How do Air Free tires compare to rubber, air-filled tires?
In most cases, Air Free tires compare favorably and can satisfy just about every cycling application. While we may call the Air Free tires “solid” or “airless,” the tires actually are made of dense polyurethane foam that traps millions of microscopic air cells – so the truth is, they have a fair amount of air in them. We created these tires to imitate the most popular types of rubber tires on the market, so you’ll see the tread patterns and shapes and sizes are similar. For example, our Airless 700 X 20 Daytona TT tire is designed to imitate a street-type rubber tire in the 700 x 20 to 700 x 23 range. Both tires would be slick and fast and fairly hard, without a whole lot of give, because the rubber tire would be inflated to about 120 PSI and our tire is designed to feel and look just like that type of tire.


How long do Air Free tires last?
Air Free tires will last as long -- if not longer than -- comparable rubber tires. The Legacy bicycle tire collection is made with either a high-rebound urethane elastomer or what we call the standard foam. Tires made of either material will last anywhere from 3000 to 6000 miles, depending on the rider’s weight and the surface on which the bike is ridden. For example, in the Northeast, where they use shale in the asphalt, tire life can be shorter.


Do weather conditions – extremes of heat and cold -- affect Air Free bicycle tires in the same way they affect rubber tires?
All of our airless tires are designed to handle just like regular rubber bicycle tires they were meant to replace. So whether you ride in the rain, on wet asphalt or on gravel – in cold temperatures or in the desert – you can expect the same performance from Air Free tires as you do from rubber tires. However, it is the official position of Air Free that it is only common sense that holds a human cyclist upright in the rain, regardless of the tires being used, so please be careful no matter what you use..

What does PSI mean?
People generally think of PSI as referring to air pressure per square inch of surface area. We use a PSI equivalency, which means the airless tire has the same amount of “give” as a rubber, air-filled tire of that PSI.

Why do Air Free tires have a PSI?
Air Free tires have what we call a “pounds per square inch feel.” If I were to pour urethane into a cup, and let it foam up and harden, the resulting urethane would have a PSI feel of about 25, which feels fairly squishy – like a soft bicycle tire. However, if we spin a tire mold at about 400 revolutions per minute, the spinning motion collapses some of the foam, which lets us add more urethane and create a denser material – one that has less “give” to it. The faster we spin the mold, the more urethane we can add and the more firm the tire will be. Most of our tires have a PSI equivalency of about 55 to 60 – that is, they feel about as firm as a rubber tire inflated to 55 to 60 PSI. However, we make some stock tires, such as those in the Daytona and Teton lines, at higher PSI equivalencies for riders who need or prefer a firmer tire. We can also customize the PSI of tires to your specifications.


What do Air Free tires weigh?
The weight of each bicycle tire is listed with the individual tires. The foam weighs a little more than air, but because it traps so many air bubbles, the weight difference is slight. Air Free tires range from as light as 300 grams each for high-end racing tires to 1200 to 1400 grams for some of our mountain bike or more rugged industrial tires. A 26 X 2.0 pneumatic rubber tire would weigh about 800 grams – with a fairly thick inner tube, the total weight would be about 1100 grams. Our airless tires of the same size weigh between 1000 and 1200 grams, which is right in the same range. Our Daytona 700 X 20 tire weighs about 350 grams; most high-end rubber racing tires also weigh about 350 grams. Some of our airless tires do weigh more than a comparable rubber tire and some weigh less. Higher PSI tires contain more foam and therefore weigh more.


How much weight will an Air Free tires hold?
All airless tires can hold at least 100 pounds per wheel, but if you want to ride faster, or if you weigh more than 180 lbs, you should get the tires customized to a higher PSI feel. We’ll make custom tires that are a little bit denser and can take the weight. A tire customized to 100 PSI will hold about 1-1/2 times the weight of a standard tire at 55 PSI. At 150 PSI, it will hold double the weight. So if you weigh 300 pounds, you should have your tires customized to 150 PSI. If you weigh 240 pounds, 120-130 PSI will work best. At 180, you can get away with 100 PSI.


Who manufactures Air Free tires?
We manufacture tires ourselves, and we also deal with 18 different manufacturers and suppliers of airless products in the U.S., Mexico and the United Kingdom. Bicycle tires come from 1 of 4 manufacturers, including one run by a former Boeing engineer, and tires for mobility vehicles (such as scooters) come from two different manufacturers. We also carry rims, rubber tires, and inserts manufactured by other companies. Our bicycle tires are made by manufacturers, who have incredibly high standards and who are leaders in the industry. All of our products are the best available with current technology. Depending on what you order, your tires may be shipped to you from one of our business partners or from us.


