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This is the best summary I could come up with:

The Metl bicycle tire is the first consumer product we’re aware of to use nitinol, a NASA-developed shape-memory alloy made of nickel and titanium that can be trained with heat to remember its shape.

Just be careful: the tires are being sold via a crowdfunded campaign on Kickstarter and that brings along risk, which I’d rate as high for something as cutting edge as this from a small startup.

You’re also looking at a pledge of $500 for a pair of blue or clear Metl tires (weighing 450g with an equivalent size of 700x35c) that are “DIY easy install” onto most common road or gravel bike rims.

Here’s a Verge video that provides a deeper dive into nitinol and its NASA origins (and future):

Despite their memory-metal construction, the tires do provide grip thanks to an integrated all-weather tread that offers “medium low” rolling resistance, according to the campaign.

Stretch goals (if the campaign earns enough) include making wider Metl tires for e-bikes and mountain bikes, and more road/gravel sizes and tread patterns.

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