Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic tire is provided with bead cores having polygonal cross-sectional configurations. The bead cores are composed of a multiplicity of wires arranged in densely superpositioned parallel layers which are situated on conical generating lines whose common axis coincide with the horizontal axis of the pneumatic tire and whose angles of opening are approximately 10.degree.. The axially innermost and axially outermost wires in specified radially inner and radially outer layers lie on centerlines forming angles within selected ranges with the conical lines.