Why Shock-less Scooter Tires Score Best For Safety

The Breakdown:

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• Tires are a critical component of e-scooter safety and stability
• Most shared scooters use either solid/semi-solid tires with shocks or pneumatic tires
• Recent testing demonstrates that pneumatic tires perform better across a wider variety of street surfaces and temperatures than solid tires with shocks, reducing vibrations by 33%
   
   

Shocks or no shocks? The answer may surprise you.

Most shared scooters rely on one of two tire models: solid/semi-solid tires with &#;shocks&#; or pneumatic tires without them. As a reminder, pneumatic tires consist of a central wheel hub surrounded by a rubber, typically air-filled exterior. Given that a scooter&#;s tires are one of the most critical components impacting traction and stability, it&#;s important for shared micromobility providers to invest in designs that improve vehicle safety. 

At Bird, we intentionally worked with a tire manufacturer to develop a unique, automotive-grade scooter tire specifically designed for the rigors of the shared micromobility industry. That means our in-house designed and engineered vehicles are equipped with specially-designed 6 ply tubeless pneumatic tires that contain a special sealant to prevent flats. 

We did this for two reasons:

• First, pneumatic tires tend to offer better shock absorption over a wider variety of common street surfaces including gravel and cobblestone
• Second, while solid tires become rigid with dropping temperatures, decreasing their traction when it&#;s needed most, the air in pneumatic tires condenses in colder temperatures making them softer and more compliant

Recent testing at our state of the art R&D facility in Southern California has borne out these initial assumptions, demonstrating that pneumatic tires perform better than solid tires with shocks across a wide variety of street surfaces.
 

How We Tested Pneumatic Tires vs. Solid Tires With Shocks

 
To perform the evaluations, our engineers compared a Bird Three scooter equipped with our custom pneumatic tires and a mass-produced scooter model used by many operators worldwide with semi-solid tires and shocks. 

Both vehicles were outfitted with testing instruments on the handlebars to detect the vertical acceleration that would be experienced by riders as jolts and vibrations. We then ran each vehicle multiple times down test tracks located in our SoCal test facility made up of gravel, cobblestone and a wide variety of other simulated street surfaces that riders encounter across the globe. 

In each test, Bird Three&#;s unique tubeless tire design performed better than the solid tire with shocks, experiencing on average 33% less vertical acceleration than the other commonly used model.
 

 
&#;This reduction in vibrations is significant because it means 33% more stability and control for riders when experiencing everyday bumps and uneven road conditions&#; said Scott Rushforth, Chief Vehicle Officer at Bird. &#;Pneumatics are demonstrably better at damping vibration and low-frequency bumps than solid or semi-solid tires with suspension, and this most recent testing clearly validates that.&#;

In addition to the safety benefits that come with fewer vibrations and better handling and stability on bumpy streets, Bird&#;s pneumatic tires also have a hidden environmental benefit. By limiting the amount of shaking our scooters experience, we cut down on premature wear and tear of vehicle components, increasing sustainability. Pneumatic tires can also easily be changed when damaged, salvaging the wheel hub, while solids are typically serviced by replacing the entire wheel or motor assembly. 

Given that manufacturing represents the highest amount of a scooter&#;s lifetime CO2 output, that additional protection spread across a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles quickly adds up.
 

Learn More

 
To learn more about the safety and sustainability of our vehicles, including how the industry&#;s longest footboard helps make our scooters even more stable and accessible for all riders, subscribe to the Bird Cities Blog.
 

It's a debate as old as electric scooters themselves. Pneumatic vs Solid Tires. They both have their pros and cons but at the end of the day it will come down to a few factors. The main one being rider's preference. Today, we will help you decide on the right kind of tire for your ride. 

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Traction

First up is arguably the most important thing you want when choosing tires for your electric scooter, traction. Traction is the grip your tire has on the road. Pneumatic tires flatten with the weight of the rider on the scooter thereby giving you a greater surface area and providing better traction overall.

Furthermore, you can adjust the amount of air in your tires depending on the type of terrain you plan to ride on. If you're planning on riding off-road at all, pneumatic tires have been tried and tested as the superior option. Solid tires don't offer enough traction and zero suspension especially on tough terrain. 

Winner: Pneumatic 

Comfort

Solid tires have minimal give when riding. However, while riding on a solid tire you will notice vibrating, unstable, and sometimes shaky rides. They transfer the impact from every bump, crack, and pothole into your legs and arms. If you're lucky you will have some sort of suspension system to assist with this but even with that, the suspension will then have to handle the brunt of the impact. 

Air-filled or pneumatic tires are able to provide some amount of suspension. In the aforementioned section, we also discussed how pneumatic tires offer some flexibility when riding. This alone gives them the advantage over solid tires. If you were to compare rides on a pneumatic and solid, on comfortability alone, pneumatic wins hands down. 

Winner: Pneumatic

Cost

Your wallet will definitely notice the difference here. You will often have to purchase a tire as well as a tire tube with pneumatic tires. On top of that, air-filled tires are susceptible to an electric scooter riders most common and most frustrating problem, flat tires. There are ways to avoid flat tires but eventually your pneumatic tires will run over something too sharp and you're electric scooter won't be able to be used until you fix the tire. 

Solid tires can ride over just about anything without becoming unusable. Most of the time, depending on how often you ride, solid tires will outlast their pneumatic counterparts. Just be sure to inspect your tires before you ride and after to avoid having problems during your ride. Whether you are riding on pneumatic or solid tires, just riding an electric scooter saves you money. Just be careful where you ride to avoid overly damaging your tires to ensure they last as long as possible. 

Winner: Solid

Durability

How long a tire lasts factors into where you are riding, how long, and how often. Solid tires will handle the brunt of every impact as we stated before. They have minimal to no give in their rubber. Honeycomb tires, solid tires with air holes placed around the tire, allow for some flexibility but it is still minimal when compared to pneumatic tires. What's more is the fact that a solid tire will never go flat. It will take some time for wear and tear to render a solid tire unusable. 

Winner: Solid

Conclusion

We seem to be at tie. That leaves it down to just one thing. You. Your personal preference and where you will be riding should determine the tires you use. However, we do have a slight preference for pneumatic tires, mainly due to the comfort and wider range of terrain you can ride on. Either way, whichever tire you end up choosing, please be sure to ride safely and always wear your helmet!

Ride Together. Ride GOTRAX!

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