Bike tires and tubes lifespan ?

[Cressida]

Do bicycle tires and their inner tubes have a general age life in years? You know, like how they tell us to replace car tires at 10 years regardless if the tire has plenty of tread.

With three bikes I don't put a huge amount of miles on any one. One bike has a set of Schwalbe Marathon tires that are ~12 years old. Another bike (my 20" folder) has a set of Kenda Kwest tires about the same age with very low miles. All of these tires have decent to very good tread with no signs of dry rot or significant cracking. The tires are only exposed to the sun when out being ridden but I guess they could get a bit of ozone from the furnace motor running in the garage? Nevertheless, I wonder how the rubber compound may change over the longer term and how that might affect the tires resistance to punctures and grip on wet surfaces.

What's the thinking and general practice on proactively replacing tires and tubes based on age?

 

[Nessism1]

All I can offer is MY thinking, and that means to ride the tire until the cords show. No doubt, the stickiness declines, and the chance of flat increases, but I don't care.
One option is to demote your old tires to trainer usage. This assumes you have a trainer, mind you.

 

[wwillson]

Tubes will usually last until you get a flat, then they are junk. Tires that are ridden a lot will generally last several thousand miles. If it's age before wear, then no more than 8-10 years before the tires dry rot.

 

[JRay’07]

This all depends on the type of riding you have selected. Having a tire blow out on a path shared with pedestrians is an inconvenience. Losing a tire while going downhill at 40+ MPH can send you into a ditch and cost you your life.

 

[BISCUT]

I still use tubes on my road bike and they last a few thousand miles and road bike tires are really dependent on how you ride and where you ride. All mountain and Fat bikes are tubeless.

 

[ka9mnx]

I'm still riding on the tires/tubes that came with my bike I bought new in the late 90's.

 

[rijndael]

For tubes, latex vs buytl have different lifespans. Butyl are way more common though. If I'm using tubes, I use latex ones. Overall, tubes don't like being folded up in a box. The fold/crease at the edge will crack after some time. If they're inflated, they'll last longer. It's still at least couple of years in a box, though.

The rolling resistance of tires does change with age and they're less supple. They can also get dry rot cracks, just like car tires, even if the bike is stored indoors.

Honestly, unless you're inclined to be more than a recrational rider, don't worry about it until things don't hold air. Focus your time on cleaning and lubing the chain.

 

[Escape08]

On bicycles with inner tubes age of tire does not really matter. New tires are cheap. Target sells $15 on cruiser tires

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

I'm still riding on the tires/tubes that came with my bike I bought new in the late 90's.

Something tells me they weren't made in china.

 

[Escape08]

Something tells me they weren't made in china.

More likely tires were made in Taiwan

 

[Greenbeforeblue]

This is just one of the rooms where I have bikes All of my bikes are kitted with GOOD, read expensive, tires. I treat all of them just as I do my truck or motorcycle tires; inspecting the tread and looking for cracks, slits or weather checking. The instant one doesn't pass the test, it gets replaced because I routinely exceed 45mph on decents, occasionally even faster. I've lost a front tire on a high speed descent twice in my life, once in a race. It is not an experience I'd like to have again.

As for tubes, most are latex and the rest are butyl, they only get replaced when they fail, and not before. I will patch a butyl tube but will only use it on the rear, never the front. I do not run tubeless because road bike tires have very little volume and IMO increases the chance for rapid deflation when a tire is punctured and the sealant can't plug it.

Yeah, I know I need some new carpet. The bike tires and chain lube beat it up.

 

[Nessism1]

On bicycles with inner tubes age of tire does not really matter. New tires are cheap. Target sells $15 on cruiser tires

High quality bicycle tires are not cheap. $50 each or more even.

 

[rijndael]

High quality bicycle tires are not cheap. $50 each or more even.

True, but the OP is talking about a Schwalbe Marathon, not a Veloflex Record or Conti GP5K.

 

[Nessism1]

True, but the OP is talking about a Schwalbe Marathon, not a Veloflex Record or Conti GP5K.

Okay. But even those Schwalbe's are over $40 each at most shops.

 

[rijndael]

I'll take your word for it. I don't shop at my LBSs because their prices excessive.

They're a low $30s tire online.

 

[wwillson]

This is just one of the rooms where I have bikes

You Sir might have a problem.

 

[Greenbeforeblue]

You Sir might have a problem.

It's a "girlfriend test". Early on I show them my bikes, if they say something like "you have too many bikes" they go right back out the door. I just don't need that kind of negativity in my life.

 

[Lubener]

Too many variables to provide answer. Quality, frequency of use , terrain and how the bike is stored.

 

[853okg]

There are a lot of variables. Old bike racers know that aged handmade tires roll better and are less likely to puncture than green tires.
On the other hand, sunlight and ozone (e.g. from being stored near a refrigerator) degrade rubber and, especially latex.
I would try to store my bike out of direct sunlight and replace rubber before too many years pass. Probably nobody reading this has track tubulars but if you do, you should absolutely use tire covers.

 

[supton]

I need to keep a log... I think I'm getting 2,000 miles out of rear tires? maybe 5k? but I ride a fair amount on gravel roads and that can chew up the tires and their sidewalls. And I run Conti 5000 now as I like how they roll on actual pavement. Still, they don't last under my heavy load. Either they get to the wear limit or they get a cut that looks bad.

Tubes though, I figure, they are out of the UV and should last decades. I've had mixed results with patching but even at a 50% failure rate it's well worth the money to patch. I have some tubes with multiple patches--once the glue does its job, the patch is on, and it seems to hold up just fine. Until I ride without enough pressure and pinch flat yet again.

I don't know about tires actually aging out... seems like an unloved bike if that were to happen.