Many Kenyans are switching to solid tyres and dumping pneumatic ones in an emerging trend in the automotive industry.
Pneumatic tyres are air-filled tyres that are made of supple rubber and use air pressure to maintain their structure.
They are classified as either tubeless or inner tube tyres. Tubeless tyres consist of only the tyre that forms an air-tight seal around the rim while the inner tube has a heavy outer shell and an inner tube that holds the air with the valve stem.
The main reason why most car owners are preferring solid tyres is that you will never have a flat or need to deal with air pressure. This makes solid tyres economical in the long term compared to pneumatic ones.
Kenyans.co.ke compiled three factors to consider before making the switch to solid tyres.
Lower Rolling Friction
This makes the tyres fuel efficient as the lower rolling coefficient of friction means the car uses less energy when you are driving.
The lower rolling friction also enables your car to attain high speeds compared to one using solid tyres.
Ride Cushioning
Pneumatic tyres provide a better riding experience compared to solid tyres.
This is afforded by the air pressure in the tyre enabling it to absorb bumps in the road better than solid tyres.
Better traction
Road safety is a key factor when buying a car or spare parts and pneumatic tyres enhance road safety.
This is because they are made of supple rubber and have a better static coefficient of friction, which means they are less likely to slip as they roll along the ground.
Traction is important when driving on wet or slippery grounds. This is because you can break suddenly without your car sliding or rolling over.
