Rubber Bicycle Tires
Tires Came From Where?
Tires, whether for cars, RVs, trucks, or buses, have three functions:
- To protect the metal rim of the tire;
- To provide traction between the vehicle and the road so the driver will have control;and
- To provide cushioning on rough surfaces for a more comfortable ride.
Faulty tires can cost lives. Even new tires over five or six years shouldn’t be put on vehicles, because rubber content degrades over time. (note: the last three numbers on the tire’s serial number tell the week and year the tire was made.)
So, how did we end up with rubber tires, anyway? In Central and South America rubber was used for centuries before it was introduced to western culture. The rubber was harvested from the tree sap and used as a pencil eraser to “rub out” pencil marks–”rubber.”
In the 1830s rubber, the waterproof gum from Brazil, came to the United States. One problem–it froze in the winter and turned to glue in the summer. Charles Goodyear thought a dry powder could be mixed into the gum to absorb the stickyness. He tried magnesia and a combination of magnesia, quicklime, and nitric acid. Alas, his rubber overshoes turned into a smelly pile of goo in the summer heat.
After five years of failures, Goodyear tried a combination of gum and sulphur, added heat, and made waterproof rubber that remained waterproof rubber in all seasons. He had created vulcanized rubber, named after Vulcan, the god of fire.
This vulcanized rubber was more durable and more elastic. Goodyear was so confident of his new creation that he predicted rubber paint, car springs, inflatable life rafts, rubber soccer balls and frogmen suits 100 years before they became available.
In 1888 John Dunlop invented the first air-filled (i.e., pneumatic)tire–for bicycles. Andre Michelin came up with the first pneumatic tire for automobiles in 1895. (The Michelin Man was created in 1898.)
The Goodyear Tire Company, named after Charles, who had died in 1860 with a $200,000 debt–patented the first tubeless tire, but didn’t promote it commercially until 1954 on the Packard. They also added carbon to the formula which increased the life of the tires.
Mountable rims, which allowed drivers to fix their own flats, were developed in 1904 and Frank Seiberling invented the first grooved tires for better traction in 1908. These grooves, or tread designs, also improved drivers’ control, riding comfort and tire life.
It wasn’t until 1911, however, that Philip Strauss invented the first really successful tire. Until that time tires had been wooden, metal, or solid rubber. Strauss developed the combination rubber tire with an air-filled inner tube.
There were natural rubber shortages during World War II and synthetic rubber was created to offset the shortage. Synthetic rubber is synthesized from petroleum and other minerals. This surpassed the use of natural rubber for the first time in 1960.
So, now that you know how long it took to get those tires for your vehicle, take care of them! Keep them properly inflated and save money, gas, and your own peace of mind.
About the Author
Bicycle Parts: Chains, Gears & Ball Bearings : Rubber Used in Bicycle Tires
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