Making Bicycle Tires

From Singletrack, a site dedicated to mountain biking, comes a glimpse inside Continental’s bicycle tire factory in Korbach, Germany. Construction of the bicycle tires consists of:

1. 3 layers of carcass laid on to the tyre bead.

2. then either 2 layers of nylon “breaker” (anti-puncture reinforcement strip), OR 1 layer of Vectran (Kevlar) breaker (for higher end tyres).

3. Chafer strip (which prevents rim damage to the tyre sidewall).

4. Layer of tread rubber.

5. The tyre then goes through the curing process (at 180c) and is steam-pressured in a mould to form the tread pattern.

Here is the article.

Photo: Singletrack magazine. Carcass is yellow, breaker is brown.