A keen cyclist, Dunlop came up with the idea for a pneumatic tyre whilst watching his son struggling to ride his tricycle over rough ground. At that time, wheeled vehicles had wooden or iron rims or – at best – solid rubber tyres. Dunlop realised that by encasing air within a rubber tube, he would be able to improve the comfort of the tricycle’s ride.
In 1888, Dunlop patented his design for a pneumatic tyre and within 10 years it had completely replaced solid rubber. The introduction of the pneumatic tyre coincided with the development of the motor car, which eagerly continued the development of Dunlop’s invention. Dunlop himself had no connection with the Dunlop Rubber Company which took his name. He died in 1921.
