Nitrogen for my tires?

[konichd]

Got an e-mail on this since I'm getting new tires for my car. Would there be any benifit for bikes? :dunno:


Nitrogen in tires is becoming a popular replacement for standard air. Nitrogen is all around us... the air we breathe is 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and the rest is small amounts of other gasses. When it comes to tire inflation, nitrogen has many advantages over oxygen. With nitrogen tire inflation, improvements can be noted in a vehicle's handling, fuel efficiency and tire life through better tire pressure retention, improved fuel economy and cooler running tire temperatures.
To find out more about Nitrogen and it's benefits, click here (http://getnitrogen.org/index.php).

[salsashark]

hmmmm... I've run Nitrogen in my cage tires (except my current one), but never put in the bike. When I did, it was free. I wouldn't pay extra for it.

Sounds like the debate is over leakage. Nitrogen draws out slower, thus you retain tire pressure longer. If you check your tires regularly, then there is no real benefit.

[puckstr]

I prefer Hydrogen

[Devaclis]

There is no notable difference in filling your tires with pure nitrogen, other than the cost. It is not free. Maybe you would like to run acetone as fuel in your car too?

[~Barn~]

Helium for me.

[Bassil Duwaik]

I think I want my tires to be warm not cold

[Sortarican]

I like helium...when you squeal around a corner your tires sound like they have chipmunks in them.

[Devaclis]

haha IMO, if you are trying to tweak every last 1 degree of performance, and every 1/10th of a mile of fuel economy from your tires, you need to have a multi million dollar endorsement deal and an entire factory team behind you.

[puckstr]

Perhaps we should use Hydrogen cyanide ?
http://hyperbean8jojo.googlepages.com/drevil.jpg
And put Friggin LASERs on our heads!!!

[Devaclis]

Hey, does this towel smell like chloroform to you? /pick up lines that always work

[TFOGGuys]

The biggest advantage nitrogen has over air is that nitrogen is completely dry. This translates into a more predictable pressure/temperature curve than if you had water in the mix. The lack of moisture in the nitrogen also helps to prevent corrosion. Many high level (Moto Gp and Formula 1) teams use pressurized nitrogen not only to fill their tires, but also to run their air tools because it is convenient and portable, as well as being quieter (no air compressor), and easier on the tools because it's dry. Stable pressure over time is a real advantage for guys that either don't ride very often, or ride thousands of miles at a time on long trips.

[konichd]

Ha! How you like that Dana! :)

[VFR]

Would it make a difference in heat cycles? If nitrogen holds heat or gets hotter faster than ambient air then I could see the benefit, if not then ?????

[Bueller]

Many high level (Moto Gp and Formula 1) teams use pressurized nitrogen
Because they can, and want/need any possible advantage.


The only benifit would be for the guy selling you this load of crap. Nitrogen in forks and shocks, yes. Nitrogen in tires :no:

[Devaclis]

Ha! How you like that Dana! :)

When is the last time you rode a thousand miles?

Do you actually own and air tool? Well, besides the one right below your nose? lol

I think you should also use Yamalube because it .00000023% more viscous at non operating temperatures than maple syrup :)

[~Barn~]

I use semi-synth Hungry Jack.

[The GECCO]

Would it make a difference in heat cycles? If nitrogen holds heat or gets hotter faster than ambient air then I could see the benefit, if not then ?????

No, what Jim is talking about is that because Nitrogen is dry it is easier to predict the difference in pressure between a hot tire and a cold tire. The amount of humidity in "air" will effect how much it does or does not expand (ie, make extra pressure) when heated.

Again this is more applicable to racing. A race tire is designed to operate within a relatively narrow temperature range - it will give ultimate traction within that temperature range, anywhere outside of that range and it's abilities are compromised. They are also designed to give the proper amount of flex and the right profile for maximum contact patch at certain pressures.

Street tires, on the other hand, are designed to give decent traction over a much broader temperature spectrum.

The reason Nitrogen has an advantage is that tire pressure is very instrumental to achieving proper temperature. Being able to accurately predict how may PSI the tire will gain will determine all kinds of things. The idea is to arrive at that perfect temp and pressure at the same time and be able to maintain both throughout the race. To do that requires an accurate "crystal ball", because you have to set your initial pressure at something lower than that optimum operating temperature.

So, just like $25/gallon "rocket fuel" and $2000 carbon fiber rotors, for high level competition it's the way to go, for anything else it's a waste because you either won't notice the difference, or won't be in an environment where you'll be able to fully exploit it.

[The GECCO]

One other factor is that even when a tire is "empty" it still has "air" in it, it just doesn't seem like it because the pressure inside the tire is the same as outside the tire.

In order to FULLY take advantage of what nitrogen can do, you really need to evacuate the tire as much as possible before filling it with nitrogen. Again, can you say overkill?

[~Barn~]

Glenn. You should host an online show on some sportbike website called "The Science Behind It". I love your explanations.

You're like the fawkin' Alton Brown of bike-tech. :up:

[The GECCO]

It's easier to explain when I'm just making it up as I go. If it all had to be true I'd have a much harder time :lol: