As the new era trend of travel continues to grow, you'll notice more and more convenient transportation options such as scooters and balance cars popping up on the streets. However, there have been instances of tire blowout accidents with various transportation brands both domestically and internationally. It seems that some brands are more concerned with the appearance of their vehicles rather than the product quality, neglecting the importance of the tires.

This has led to a situation where many scooter owners are repairing their tires frequently or thinking that the tire quality is just the weakness of the electric scooter itself. In this article, we will introduce the most common types of tires for electric scooters, so that you can make an informed choice for your own vehicle.

There are two main types of scooter tires on the market: pneumatic tires and non-inflatable tires. Let's take a closer look at each one.

Pneumatic tires

Pros:

1. Great shock absorption
2. Lighter due to their hollow structure
3. Good stability

Cons:

1. Tires can be easily punctured or blown out

 

Pneumatic tires are the most common type of tire in our daily lives, consisting of outer tires, inner tubes, and other structures. Electric scooters that focus on comfort design typically use pneumatic tires due to their excellent shock absorption and comfort. The inner tube and outer tire's rubber elasticity, along with the internal air's buffering effect, create this shock-absorbing effect. Since pneumatic wheels have a hollow structure with air as the filling material, they are lighter and help reduce the overall weight of the electric scooter. The tire's stability depends on the proper tire pressure and the ground contact area created by the tire's elasticity. When the tire pressure is reasonable, the tire's contact area with the ground is dynamic and changes based on the force applied. This results in better riding stability.

However, electric scooters are non-motorized vehicles and are often "squeezed" to the outermost side of the non-motorized lane due to their small size and lack of protection. Unfortunately, more than half of the obstacles such as nails, screws, and stones on the riding path are focused on this area, increasing the probability of wear and tire puncture. In addition, the small diameter and internal buffer space of electric scooter tires make them more susceptible to blowouts on hot days.

Solid (airless) tires

Solid (airless) tires are mainly divided into solid tires and honeycomb tires.

Solid tire

Solid tires eliminate the air part of the tire and have a wooden and stone tire structure similar to ancient vehicles. This feature makes them less prone to blowouts and have a lower tire damage rate. For those who often ride in areas with pebbles, foreign objects, etc., run-flat tires' safety is much higher than that of pneumatic tires.

Pros:

1. Lower likelihood of blowouts compared to pneumatic tires
2. Lower maintenance costs

Cons:

1. Higher carcass weight
2. Poor shock absorption
3. Less driving comfort

Honeycomb tires

If you're not satisfied with the experience of solid tires, you can opt for honeycomb tires. Some solid tires have a "honeycomb" or "air pocket" structure. Honeycomb tires are made from the same rubber as other solid tires and have an internal honeycomb or ribbed structure designed to provide structural integrity and reduce weight.

Pros:

1. More cushioning than solid tires
2. Lower weight and better shock absorption than solid tires
3. No need to worry about tire pressure, tire blowouts, and other issues that pneumatic tires have.
4. More wear-resistant and lower maintenance costs than pneumatic tires.

Cons:

1. Higher cost than solid and pneumatic tires.
2. Less comfortable than pneumatic tires.

Honeycomb tires have better shock absorption than solid tires, which greatly improves driving comfort. The unique honeycomb structure not only greatly reduces the weight of the tire compared with solid tires but also adds better shock absorption performance. Honeycomb tires eliminate the need to worry about tire pressure, tire blowouts, and other issues that pneumatic tires have, making them more wear-resistant and having lower maintenance costs than pneumatic tires. However, honeycomb tires are more expensive than solid and pneumatic tires, and less comfortable than pneumatic tires.

In conclusion, both pneumatic tires and solid/honeycomb tires have their pros and cons. Pneumatic tires are more comfortable but may require more maintenance and are more prone to punctures and blowouts. Solid/honeycomb tires are more wear-resistant and require less maintenance, but may be less comfortable and more expensive. When choosing tires for your electric scooter, you should consider your specific needs and preferences to make an informed decision.