Bicycle and motorcycle tubes are the backbone of the bicycle and motorcycle industries. Few numbers of companies in the organized sectors are engaged in the quality grade cycles tyres and tubes and few unorganized sector are also engaged in manufacturing bicycle tyre and tubes. An inner tube is basically a doughnut-shaped balloon, with a valve for inflation. The only requirement for an inner tube is that it should not leak. Being rubber, they have no rigid structure. If an inner tube is inflated outside of a tire, it will expand to 2 or 3 times its nominal size, if it doesn't explode first. Without being surrounded by a tire, an inner tube can't withstand any significant air pressure. Most of the basic raw materials are indigenously available but there is short supply of natural rubber and butyl rubber, it is required to import. Basic technology is also indigenously available in India. Plants and machineries are indigenously available. The market for tubes for bicycle and motorcycle is directly related to the demand for bicycle and motorcycle. Every bicycle and motorcycle manufactured will need a tube for its tire. So an analysis of bicycle and motorcycle production will provide a clear picture of demand for tubes. With a production of about 4.5 million vehicles in 2001-02 and over 8.5 million vehicles now, India is the second largest producer of 2-wheelers worldwide, which includes motorcycles, scooters and mopeds. There has been a steady growth in the demand for motorcycles in India. It has become a youth icon, particularly among the urban youth charged by speed and style which motorcycles impart to their personality. The motorcycles overtook scooters in 1998-99 and have not looked back. The scenario for 2006-07 conformed to the sustained performance in the recent past with sales at over 7 million, higher by over 16.5% on the preceding year's sales. In 2008-09 (first 8 months) sales at 2.85 million were higher by 14.5% than in the comparable period of 2007-08. The total market of motorcycles was estimated at Rs 220 billion in 2007-08, a decline of 5% over that of preceding year. The growing demand of 2/3 wheelers and bicycle will definitely give rise to high demand of tubes in the coming years. There is a good market potential and good scope for all new entrepreneurs to venture into this sector. Few Indian Major Players are as under: Atlas Cycles (Haryana) Ltd. Avon Cycles Ltd. Dewan Steels Ltd. Hero Cycles Ltd. National Bicycle Corpn. Of India Ltd.
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