Our regular customer has an extensive collection of vintage
and antique bicycles. He called this morning looking for
some 26 x 1.375" tires. These were the US decimal series
'lightweight' size in the 1930s through 1960s. I
commiserated and warned him they have become quite rare and
expensive. We also chatted about this storm which has dumped
six inches of heavy wet slush, and hasn't stopped snowing
since yesterday morning. He's 150 miles south and has less
snow. After his recent surgery, his neighbor lady has been
clearing his walk.

He just called back to say that he was lamenting the tire
situation when his neighbor offered that her antique store
had once been a hardware store and there were 'some old
tires' in the basement. Sure enough, out of a dozen crepe
wrapped Carlysle USA tires, five are the unobtanium size 26
x 1.375".
--
Andrew Muzi
am@yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On 4/3/2024 1:03 PM, AMuzi wrote:
> Our regular customer has an extensive collection of vintage and antique
> bicycles. He called this morning looking for some 26 x 1.375" tires.
> These were the US decimal series 'lightweight' size in the 1930s through
> 1960s.  I commiserated and warned him they have become quite rare and
> expensive. We also chatted about this storm which has dumped six inches
> of heavy wet slush, and hasn't stopped snowing since yesterday morning.
> He's 150 miles south and has less snow. After his recent surgery, his
> neighbor lady has been clearing his walk.
>
> He just called back to say that he was lamenting the tire situation when
> his neighbor offered that her antique store had once been a hardware
> store and there were 'some old tires' in the basement. Sure enough, out
> of a dozen crepe wrapped Carlysle USA tires, five are the unobtanium
> size 26 x 1.375".

Interesting tale! Decades ago I was given an antique bike, probably
1930s or 1940s vintage, skip chain, horsehair-padded saddle, etc. I
fussed around rebuilding the coaster brake, but had great trouble
getting the tires to stay seated on the rim. I suspected it needed some
obscure tires, but never really dug into it. That bike is permanently
stored in my garage attic.

--
- Frank Krygowski

On 2024-04-03, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
> Our regular customer has an extensive collection of vintage
> and antique bicycles. He called this morning looking for
> some 26 x 1.375" tires. These were the US decimal series
> 'lightweight' size in the 1930s through 1960s. I
> commiserated and warned him they have become quite rare and
> expensive. We also chatted about this storm which has dumped
> six inches of heavy wet slush, and hasn't stopped snowing
> since yesterday morning. He's 150 miles south and has less
> snow. After his recent surgery, his neighbor lady has been
> clearing his walk.
>
> He just called back to say that he was lamenting the tire
> situation when his neighbor offered that her antique store
> had once been a hardware store and there were 'some old
> tires' in the basement. Sure enough, out of a dozen crepe
> wrapped Carlysle USA tires, five are the unobtanium size 26
> x 1.375".

I like this story!

Reminds me of my college pal who is a member of the League of American
Wheelmen.

They had a story wherein a worker in a Chicago warehouse one day took to
exploring some of the unused rooms to find an old crate.

Opening the crate yielded a factory new Columbia Highweel in the
50-something inch range. It might have been a "Light Roadster".

My friend had an 1888 Columbia and people were always coming up to him and
asking him if it was like the original.

He would reply: "It *is* an original."
It would *always* take a long time for it to actually sink in that the asker
was actually lookin at the real deal...an 1888 highwheel.

Always look for the real wheel tucked in almost below the main wheel as
opposed to some of the 'replicas' you see out there.

pH in Aptos

On 4/3/2024 10:03 AM, AMuzi wrote:
> Our regular customer has an extensive collection of vintage and antique
> bicycles. He called this morning looking for some 26 x 1.375" tires.
> These were the US decimal series 'lightweight' size in the 1930s through
> 1960s.  I commiserated and warned him they have become quite rare and
> expensive. We also chatted about this storm which has dumped six inches
> of heavy wet slush, and hasn't stopped snowing since yesterday morning.
> He's 150 miles south and has less snow. After his recent surgery, his
> neighbor lady has been clearing his walk.
>
> He just called back to say that he was lamenting the tire situation when
> his neighbor offered that her antique store had once been a hardware
> store and there were 'some old tires' in the basement. Sure enough, out
> of a dozen crepe wrapped Carlysle USA tires, five are the unobtanium
> size 26 x 1.375".

Is that 37-590?

Hardware stores seem to be the best source for these, Bell 7107522. But
Kenda and Schwalbe still have some too.

On 4/22/2024 1:58 PM, sms wrote:
> On 4/3/2024 10:03 AM, AMuzi wrote:
>> Our regular customer has an extensive collection of
>> vintage and antique bicycles. He called this morning
>> looking for some 26 x 1.375" tires. These were the US
>> decimal series 'lightweight' size in the 1930s through
>> 1960s.  I commiserated and warned him they have become
>> quite rare and expensive. We also chatted about this storm
>> which has dumped six inches of heavy wet slush, and hasn't
>> stopped snowing since yesterday morning. He's 150 miles
>> south and has less snow. After his recent surgery, his
>> neighbor lady has been clearing his walk.
>>
>> He just called back to say that he was lamenting the tire
>> situation when his neighbor offered that her antique store
>> had once been a hardware store and there were 'some old
>> tires' in the basement. Sure enough, out of a dozen crepe
>> wrapped Carlysle USA tires, five are the unobtanium size
>> 26 x 1.375".
>
> Is that 37-590?
>
> Hardware stores seem to be the best source for these, Bell
> 7107522. But Kenda and Schwalbe still have some too.
>
>

590? pffft those are plentiful everywhere. We stock Kendas
which are nice and Michelins which are very nice.

26x1.375 is the older American decimal lightweight series,
roughly 611mm with hook edge rim. It's the 'upscale'
companion to 26x1.75 decimal series.
--
Andrew Muzi
am@yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971