Tires (no, not the usual question)

[twr1776]

I know this does not apply to too many members here but how many years do you run tires before replacing them because of age even if they are not worn out? My thought is three seasons? Since I am hoping to run all three bikes approximately the same mileage per year I am weighing the additional cost of Elite III's versus the Avons if four seasons is more than the consensus opinion on how long to run a tire.

[dpep]

Are your bikes garage kept? From what I have read exposure to UV rays and dry rot are the two biggest factors in tire aging. A tire left outdoors in Arizona is going to die a lot quicker than one kept in a garage in Oregon. You don't live in a dry climate. If your bikes are kept indoors when not being ridden I don't think four years is unreasonable at all. If the handling starts giving way then you get new tires whether it is four years or four months.

I am somewhat of an agnostic on the need to always have fresh tires if you are not racing. The rubber is sooo much better now than it was 40 years ago. You can tell if you have enough tread to disburse water by looking at the tire. You can tell if the tires are gripping ok by the handling when you ride. Those are the things that tell me when I need to change tires.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

I seem to recall that in the news recently there has been an uproar regarding selling (car) tires as new, even though they may have been sitting in a warehouse for 10 years or more. I have a fuzzy recollection that legislation has been passed, or will be soon, to limit the "shelf life" of tires to 6 years. But, this is our government talking.

With the way I ride, if my bike was garaged, etc, I would probably feel safe enough on tires that have been on my bike for three years, providing the had been manufactured less than a year before I installed them.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[sharpy]

info

Check the side wall for info regarding the age even before you buy a new tyre. Should be some numbers in a oval moulding mark saying something like 1107. That would be the 11th week 2007. There normally a yr old even before u put ure grubby hands on them.

[bwringer]

The solution is simple, Tim: RIDE MORE!

[Shaughn]

Hi,

I seem to recall that in the news recently there has been an uproar regarding selling (car) tires as new, even though they may have been sitting in a warehouse for 10 years or more. I have a fuzzy recollection that legislation has been passed, or will be soon, to limit the "shelf life" of tires to 6 years. But, this is our government talking.

With the way I ride, if my bike was garaged, etc, I would probably feel safe enough on tires that have been on my bike for three years, providing the had been manufactured less than a year before I installed them.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

It's more hype than reality, the conditions of the storage have a far greater effect than the length. Ozone damage is the biggest killer, and most car tire manufacturers will warrantee for this condition up to 6 years or so, but that's more due to the public sensitivity. Chinese tire imports have increased by 50% this past year, and often these are not fully cured, and this makes them even more susceptible to ozone and UV damage. You can't imagine the awful smell when we break the seal on a container load for the direct from china shipments. They leave the factories partially cured to finish curing in the heat and pressure generated en route. Mixed results, from what I've seen. Also, "Tire Black" spray/foam products are another culprit, that results in what looks like extreme ozone/UV damage on tires otherwise 'young' tires.