At that time, did he imagine the finished product, or at least have some redlines in mind in terms of design and compatibility? “Yes, indeed, he says. “My first requirement was that the system would give the rider the ability to inflate and deflate the tire endlessly, for as long as the wheel was turning. The second was that it should replace a bicycle pump.” Relying on sealant to plug any punctures, and his system to auto-inflate the tire back to a set pressure? “Exactly.”
It sounds magical, yet, here we are, ten years later and that is precisely what Gertjan and his team have created. “It’s been a long road,” he laughs. “I’m also proud that we were able to create a product that can work with any bicycle, with the hub at the center of what is an industry standard wheel doing the work of adapting the pressure. I didn’t want this innovation to mess with the bike’s silhouette, existing standards, take precious space, alter the drivetrain or whatever else. That was very, very important to me. The product we have today meets and even exceeds all of these requirements.”
