Whats Retro about Amber Skinwall Tyres ?

velomaniac

MacRetro Rider
I'm not always the best informed about all the nuances of retrobike authenticity but what precisely is specifically retro about amber skinwall tyres. During our hayday of retroness was this the only tyre option for mtb's. I'm pretty sure all black bicycle tyres have existed since the year nought and thus presume all black mtb tyres have existed since the begining of our sport. If this is not correct then please tell me.
Just wandering as in mention of retro classification for the next IOM end to end race a suggestion was all retro entrants should have amber skinwall tyres ?
Baring in mind how difficult its getting to find NOS amberwall tyres, wont such a specification become dfficult in future retro races. I know modern amberwall tyres exist such as splashbacks but technically isnt that cheating as they are not actually retro.
 
Good question. BITD I avoided them and fitted blackwalls, they lasted longer and looked better, in my opinion. Now I got back into retro bikes since a couple of years, I started to appreciate the retro look of the skinwalls and fit all my bikes with them, but I don't really know what has triggered that.
 
As skinwalls are not really used on modern bikes then the retro image is reinforced by using skinwalls as it instantly evokes memories of when they were commonplace.
Having said that though my next build will have a pair of blackwall Onza's.
 
This is one of those questions that go round and round.

There were plenty of black tyres BITD; I recently gave away some Velocaraptor tyres which came factory fitted to my GT STS-2 in 97, equally the much loved Panaracer Smoke Dart combo was only available with skinwalls, as were much of the Continental and Specialized ranges.

As I recall, skinwalls were usually lighter than most blackwall tyres, and that probably has more to do with why we used them, plus, there were some pretty good tread patterns available and as far as I was (and am) concerned, that was the main deciding factor.

Making skinwalls compulsory for a race is a dangerous game, as unless the entrant has found modern tyres, such as the Smoke/Dart reissues, Geax, Splashbacks et al, then the chances are they will be racing on some pretty old rubber. I recently rode a Lloyd CATS WISKAS belonging to Ringo, which was still wearing a pair of original Continental Cross Country tyres and they were absolutely superb, but if old tyres have not been properly stored, then they are an accident waiting to happen.
 
Thus from whats been said, amber skinwall does not define retro its just a nostalgia thing that makes folk think retro.
 
Heyday was 91 to 97 so fits with the main Retro Period we all so enjoy

Until I bought my DH tyres in 01 I had only ever used skin walls and (still) hate the look of black walls...
 
boxxer":1bu9oqmb said:
Heyday was 91 to 97 so fits with the main Retro Period we all so enjoy

Until I bought my DH tyres in 01 I had only ever used skin walls and (still) hate the look of black walls...

I bought my first "proper" mountain bike in around 92 (Kona Fire Mountain) and it had blackwall tyres. It was one of the things that made it look cool and business like to me. I've always preferred them look wise.
 
Think they look best on retro steel bikes with skinny tubes they just look neater than black tyres more balanced. Black tyres look best when running thin slick tyres and look even better with black rims again just look more balanced with old steel tubes
 
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