Automobile Tire & Spoked Wheel, circa 1910

The first pneumatic automobile tires were little more than upscaled versions of bicycle tires. They lacked any sort of tread, were prone to skidding, and lasted maybe 2,500 miles. These "clincher" tires, secured to the rim by a rubber bead, required a crowbar and a good deal of patience when stretching to mount or demount.