Abstract: A method, a bladder and an apparatus for shaping and curing a tire, wherein the bladder has two weakened regions corresponding to the shoulder regions of the tire when the bladder is expanded in the cavity of the tire. Upon inflation of the bladder and its expansion in the tire, the bladder contacts first the inner surface of the cavity at the bead regions and progressively the sidewalls, the shoulders and then the center of the tire. The weakened regions are designed to stretch more under a given tension than the remaining regions in order to allow a progressive contact movement of the lateral regions of the bladder with the sidewalls with very little tension and relative movement between the lateral regions of the bladder and the sidewalls of the tire.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprising a tread, the tread comprising a tread cap and a tread base in a tread base to tread cap volume ratio ranging from about 0.25 to about 1; the tread cap comprising, based on 100 parts by weight rubber (phr): 100 phr of cis 1,4 polyisoprene natural rubber; from about 25 to about 50 phr of carbon black; and from about 8 to about 35 phr of silica; the tread base comprising, based on 100 parts by weight rubber (phr): 100 phr of cis 1,4 polyisoprene natural rubber; from about 25 to about 50 phr of carbon black; and from about 8 to about 35 phr of silica; wherein the tread cap has a stiffness greater than that of the tread base.