Michelin XZX > Reviews (1)

Yes they are still available. You all may know the history of the company - Two brothers, Édouard and Andre Michelin, had a rubber factory in France. One day, a cyclist with a punctured pneumatic tyre turned up at the factory. This tyre was glued onto the rim, and It took over three hours to remove it & repair the tyre, which then required to be left overnight to dry. Next day, Edouard took the repaired bicycle into the factory yard for test. After just a few hundred meters, the repair failed. Despite this setback, he was still enthusiastic about the pneumatic tyre, and along with his Andre, made their, own, which did not need glueing onto the wheelrim.

In 1891, they took out their first patent for the removable pneumatic tyre.
Michelin actually owned Citroën between 1934 and 1976.
During the war, allied forces relied heavily on the Michelin range of maps, to plan the invasion of Normandy, during Operation Overlord on D-Day.
Michelin invented the radial tyre.

165R14 will cost you around £65, this is of course just as an example, this size of tyre is now only used on classic cars.
The size of the tyre is measured like this:- 165 is the width of the tread im mm, R means Radial, and 14 is the diameter of the inner tyre rim.

Michelin is of course a famous name in the tyre industry, remember the Michelin man?
The company's symbol is actually called Bibendum, or Bib the Michelin Man, he was introduced in 1898 by French artist O'Galop, and is one of the world's oldest trademarks. Andre Michelin apparently commissioned the creation of this jolly, rotund figure after his brother, Edouard, noticed that a stack of tyres resembled a human form. Today, Bibendum is one of the world's most recognized trademarks, representing the company in over 150 countries.

The XZX tyre, is an old well proven design, and it is a good compromise between good grip,and durability. It is a good buy for the average motorist. It can not be called a noisy tyre.

If you think I have overdone the history lesson, please feel free to tell me. Thanks.