About

Proudly designed, developed and made in a Wiltshire village.

Gecko Rubber was set up in the South West of the UK in 2004 with a DTI research & development grant and a kind loan from the bank. With this funding and the help of some excellent, often local, suppliers and industry partners we have developed a new expanded rubber technology.

This new patented cellular rubber material possesses outstanding physical (static and dynamic) characteristics with excellent vibration isolation, damping and shock resistance properties and lends itself to a wide range of applications. Our first major product using this patented technology is a puncture proof bicycle tyre. With over 35 years experience in tyre manufacture we have recognised that our Gecko rubber technology offers a new way of producing puncture proof/zero maintenance tyres as well as offering significant recycling, safety, weight and cost saving advantages.

We believe our Gecko cellular rubber technology can successfully fill the gap between traditional pneumatic rubber material technology and the 'foamed plastic' solid tyre material technologies such as ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) & polyurethane (PU).

Geckos are also the best for the environment

Cycling is one of the most environmentally friendly and sustainable forms of transport available. But few people know that the tyres can be damaging to the environment and if you have a puncture, you'll likely to have to throw away at least the inner tube (if not the tyre as well) and at the end of their life they will almost certainly be thrown away into landfill. We commissioned an independent study into the life cycle impact of our tyre compared to a leading puncture resistant one. 

Above: a well known puncture resistant pneumatic tyre on the left (with its various textile layers, metal inserts and various separate rubber compounds & the puncture proof Gecko tyre (with it's single rubber component) on the right.

Below: The environmental savings are dramatic with pneumatic bicycle tyres versus Gecko bicycle tyres.
Gecko rubber tyres are 70% less damaging to the environment in terms of Carbon Intensity / Climate Change Impact 

 

What customers have said...

 "Gecko 700 x 40 tyres have proved invaluable on our Rail2Ride integrated bike share trial in Worcester. Not one trial user commented on them assuming them to be ordinary tyres, and the maintenance-free attributes kept operational costs right down to provide a financially sustainable bike share solution.  The latest 27mm Gecko 700s will be a further improvement. Not only was the 700 x 27 tyre an excellent balance of high shock absorption vs low rolling resistance, but also back to back testing against rival solid tyre offerings showed Gecko to be way ahead of the competition. The natural rubber sustainable credentials are a further bonus"

Charles Carey (Worcester Rail2Ride)

I’ve fitted the new 27mm Gecko tyre on my hybrid bike & the anxiety of punctures has gone. The grip is great & they roll nicely.

Andrew Phillips 

 “I have just acquired Gecko (26 x 1.5”) tyres for my bike. Apart from being a little firmer (like fully inflated tyres) I can't tell the difference. The ride is very secure and comfortable. I really like them. I was very keen to have puncture proof tyres. I am in my mid-sixties and really do not relish that prospect. So now I have a good ride and peace of mind”

Jane Lyons

 “Here at Electric Bike Sales York we have been lucky enough to do extensive tests with 700 x 40 Gecko tyres. Doing a daily 8 mile commute through York I pass allotments famed for tyre shredding thorns. Roads that often have broken glass, nails and other puncturing objects that even the best pneumatic tyres have failed on. The piece of mind Gecko gives is priceless, especially on cold winter mornings. Another benefit I've found compared to other puncture proof tyres is the amazing grip especially in the wet“

John Campbell (The Electric Transport Shop, York)

 

 “Have had Gecko 700 x 40 tyres on my bike now for several months and I can't notice any reduction in performance with my previous tyres. Its so great that they never go flat. Previously whenever I wanted to use my bike I always seemed to have to waste time pumping the tyres up first.

Before I got the tyres a friend who runs a bike shop warned that solid tyres are really hard to put on but actually the guy who put the Gecko tyres on for me said it was pretty straight forward.

Love the fact that they are fully recyclable and long lasting“

Julia Davies

  

 “We have completed several tours including trips from Bristol to Norwich, Brighton and Manchester, using Gecko 700 x 40 tyres on my wife's electric bike. We have been delighted with the performance and durability. We have just had to replace the rear tyre having done well over 4000 miles of heavy touring, the front still looks as good as new.

