The Bike Hive

For many years, I've heard older people say that inner tubes don't hold air as well as they used to.  It's usually the same thing - 'I never had to air up my tires when I was a kid.'   Others seem to think that tubes puncture easier now than they did even 15 or 20 years ago.  All of this got me wondering if there really is a difference between the quality of tubes and if it's changed through the years. First, a (very) short history:  Originally tires and tubes were made from natural rubber from the Hevea tree that is grown almost exclusively in Indonesia and Malaya.  During World War II, Japan had invaded these countries and cut off the world’s supply of natural rubber.  This led to a shortage and the need for an alternative.   At the time, German engineers had already been working on a synthetic rubber, but it wasn't until 1942 that U.S. engineers were able to develop it into a useable rubber compound called Butyl.   Butyl synthetic rubber...

The other day I decided to take the long way to work and ride my Olmo - a bike I've had for 25 years and ridden over 25000 miles.   This is not the first road bike I purchased, but it is the first Italian bike I purchased.  I fell in love with it immediately, mostly because I felt so special riding Italian steel.  This was 1990, when carbon fiber was starting to appear on the market and aluminum frames were all the rage.  I was 19 and this bike made me feel special when I'd ride. One of the greatest things about it is that I purchased it on clearance from the importer for $135.  Brand new Italian steel for a screaming deal!  Granted, it's Oria steel that doesn't have the same pedigree as Reynolds or Columbus.  However, it has been a fantastic bike for me.   A few years ago I updated it with a Campy Daytona group.  Campy was something I'd only heard of when I was 19.  We didn't see it in our shop, the general consensus was that it was to...