How well can Air Free tires hold up in rain and extreme weather conditions?
Air Free tires will be less affected by extremes in temperatures than rubber tires, because they contain less air than their rubber counterparts. It is possible for the airless tires to soften in extreme heat, and we have had customers in very cold climates tell us the tires are extra hard in extreme cold. But the tires are still usable in either weather extreme. We have customers riding on airless tires in Alaska, in the desert and overseas; all report that the product works well for them.


Is the rolling resistance greater for an Air Free tire than a rubber tire?
No, the rolling resistance is comparable to similar rubber tire. We can also decrease by rolling resistance by making a denser tire, at your request. If you want to go faster, or weigh more than 180, you might be happier with tires customized to a higher PSI.


Will it hurt my Air Free tire if I ride over glass, thorns, or other sharp objects?
No. The worst we’ve heard is that you have to pull some of these things back out of the tires with pliers. Some customers have reported that if a sharp object slashes the Air Free tire, they can just glue the piece back in place. Riding over sharp objects is why be invented the airless tire.


Do your tires work for rare extreme sports such as inline boarding?
We design tires primarily for bicycles, mobility vehicles such as scooters, and wheeled farm, industrial or recreational carts. So we’re not comfortable seeing airless tires used for more extreme sports. If you’re going over the side of cliffs on a vehicle, or setting one on fire -- anything that would cause the destruction of a rubber tire -- chances are, your sport will cause an airless tire to fail as well.


Which countries do you ship to?
We can ship to any country in the world, and have sold many tires to customers in the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia. Two tires and an installation tool cost about $40-45 to ship by USPS air parcel post to those areas. If you order tires without the installation tool, it can be a little cheaper; shipments to Asia may cost a little more. If you live outside the U.S., just email us and we’ll give you the best shipping price we can. See more in our shipping section.


Is there a dealer in my area?
That depends on where you live. Hundreds of bike shops nationwide carry our products, although many don’t keep an inventory of the tires in stock. If you want to touch an airless tire in person, email us and we’ll try to send you to somebody in your area. If there is no dealer near you, we’ll be happy to sell you a tire by mail. Also feel free to go into any bike shop and say, “Order me some airless tires.”


Which tires will fit my bike?
We have tires to fit almost all bicycles, and if we don’t have one, we can build a wheel for you and put one of our airless tires on it. The easiest way to find out if any of our tires will fit is to follow the measuring instructions at www.airfreetires.com/sizing for your vehicle. The “quick size” is the easiest. If you find you have a bike our tires don’t fit, or if you’re uncertain, just email us and let us know what type of bike you have, the make and model of the rim, and what kind of riding you like to do. We should be able to suggest the right product.


What are your prices?
Our prices are listed with each of the tires or products we sell. Typically, our prices are in line with other retailers and we always have a sale going on. Look for the sales and use the coupons. We have discount programs, affiliate program and wholesale and retail pricing as well if you email us first and tell us about your needs. As always, we can arrange quantity discounts for those who need more than just a couple of tires.


What methods of payment do you accept?
We take Master Card, Visa, American Express and Discover credit cards. We will soon be able to accept electronic checks. We can take purchase orders, and you can always order COD for a small additional charge. You can also phone in your order, talk to a live person and arrange a method of payment.


How long will shipping take?
It just depends on the product you ordered and where you live. Industrial tires and mobility tires usually ship the next day and can take 4-10 business days to reach you depending on your location. Customized bike tires can take 4-6 weeks. Stock tires can take 2-4 weeks, depending on the manufacturer. If you need your tires fast, we designate some items as “quick ship,” which means they are in inventory and will ship the next day.
Please double-check for any additional shipping information in the product listing and also check our shipping page for updates as they become available.


Do you have a tire that will fit these specifications?
We have tires to fit almost all applications and have gone to great lengths to make it easy for you to find out if tires will fit your vehicle. Sometimes, the specs customers give us aren’t enough information to allow us to determine what tire will work best. We might need more information about your rims, hubs and wheels to know if a specific tire will fit your vehicle. A rubber tire can be inflated to fit a rim, but airless tires are a molded urethane product with a fixed width, and cannot expand. If your rim is too wide, the tire won’t fit. If it’s too thin, the tire won’t seat properly. With details about your rim, we can tell you if an Air Free tire is likely to snap snugly into your rims and never come off. Try the easy instructions on www.airfreetires.com/sizing and if you still have questions, email us and we will help you as best we can.


