In the early 1990s there was a styling fad for tires which were basically skinwalls, but looked like the old black-walls. Although the marketing departments of the tire companies involved tried to make this out as some kind of advantage, it is fundamentally a styling issue, as with white walls. The usual solution to this problem is to file a notch or two to enlarge each spoke hole. This is very labor-intensive, and risks creating a stress riser which can lead to flange failure. Block Chain track racers.
Block chain has no rollers, and was reputed to be stronger than roller chain.
The inner links are solid blocks. An obsolete type of chain, formerly popular with track racers. Block chain had solid blocks as inner links, without rollers. The remaining stock of block chain was coveted by track riders who believed it was the only chain strong enough to withstand their imagined strength. MTB 's with 18 tooth granny chainwheels produce several times the chain tension any track rider can muster.