Carlisle Lightning Darts

[1918 Ranger]

Gentlemen. Need a little history lesson. When were the Lighting Darts made? What eras? Thanks in advance.


1918 Ranger

 

[Wildcat]

Also, while we're at it, is there any way of knowing how old my Lightning darts are?

 

[CCR]

The Lightning Dart I believe were a 50's tire, but they also show up as reproductions on a lot of later repop bikes. (usually on Western Flyers and Murrays). I've always had the Indian Head version but I believe there are some without as well.

Here's the only tire date code document I have seen

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae154/murray-eliminator/bike ads/schwinn_tire_codes.jpg

 

[2manybikes]

I don't have any exact dates, but Carlisle made bicycle tires from the prewar era and continued to manufacture tires on into the 80s. The company is still around, but they don't make bike tires anymore. To much offshore competition with no tariffs (sound familiar :roll: ).
The early lightning darts have an Indian head on the sidewall. The later ones that I have on a couple of reproduction bikes don't have the Indian head logo.
There are also some date codes on the early tires, but I am not sure exactly how to read them.

 

[Rustinkerer]

I believe they came about in the late prewar or early postwar era. And, there was also the Lightning Sidewall tire, aka the snakebelly tire. The Darts were made as replacement tires through the 60s, and I guess they dusted off the old molds for Murray's Monterey in 1978. There's a thread on the Cabe, of folks petitoning Carlisle to either make more tires, or sell the molds to someone who will. But, they apparently aren't interested. -Adam