How do I figure out what size to order?
That’s easy. Use our sizing section at www.airfreetires.com/sizing . Follow the instructions; if for some reason we don’t have a tire for your application or you are uncertain, email us and we’ll help. If we don’t carry a tire that will work for you, we’ll try to suggest alternatives.


Do you make custom-sized tires?
We have, yes. This is not an easy process and it cost upwards of $20,000 to have a new mold made. It may be possible to modify existing designs, but that’s not inexpensive either. However, there aren’t many places that can do this sort of thing. So if you really do need a custom-sized tire, talk to us first.


My bicycle is not on your list – how do I measure my tire?
There are easy-to-follow instructions on our “QuickSize” page, and we also have the tire selector, which is just like the QuickSize except you have to actually remove the tire and measure the rim itself.


How do I measure my bicycle rims?
There are two ways: First is the QuickSize page, which doesn’t require you to remove tire – go to www.airfreetires.com/quicksize . Put a coin on the backside of your rim; if your rim is just as wide as a quarter (which is 25 mm in diameter) on the outside of the rim, then the inside of your rim, which is typically 6 mm. thinner than the outside, will be 19 mm wide. This would tell us which of our tires would properly seat itself into your rim. You might be able to find the diameter of your tire by reading information printed on your current tire. To measure the diameter of your wheel, measure from one end of the wheel to the other, keeping in mind that the bow of the spokes will add several centimeters to the overall diameter of the wheel. However, differences in wheel sizes are substantial enough that you should be able to tell which size wheel you have. There are also easy instructions on our tire selector section. To use that section, you’ll need to remove the tire and measure in between the hook beads -- the tiny little flanges on the top of the rim which would hold a rubber tire. You can determine the depth of the rim by measuring to the top of a spoke nipple. Our sizing section includes diagrams to help you understand exactly where and how to measure.


I am an atypical cyclist: I weigh 400 pounds and only ride on wet gravel. Will your Air Free tires work for me?
Maybe. Our tires are weight sensitive, so we suggest getting tires customized to a higher psi if you weigh more than 180 pounds. We have high-rebound tires that can accommodate a 400-pound rider, although that is stretching the limits of the technology. In some cases, people have rims that the high-re wont fit, we suggest getting a new set of wheels built for this weight, and then have high-rebound tires.


Will Air Free tires fit a European bike?
Maybe. You should consult the sizing section and physically inspect your rims to make sure one of the airless tires can securely seat itself into it. Our tires are designed to fit the most popular bikes in the world , so it’s highly likely will have something to fit. However, there are bikes with rims too side or thin, or wrong diameter to fit. If you have questions, email us after visiting the sizing section.


Will your airless tires fit my vehicle?

CYCLES

Bicycle – yes
Antique bikes – Maybe, depending on the shape of your rim. If your rim round, like a half-piece of pipe, we probably won’t have something to fit. If it’s squared or boxed, like a more modern rim, we probably will have something to fit.
Custom – yes, if it has box rims.
Unicycle – yes, if it has box rims
Tandem bicycle – yes, but you’ll need to get the tires customized
Electric bicycle – yes, but you’ll need to get the tires customized.
Gas powered – airless tires are not designed for any vehicle with a motor that goes over 30 mph; if you’re not sure, email us for specifics.
Rocket-powered bicycle – In outer space, yes. On the road, no.
Folding bicycle – yes
Recumbent – yes
Exercise – yes
Recumbent exercise bicycle – yes
Tricycle – yes
Quadracycle – yes

I already placed an order. Why hasn’t it arrived yet?
Depending on what you ordered, shipping times vary. Please see our shipping page to find out what the approximate times are.


Can I get a tracking number for my order?
Yes, of course. However, how long it takes to get the tracking number depends on whether we shipped your product or whether one of our stocking partners shipped it. In most cases, we can get your tracking number from one of our stocking partners within 48 hours; in other cases, it can take longer. For an explanation why, please see our shipping page.


How can I cancel my order?
We’re always sorry to see a customer go, but we understand there are a variety of reasons why someone might need to cancel an order. Canceling is easy; simply email us us and fill out the form; we’ll send you a confirmation letting you know your order has been canceled. If the product has already shipped, before we can process a refund, we have to know that the tires are heading back. So, if you really don’t want them and they arrive, refuse shipment and let us know; that way, we can process the refund as soon as possible.


