The Squishy Time team members Jackson Houdek, Jerry Jiang, Drew Lemke, and Hai Wang connected at University of Oregon through a love of mountain biking. So it's no surprise that these students got together to work on something that would improve the sport.
The Squishy Time bike tire insert improves the performance of mountain bike tires while protecting the wheel rims. For the mountain biking enthusiast, this means more time on the trail and less in the shop.
Read on to learn how the Squishy Time innovation can transform a mountain bike from a burden to maintain into a tool for better enjoyment of nature.
What is your invention?
Our invention is a bike wheel insert that goes between the tire and the rim to protect the rim. This insert also increases the amount of performance a mountain biker can expect to get from their bike. This is due to the insert helping the bike to have more suspension due to impact protection and tire support because the space that the insert takes up in the tire.
Where did you get the inspiration for your invention idea?
We got the inspiration to make this product form past experience riding bikes and having problems with wheels and rims. We wanted to make something that will make mountain biking more enjoyable and have one less thing to worry about on the trail.
As you prepare to pitch your invention to judges, what are you most excited about sharing?
We are excited to share how mountain biking has influenced our life and how it has helped us grow.
Who are your invention heroes?
Benjamin Franklin
Tell us about your team. How did you connect with one another and how do you work together?
Jackson and Drew met through mountain biking and starting the mountain bike team at University of Oregon. Jerry was added to the team after taking a class with him and finding out he had a strong interest in the sport and advancing the technology in mountain biking.
What is the most important thing you want the judges to understand about your invention — what will set you apart from the competition?
We want the judges to know that this product will revolutionize the way that mountain bikers feel as they ride their bikes. It will make the complications that happen with mountain bikes easier to manage and help people who are mountain biking to enjoy nature and not have to worry about their bikes. This will help people see mountain bikes as more of a tool to get into nature and not as much of a burden.