up the pledge :)
Creator Will Hart on August 21, 2011
Revolutionary technology for the cycling industry. Lets make this happen.