uprightbent

I've noticed in quite a few ride pics, notably vintage or steel retro rides, a growing dominance of blackwall tires. Of course there are exceptions, especially with tubulars, but the tan sidewall seems to be less prominent. Shows are a different thing, mostly period correct and not blackwalls when displayed. We know there are many great tan sidewall tires, and I just can't see restoring a bike like a Masi or Raleigh Pro and putting those ugly treads on it. When I buy a vintage bike with blackwalls, it's one of the first things I can't wait to change.

Conversely, I'm often passed by modern bikes with skinny carbon wheels and tan sidewalls. Guessing they're Compass or Rene Herse tires which seem to be gaining popularity with roadies, or other brands I'm sure. Observations of an aging retrogrouch I guess.

Pompiere

My guess would be availability. When I was looking to purchase tires recently, there were a lot more less expensive black wall tires. Tan walls were either not listed or sold out.

oneclick 

I remember thinking Barum blackwalls looked neat when black wasn't common. I still don't mind, partly because of availability but also because sometimes tan is a colour that jars with the rest, black less so.

What I don't like is flashy especially BIG FLASHY branding.

top506

I thought that black matched the vibe of this bike rather than skinwalls:




Everything else in the barn rolls with tan side walls.

Top

oneclick 

On the other hand I do have a set of these which are all tan(-ish) and going on an otherwise neutral colour bike (after I have a go at that rubbish on the sidewall):

thinktubes 

I like black sidewalls because they make my tires look thinner.

3speedslow

Not faulting anyone’s preference. I like that Continental tires have offerings with a different shade on the sidewall.

JohnDThompson 

I prefer tan sidewalls because blackwall tires always remind me too much of the cheap, heavy, nasty department store tires BITD. Good tires BITD had thin, supple, tan sidewalls. Today's blackwall tires are available at all price points and quality levels, so my preference is strictly cosmetic now.

scozim 

I guess I'm on the flip side. I prefer black wall tires or the darker color that come with the Continental Gatorskin tubulars I run.

But I also don't build my bikes to necessarily be period correct/original. I build the to ride and for me

Spaghetti Legs 

My perception is the opposite. Tan sidewalls have been more popular lately and you see them on modern bikes a lot more than say 5-10 years ago.

nlerner

You people really lack imagination.

SJX426 

P1040437 on Flickr

Velo Mule

I greatly prefer tan walls, however, with 27" wheels there are less choices right now. I ordered Panaracer tires because they were supposed to be available within two weeks and it turned out that they were not coming in when expected. I substituted Gatorskins.

Perhaps we need a new thread "How do you remove this branding on the sidewalls" .

Roger M

I like tanwall tires on most old bikes, but sometimes they don't work well with the other colors on the bicycle(cable housing, saddle, tape, etc.).

Here's my example.

55murray

I don't have tan sidewalls on any of my bikes, period correct or not I don't like how they look.

sovende

For those trying to keep their C/V bike “true to form”, there’s no denying that tires with tan sidewalls are the proper choice. I have a pair of Panaracer “Pasela” Tour Guards (27x1 1/4) on my ‘85 Miyata Two Ten and really like the way they look. I will say tho, that I personally, might not be able to tell the difference in “ride” from comparable tires with black sidewalls (others might). I do have a few C/V bikes that do have tires with black sidewalls and again, I personally, think they make the bike look a bit more modern. I’m content with both extremes and will add that I like the look of the “brownish” sidewalls on the Continentals that I have on my late ‘80s Schwinn Traveler. Lately, my main concern is whether or not decent tires are to be found for a reasonable price!

The Golden Boy 

I just avoid vertical stripes on my tires.

sovende

I’d leave the “Continental” but then (if it were an issue for me) go over the “Gatorskin” with a black Magic Marker !
BTW, nice bike !

genejockey 

That's my perception, and that's a lot of why there may be fewer C&V with tan sidewalls, because demand has made the tan sidewall versions more expensive. Every time I've looked at discounts on good quality tires, there's always a steeper discount on the black sidewall versions.

ThermionicScott 

Big +1 on this. Seems like 10 years ago, every bike tire I saw was all-black unless it had colored stripes for matching your bike (red/white/yellow/blue/celeste/etc). When I started putting Paselas on my bikes (which I had to order online as local stores didn't carry them), they really stood out.

Now, I not only see tan/brown sidewalls on C&V bikes, I see them a lot on modern cyclogross/gravel/touring bikes with no C&V pretentions. They seem to be making a comeback for modern go-fast bikes, too, but I don't pay quite as much attention to those.

'02 nrs

Vittoria tecno's look the biz on an Italian ride.

RustyJames 

+1 I loathe the branding on sidewalls and I don’t want my tires to smell like a permanent marker.

tkamd73 

If you actually ride the bike, tan sidewalls look like crap pretty quick, prefer not to clean after every ride. On a show bike ridden seldom, or a wall hanger, tan sidewalls look great.
Tim

SJX426 

Tan sidewalls should look as good or bad as the white tape on the HB and the white saddle.
late 80's De Rosa Professional on Flickr

Chombi1 

I think it's just less and less people remember when blackwalls used to = cheap, heavy, wire beaded tires.....
Just like people don't seem to remember that dark socks used to be considered dorky when worn by road cyclists.....