Richard at Gecko has been most efficient and helpful, I have recommended Gecko to friends and they have been very happy with the tyres they have purchased“

Mark Davey

 

“seriously stop buying anything else... these 700 x 40 tyres are the one.. no more punctures wooohoooo ride on!!!“

Alex Anderson 

 “ have been using Gecko 26" tyres on an e-bike for the last couple of years. It's a wonderful world where you KNOW you won't get a puncture whatever the state of the road or track you are on. Whilst pneumatics may be a bit more comfortable and quicker, after riding on the 26" Geckos most of the time I don't notice any difference “

Richard Peace (Electric Bike Report)

 

Just fitted the 26” to a ladies 3 wheeler. Test road it, feels and performs very well. The negative = rear motor wheel, a fiddly job to take out. The positive = no more rear punctures. Happy days = the Jobs a good one.  End result = delighted customer. Cheers.
Simon Biggin (Sustainable Travel Solutions)

 

 

 Puncture resistant or puncture proof bicycle tyres?

Puncture resistant bicycle tyres have been available for many years. They do give a higher resistance to punctures although punctures are still possible and you will still need to pump the bicycle tyres up regularly for a good rolling & ride performance.

Puncture proof bicycle tyres have also been available for many years such as with foamed EVA and Foamed PU and now cellular rubber and they do mean no punctures and no pumping up, ever!
  • The only manufacturer of cellular rubber puncture proof bicycle tyres is Gecko Rubber. 

Gecko Rubber bicycle tyre grip comparison 

The following bar chart compares the grip of Gecko Rubber (airless) puncture proof bicycle tyres with foamed ethylene vinyl acetate, EVA (airless) puncture proof bicycle tyres in wet and dry conditions in both cornering and straight rolling mode. As you can see the Gecko tyre grip (friction coefficient) is substantially higher than the foamed EVA tyre grip i.e. the average friction coefficient is over 3.5 times higher across the four test modes.

 Tests carried out by an established independent laboratory

Gecko Rubber bicycle tyres are easy to fit with a unique clip system

Gecko Rubber Bicycle tyres are easy to fit (in just a few minutes) to your existing wheel rims (please see individual Gecko tyre product information for fitting details including ETRTO wheel rim specifications).

We have developed our own unique tyre retaining clip system using toughened polyamide clips (also 100% recyclable) located at the tyre inner rim profile that lock into each other when the tyre is fitted to the wheel rim. Once the clips are located correctly into the wheel rim bead recess the natural elastomeric rubber qualities of the Gecko tyre ensure the clips are retained within the wheel rim for the the service life of the tyre.

Good quality puncture proof/airless/solid tyres mean more people on their bikes

It is well known that many people are often not using their bikes because they go to their garage or shed to use them and they see either tyres gone flat or flat and cracked (and often with a puncture).

A good quality puncture proof/airless/solid bicycle tyre would solve this problem, however,  the puncture proof/airless/solid bicycle tyres made available were often reported to have been difficult to install and then usually with poor comfort and poor grip (road feel). 

We recognised this problem some years ago and so developed the Gecko Rubber bicycle tyre.

The Gecko Rubber Bicycle tyre has now been proven to have excellent grip and comfort and is easy to install and is also the most sustainable bicycle tyre on the market.

Gecko Rubber bicycle tyres are now the answer for all those unused bicycles. Gecko Rubber bicycle tyres now mean more people will be on their bikes and so provide a healthier, more environmentally friendly world. 

 

More dealers wanted

If we can get more people out using their bicycles then we will need more dealers to not only fit the Geckos but also keep the bicycles serviced and updated.
Discounts on following orders will be made available for returned used Geckos (which will then be recycled back into the making of new Gecko bicycle tyres)
If you are a dealer and would like to get more bikes back in service and being used and essentially get 'cash back'  for returning used Gecko tyres then please email us at info@geckorubber.co.uk . We are looking for dealers to cover all parts of the UK and also abroad.

 

Gecko Rubber bicycle tyres are made in the UK