JConcepts rethinking the lowly tire bead

JConcepts has a new 1/8 scale truggy tire based on the Subculture tread, their multi-tiered design that a lot of people swear by.  The interesting thing about this new tire isn’t the tread though, it’s the tire bead, or rather the lack of one.  JConcepts has taken the bead and thrown it out the window, instead opting for a sort of extended sidewall design that curls further under the tire and provides a large contact patch for gluing.  They call this the Elevated Bead, and as you might expect, it’s not compatible with traditional wheels, you’ll have to use one of JConcepts’ new Elevated wheels to go along with them.  JConcepts says this new bead design not only reduces the weight of the tire by removing excess rubber, it also allows the use of slimmer and lighter inserts.

The new Subculture tires will be available in JConcepts’ yellow (medium), blue (soft), and green (super-soft) compounds with a retail price of $32.00, $34.00, and $35.00 respectively per pair.  The Elevated wheels will be available in yellow and white colors with a retail price of $25.00.  And premounts featuring the Subculture tire and Elevated wheels in various combinations will also be available for $50.00.

Keep an eye on the JConcepts website for more info.