PURPOSE: To restrict disorder in arrangement during forming and vulcanization of a tyre and enhance bendability and pliability by a method wherein each rubber- coated metal wire-shaped bead wire element has a substantially hexagonal cross- sectional shape, and the elements are wound in layers to form an annular bead wire.

CONSTITUTION: Steel wires W1, W2, and W3 of substantially hexagonal cross- sectional shape are produced, e.g., by shearing a steel plate 3 by a pair of shearing rolls 4 having cutting edges 4a of triangular cross-sectional shape, coated with an adhesive resin, coated with rubber, and wound in layers around a winder former to form a bead wire 1. The layers are in face contact with each other, and disorder in arrangement in the axial direction is unlikely to occur. Further, since the contact is one between perfectly independent steel wires or one between grooved plate- shaped bodies, the resistance of the bead wire against deformation into an elliptic shape, e.g. during rim-up step, is small and the bead wire can be fitted to and removed from a rim easily.