On 8/22/2011 1:18 PM, thirty-six wrote:


The wire stiffens the connection with the rim so that the tyre stays
in place. The wire's strength is of no particular importance, it's
the resistance to bending which is key. ...

I don't know if I believe that.

It would mean that you could take a clincher tire and cut both beads
completely through--and then mount & inflate it and still have it stay
on the rim, with just as much pressure as with the beads uncut.

Obviously the beads are placed under great tension in use, since for
~100 years steel was the only material used and in the last several
decades the only other material used has been kevlar (which is also a
high tensile strength material).