In 1888 Mr. Dunlop re-invented Mr. Thomson's 1847 pneumatic tire, blessing cyclists with low rolling resistance and a cushioned ride and cursing cyclists with flats ever since.

So work continues on non-pneumatic tires. Every few years a new non-pneumatic will hit the market with great fanfare. They've been universally miserable.

This hasn't stopped garage inventors and huge corporations from trying, though, and who knows what the future might hold? Here's Bridgestone's latest prototype air-free cycle tire:

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