I just received my order. Why do the tires appear to be shipped from somewhere else?
That’s because we deal with a number of stocking suppliers who, through our partnership, agree to provide special services and shipping procedures for our customers.


How do I install these tires?
Air Free tires are easy to install on bicycles, mobility vehicles and industrial vehicles. Please see www.airfreetires.com/installation and choose your type of vehicle for more information.


How can I get the special installation tool?
The special installation tool we sell is for bicycles only. The installation tool is conveniently bundled with two tires in many of our kits, and you also have the option to purchase the tool with each of the tires that require it. If an Air Free tire can be installed without the tool, we’ll note that with the product listing. Wheelchairs will need another type of tool, which resembles a bent screwdriver. Mobility tires may be installed without a tool, if the tire is sandwiched between hub halves. Industrial tires come already on the hub.


How do I send the tool back when I’m done?
Right now, if you choose the free installation tool option, you pay for the shipping of the tire and the installation tool to you. We include a prepaid label so that when you’re done with the tool, you can send it back to us. If for some reason we do not include a prepaid label, it is our mistake and you are free to keep the tool. This policy is subject to change.


How can I get the tire back off?
Taking airless bicycle tires off is fairly simple. You won’t need the tool to remove the tire, although it might take two people – one to hold the wheel and another to grab tire and, pushing with the thumbs, “peel” the tire off the wheel. You can do this once or twice with bicycle tires, but we don’t recommend doing it more than that. The industrial and mobility tires come off by unbolting the hub halves. For instructions on removing an airless tire from a one-piece hub on a mobility vehicle, contact us.


Should I plug up the hole where my valve stem used to be?
You can, but nobody has reported any problems with leaving the hole alone. A small piece of Mylar tape works.


My airless bicycle tires slipped off the rims when I started riding. Are they the wrong size?
They most assuredly are. If your tires don’t feel like normal bicycle tires -- if they shim, squirm, or feel the slightest bit unstable -- that means the tire is not seated properly on the rim. This happens for a couple of reasons; usually, it’s because the rim is too shallow and the bottom of the tire is coming into contact with the bottom of the rim. This causes the balance point to be altered and, in many cases, causes slippage – the tire can actually migrate backwards around the rim while you ride. If your airless tires feel at all unstable, you should remove these tires immediately, put your old tires back on, and contact us; we’ll do our best to get you airless tires that will work for you.


My airless tires feel slower than my old tires. How can I exchange them?
We make it easy to return or exchange your tires. Just email us, let us know what you want to do, and we’ll reply quickly with instructions. It’s never a problem. Usually, the tires are slower because they don't fit properly. Even tires that appear to be seated, may be slipping.


Can I ship back my tires for a refund?
Of course. Please refer to our guarantee / warranty  page.


Can I become an affiliate and sell your tires in my store?
Yes. Email us and tell us who you are and a little about your business. We will send you the details. See more at our affiliate section.


Will you sponsor my organization?
Air Free Tires sponsors many worthy causes, and it sponsors some just for fun. Please send us your unique requirements and we will judge each request on a case-by-case basis.


Will you donate a tire to my organization?
Possibly. Tell us what your organization is and what you’re looking for. Every now and then we get blemished models or customer returns that have not been ridden. Sometimes, we can make these available to worthy causes. We’ll decide on a case-by-case basis. Please email us for details.


Will you help me with my homework assignment?
Possibly. Read the whole website first, because it contains lots of fascinating information. If you still have questions, email us; if we have the time, we might be able to help you get an "A" on your science project.


Can I link my website to yours?
Possibly. We reserve the right to monitor incoming links for content. So before you link your site to ours, please email us and let us know who you are and we’ll take a look at your site and decide. If we decide to allow you to link to us, we will then provide a link to your site.


Can Air Free Tires damage my rims or spokes?
No. Damaged rims almost always occur when an under inflated rubber tire is present. The Air Free Legacy tire actually rests on the rim shoulders and the airless tire prevents any obstacles from depressing the tire far enough to actually contact your rim. More can be found at our "Why Tires Fit" section.


What other information is available to me to make an informed purchase decision?
The Air Free website is loaded with information and we add new information all the time. Some areas of good reading are:
The Air Free Tire and Test Data Center
The Air Free Information Headquarters which contain relevant information and professionally prepared articles
The "Ask Hugh" section which features the President of Air Free and some answers he has to more technical questions
And our Customer Service section will help make you feel good.