The Dutch company Scope took two years to develop a special gadget for road bikes, and the product is currently on sale for almost 4,000 euros (100,000 crowns). The system promises the ability to control the pressure in tubeless tires while driving using the buttons on the handlebars without the rider having to stop. The UCI announced the end of the approval process – the key was the launch of the news to the general public – for professional cycling on Monday.
The DSM team worked closely together on the development and wants to make the system public for the first time on Friday. “It’s a big innovation that took us the last few years to develop. We believe that it will have a significant impact and become a respected factor in otherwise marginal aspects, “said Nieck Busser from Scope Cycling for Cyclingnews.
The system allows you to work with tire pressure using air tanks located on the hubs. These are connected directly to the rims by a hose and the required pressure maintains the piston in the device. The system sends the pressure value via Wi-Fi to the driver’s computer on the handlebars, where there are also control buttons. “The system does not compromise the structural integrity of the wheels and has no moving parts or compressors,” the UCI said in its report.
Revolution or dead end? Scope Atmoz system on the rear hub.Photo: www.scopecycling.com
It is during the famous Hell of the North – or similar mixed-terrain companies – that the opportunity to play a significant role with tire pressure can play a role. Although the device adds something to the weight, the advantage of rolling resistance control should outweigh. The racers inflate the tires to the lower pressure on the famous cobblestone sections, for example at last year’s premier women’s event, Lizzie Deignan had only 2.3 bar in the wheels. Just for comparison: for a 25 mm wide tire, the manufacturers state an upper pressure limit of approx. 7.5 bar as standard. And according to Scope, the possibility of increasing the pressure for smooth asphalt sections and thus reducing rolling resistance should mean an increase in power by 30 watts.
In addition to the DSM team, the other stables are rather evasive to the novelty, but the peloton shows curiosity about how the system will fare. Just because the fifth stage of this year’s Tour de France will lead in the north of France on eleven cobbled sections, also known from Paris-Roubaix.
