April 5, 1923, stands out as a landmark day for the automotive world — it's when the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company unveiled its balloon tires. This innovative take on inflatable tire technology delivered dramatically better handling and far greater economy compared to what was available at the time, setting off a revolution across the industry. Back then, solid rubber tires were still standard equipment on a large number of cars and trucks. These solid tires came with serious drawbacks: they were heavy, offered poor handling, and dragged down fuel efficiency.
Of course, solid tires weren't the only game in town. The pneumatic tire, a type of inflatable design, had actually been around since the nineteenth century. Pneumatic tires feature flexible material mounted on a metal rim, with rubber tread covering the exterior. Air is pumped at high compression into the space between the flexible material and the rim to inflate them. However, the shock absorption and handling advantages they offered over solid tires only really applied to vehicles with large tires, like farm equipment. When it came to smaller vehicles such as cars, solid tires remained the more economical choice.
Everything changed in 1923, when Firestone reimagined inflatable tire design by placing a balloon between the rim and the outer material. Once inflated, this balloon delivered a host of benefits. Production was simpler and less expensive than either pneumatic or solid tire manufacturing, while the superior cushioning and handling translated directly into improved gas mileage. These cost advantages, paired with the enhanced ride quality, opened up driving to a much wider segment of the population. Perhaps most importantly for the cars of that era, the ability to tackle a greater variety of terrain proved to be a true game-changer.
Balloon tires quickly became — and have remained — the automotive industry standard ever since. Their introduction represented a pivotal turning point, broadening access to driving and making the experience more enjoyable for people from all walks of life. As for that "balloon" in balloon tires? It's what we now commonly call an "inner tube," a term that has become inseparable from this style of tire.