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...

I began working in bikes shops when I was 16 years old.  Through the years  I've had the pleasure of working with people who made a lasting impression on my career.  This series is about me recognizing those people for their contributions to my development.  Since I attempt to keep my writings here specific to cycling,  in this particular series   I'm only including those who influenced my career in the industry. The posts in this series will not be in any particular order of importance.  It normally takes quite a lot of thought and time for me to finish these posts, and I tend to work on more than one at a time.  I'll post each when I feel I've done my best to explain their importance to my professional life.