I don't know exactly when latex tubes were introduced in tubulars, but I've been researching the French hand-made superlight clincher tires for some time.
Ernest Csuka of Cycles Alex Singer told me that in the mid-1940s, they didn't have latex tubes for clincher tires. They used something called "feuille anglaise" (translates as "English Sheet"), but he wasn't sure what it was.
A few years later, the first latex tubes appeared, glued together from sheet latex (the way seamed frame tubing is made, basically.) I think he was indicating that at this time, hand-made tubulars had latex tubes, but I am not sure. By the late-1950s, latex tubes were commonly available.
So Palo Alto's introduction of latex tubes in 1976 may mean that they were new to them, new to their product line, new to the U.S. (I doubt that one!) or something, but not that they had the first latex tubes in the world.
Jan Heine, Seattle Editor/Publisher Vintage Bicycle Quarterly c/o Il Vecchio Bicycles 140 Lakeside Ave, Ste. C Seattle WA 98122 http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com
>hi gang,
>
>The posting of the 1976 Palo Alto catalog caused a question to pop up:
>When were latex tubes introduced to tubular tires??
>
>If you believe the Clement marketing, these puncture resistant latex
>tubes were brand new. Now, does this mean that latex was new, or
>does it mean that they had some special formulation of latex that
>was incredibly stretchy?
>
>My position is that latex was the standard for the day (for good
>tires), since I owned some Imperforabile Setas with latex tubes back
>before the catalog was published (kinda wish I still had the tires
>too...). A friend holds the opposite viewpoint, and interprets the
>catalog as clearly stating that latex was a new product.
>
>Can anyone offer evidence one way or another? Or maybe just make a
>stirring speech supporting your viewpoint, despite being devoid of
>any actual facts? :-)
>
>for review, the catalog is at:
>http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/PaloAlto-76/
>(makes you nostalgic for the pre-ebay days, eh?)
>
>thanks,
>
>Steve Kurt
>Peoria, IL