# You Can't Buy Airless MTB Tires—So I Made Them! Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mrCWFEO_3s Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/3mrCWFEO_3s Generated: 2026-07-31T15:33:38.724+00:00 --- ## The Gist Mountain biking content creator Seth Alvo builds and tests 3D printed airless mountain bike tires made of TPU on local trails, proving that while they are entirely puncture proof, the rear wheel segments eventually shatter under heavy trail impacts. Airless mountain bike tires remain commercially unviable because tire punctures are not a severe enough problem to justify the heavy performance and comfort trade offs. ## Quick Overview Airless mountain bike tires remain a pipe dream because trail impacts destroy their structural integrity while pneumatic tubeless tires handle punctures just fine. Seth Alvo from Berm Peak uses a Bambu Lab H2D 3D printer and TPU filament to engineer and test a prototype set of airless tires on a full suspension mountain bike. After testing the tires on technical dirt and rock trails, he discovers that the front tire survives but the rear tire segments fracture sequentially at their joints. Ultimately, the video demonstrates that while DIY airless mountain tires are fun engineering projects, real mountain biking requires the compliance and shock absorption of pressurized air. **Key Points:** - Seth Alvo uses a Bambu Lab H2D 3D printer to fabricate airless mountain bike tire segments using TPU filament. - The 3D printed tires consist of interlocking curved segments attached to a custom rim interface using standard screws. - Testing on rugged mountain bike trails reveals that the front tire survives the ride with minor wear, but the rear tire suffers catastrophic joint failures. - The video highlights that mountain bike tires take immense abuse, and rigid airless designs lack the necessary compliance for rough terrain. - Seth concludes that airless mountain bike tires are not sold commercially because punctures are simply not a major pain point for modern tubeless riders. - The total build and iteration process requires multiple revisions of TPU stiffness, segment geometry, and screw fastening methods. ![Screenshot at 12:22: The completed airless mountain bike tires installed on Seth's full suspension bike, showing the bright green TPU tread and custom rim interface.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/3mrCWFEO_3s/00-12-22.jpg) **Context:** Mountain bike enthusiasts have chased airless tires for decades to eliminate flats, but commercial manufacturers have never successfully brought a viable mountain bike version to market. Seth Alvo, creator of the YouTube channel Berm Peak, decides to settle the debate once and for all by designing, printing, and trail testing his own DIY airless mountain bike tires using consumer 3D printing technology. ## Detailed Analysis Seth Alvo begins his experiment by noting that despite decades of futuristic concepts, no company sells airless mountain bike tires because previous designs failed on performance and durability. Using a Bambu Lab H2D 3D printer, he designs and prints interlocking tire segments made of TPU, attempting various geometric shapes like Xs and triangles before settling on a curved leaf spring pattern. He mounts these segments onto 29-inch mountain bike wheels using printed rim interfaces and basic screws. During trail testing in North Carolina, the front tire surprisingly holds up well against roots and rocks, providing decent traction despite a noisy ride. However, the rear wheel takes significantly more abuse, causing the TPU segments to crack sequentially at their top fastening joints until the entire tread structure falls apart. Seth concludes that while building airless tires is an entertaining engineering challenge, pneumatic tubeless setups with sealant remain superior because tire punctures are not a large enough problem to warrant the performance sacrifice of airless systems. ### Designing and Printing the Airless Tires Seth tackles the engineering design process using a consumer 3D printer and flexible filament. - Seth utilizes a Bambu Lab H2D 3D printer and TPU filament to manufacture interlocking tire segments in his workshop. - Early iterations using X shapes and triangle patterns prove too stiff or create glaring structural stress concentrations at the segment junctions. - He eventually settles on a curved leaf spring design that mimics the compliance of a skateboard wheel, fastening the segments directly to a custom rim interface with basic screws. ![Screenshot at 06:49: The Bambu Lab H2D 3D printer producing four green TPU tire segments simultaneously on its large build plate.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/3mrCWFEO_3s/00-06-49.jpg) ### Trail Testing the Prototype Tires Seth installs the neon green airless tires onto a full suspension mountain bike and takes them out for aggressive trail riding. - Initial trail testing reveals that the airless tires provide surprisingly good traction and absorb bumps much better than expected. - The ride produces a distinct crunching noise every time the tire hits an obstacle, but the bike successfully navigates dirt and rock sections without slipping off the trail. - Seth notes that the tires feel firm yet compliant enough to handle moderate downhill riding without feeling entirely dead. ![Screenshot at 09:02: Seth riding his mountain bike down a rocky trail on the freshly printed neon green airless tires.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/3mrCWFEO_3s/00-09-02.jpg) ### The Failure of the Rear Wheel Putting the tires through harder trail conditions exposes the physical limits of 3D printed TPU on rear wheels. - While the front tire successfully survives the test ride, the rear tire takes significantly more abuse and begins to fail structurally. - The top joints of the rear tire segments crack under heavy impacts, causing a cascading failure where broken sections propagate around the rim. - Seth is forced to stop on the trail, remove broken pieces of plastic, and replace a damaged segment with a spare he packed in his backpack. ![Screenshot at 10:22: Seth inspecting the damaged rear tire on the trail, pointing out the specific broken TPU joint.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/3mrCWFEO_3s/00-10-22.jpg) ### Final Verdict on Airless Mountain Bike Tires Seth analyzes why airless mountain bike tires do not exist on the commercial market. - The experiment confirms that while airless tires are fun DIY projects, rear mountain bike wheels endure far too much abuse for current plastic and foam configurations to survive long term. - Punctures are simply not a major problem for modern mountain bikers who use tubeless tires with liquid sealant and rim inserts. - Tubeless pneumatic tires offer superior performance, weight savings, and impact resistance that rigid airless designs cannot match. ![Screenshot at 12:46: The fully built airless mountain bike resting on a rock, showcasing the completed prototype project.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/3mrCWFEO_3s/00-12-46.jpg)