How do air filled tires affect the performance of a vehicle or bike, compared to a hard solid wheel alone (like on a horse and cart) or very flat or very hard tires?
Yes. Magnets work the way they do because of the orientation of their electrons. It does not depend on atmospheric pressure or gravitational pull. .
Tires were originally solid rubber, but it's expensive and not as comfy a ride as air-filled. Imagine how much more rubber would be used for solid tires now.
The air acts as an additional component of the suspension, absorbing a lot of the bumps before they make it to the suspension. Without air, the ride would be too harsh. Also, air-filled tires allow the tire to contour around objects better as opposed to just slipping off them.
If car tires were solid, the ride would be horrible, and they would cost 3 times as much. Air filled tires, absorb the bumps and grab the road in corners, so they handle better.
