What size tubulars were used in the 30s 40s and 50s?

Might be one for the older Retrobikers, this one. I'm struggling to find any reliable information on this subject. I'm guessing that tubulars weren't 18mm or 19mm back then, and that these came later once rims became very narrow. In the 30s the roads wouldn't have been good enough to use tyres that narrow, surely? So what size was commonly used?

Also, would they have been tan wall or black?

I've got one older tub which is a very crusty Wolber W333. It appears to be about 25-26mm wide but I can't find any information about them. It looks about the right sort of size for the bike and I guess it's the right size for the older rims.

Stretching back my memory I can only think of sprints / tubs from the 50's ?

Shaun

I remember seeing an old ad recently (from the '30s IIRC - can't find it any more) with 32 mm racing tyres.

Shaun, I'm pretty certain that they were in use back then. Fiamme sprint rims entered the scene around 1935 and I've got a wood-filled Scheeren rim which I think is 30s. The Scheeren rim is amazingly light and around 22mm wide.

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In 1949 I had my first tubulars, pre war Constrictors, (no stitching, the base could be opened for repair).

By the mid 50s most of us used Dunlop tubulars, because they ran a repair service. Send back 6 tubulars and 4 would be free replacements, one repaired and one scrapped.

I can't find a dunlop list, but they had 2 heavy vulcanised with translucent rubber covered wall, one vulcanised and 7 from open side to a light covering of latex, plus silk and special track tyres.
The silks were about one inch, cotton varying from one inch to 1 1/8. From 4 ounce track tyre to about 13 ounces.

By the mid 50s I was building Fiamme 14 and 12 ounce rims, Mavic and Weinmann wood insert 11ounce, and Scheeren about 8 ounce rims.

Mid 50s time triallists would use about 8 ounce tubulars and carry them to their events. No reason why tubulars should not be used on the pre war roads, but really kept for competition.

Keith

Re:

Further:

http://www.peterbrueggeman.com/cr/catal ... s_1955.pdf

is Holdsworthy "Aids" which has a price list of some Dunlop tubulars, also showing their own D'Allessandro imports.

Keith

Re: Re:

keithglos":3cyy6sn2 said:

Further:

http://www.peterbrueggeman.com/cr/catal ... s_1955.pdf

is Holdsworthy "Aids" which has a price list of some Dunlop tubulars, also showing their own D'Allessandro imports.

Keith

Click to expand...

Thanks for that link, now I know what the well dressed cyclist wore in 1955 plus a ton of very useful information .

: Mike

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Put into perspective - what was a typical days wage back then ?

In the late 40s £6 a week. By 1951 I was on about £2, then RAF £1.25 but sort of fed and clothed.

Bought our first house 1958 for £600.

Keith

Thanks for that Keith, great insight from you as always!