Tires DOT approved tires

[Mountainman]

hey all
I was trying to help out regarding this ongoing issue
went to many Japanese bicycle and motor cycle tire companies on the web
found no dot tires to date
but still thinking
some company must make a dot approved bicycle tire ??

ride that thing

 

[mabman]

MM is on the right track. The only DOT stamped tires, and they were 26" x 2.125, that I have seen were on a Japanese manufactured electric bike that was built in about 2003. I wish I had taken more info from them at the time.

A friend works in the bicycle tire industry and when I asked him about getting a tire made he said with enough money anything is possible. Probably talking a couple hundred thousand to get the tire to production.

 

[DougC]

hey all
I was trying to help out regarding this ongoing issue
went to many Japanese bicycle and motor cycle tire companies on the web
found no dot tires to date
but still thinking
some company must make a dot approved bicycle tire ??

ride that thing

You could go at it the other way around, and send an email to the Dept of Transportation, asking if they've approved any bicycle tires in the last few years.

I think you're likely to be disappointed by their response however.
Nobody makes DOT-approved bicycle tires for much the same reason that nobody makes FAA-approved bicycle tires. These are both agencies that don't have any part in bicycle regulations at all.
~

 

[augidog]

A friend works in the bicycle tire industry and when I asked him about getting a tire made he said with enough money anything is possible. Probably talking a couple hundred thousand to get the tire to production.

...dan wright, lead technical inspector for Utah Salt Flats Racing Association, never actually said he needed to see DOT specs...he asked for "speed-ratings" from the maker if anyone's gonna break-out at 60mph+...and he also mentioned that a serious professional racing effort might could convince a maker to do it, too. he would know, eh?

i dunno if MB-Racing will ever take off, but i know the USFRA was thrilled to see a "new" & safe(er) foundation for small-engine competiton. organized racing is responsible for almost every motor-vehicle innovation that's ever occured, so...

if you can't race, please join in & encourage people who can to race: www.motorizedbicycleracing.com

i see the whole thing as being doable, the MB that would require and support it will be something special.

agreed, & agreed.

btw steve, thank you for the "function dictating form" compliment, that's
just about the nicest thing anyone's ever said about my work

 

[DougC]

I would think that for salt-flat racing it would (again) just be easier to use motorcycle tires and rims.

Especially since the added weight of motorcycle tires and rims won't be any disadvantage when pedaling it yourself, or when climbing hills....
~

 

[augidog]

yes...but: weight is a major factor in our power range. shoot, my full leathers and snell helmet cost me 3-4mph with the 32cc.

so, i'm merely suggesting (again) that there is a way to accomplish bringing a safer bicycle tire to market, or perhaps convince makers of already-safe tires to "certify" one or two models for competition. organized racing is advertising from a makers' viewpoint.

case in point: the first time a sturmey-archer front drum was "proven" suitable for MB'ing was when i had golden eagle build me one for racing...well, i sure do wish i owned stock in S-A because there's a LOT of their hubs rolling around now on MB's.

another point...why NOT get involved with MBRA and try? because it's new and pretty inactive? that's no reason, everything starts somewhere.

these guys are up to something, i bet they'd like some friendly support & encouragement: http://www.motorizedbicycleracing.com/post?id=3719064

 

[happycheapskate]

http://www.monsterscooterparts.com/22-x-1-95-electric-bicycle-tire.html

 

[happycheapskate]

electric bicycle tires

I saw some electric bicycles at Walmart (I think they were called I zip or something close), that had DOT marked 26"x . bicycle tires that looked like this
http://www.monsterscooterparts.com/26-x-2-tire-izip-electric-bicycles.html

These electric scooters weigh 90lb, so I think they should be strong enough for a mb. Mine weighs 62lb full of gas with the battery and lights.

 

[happycheapskate]

Whats ironic is that all bicycle tires are "DOT approved" for use on a bicycle, or motored bicycle, in the sense that there are no federal bans on bicycling or motored bicycling in general, right? (not talking about military bases or national parks etc)

 

[DougC]

Whats ironic is that all bicycle tires are "DOT approved" for use on a bicycle, or motored bicycle, in the sense that there are no federal bans on bicycling or motored bicycling in general, right? (not talking about military bases or national parks etc)

Well,,,,,,,, not really.

In the Illinois motor vehicle code, it specifically says that bicycles are not included under the definition of the term "motor vehicles" (as the IL MVC defines it) and so bicycles are exempt from the vehicle requirements of motor vehicles.

I would guess that every other US state has a bit that says the same thing, because (aside from the tire issue) there are DOT requirements for many other different parts of motor vehicles that bicycles wouldn't pass.
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