Tire and tube storage

[msullivan]

How do you store your spare tires and tubes? Is there anything that should be done to prevent or delay the rubber from degrading over time. I have some folding spare tires that are a few years old and I haven't needed to use them so far. How long do they last without breaking down?

[Pat Lamb]

I keep most of my tires folded (in three sections, if necessary) in a plastic garbage bag under my bed.  (Seriously!)  The bag protects them from ozone from electric motors like refrigerator, freezer, or tools if they were in the garage, and under the bed they're protected from most temperature extremes.

I wear mine out, so they've not been stored for more than 2-3 years.  Next fall it'll be time to watch the on-line sales emails again to restock.

[RussSeaton]

I have some tires, both folding and nonfolding, and tubes that are 3-4 years old.  Butyl tubes, not latex.  Just stored in boxes in the basement.  Tubes in the boxes they come from the factory.  Tires are not boxed.  Tires are just in the open box they were shipped in.  All are fine and work fine.  Basement is dark usually.  Just gets light from the basement windows during the daytime.  Temperatures probably stay around 60 degrees year round.

[Old Guy New Hobby]

Why own extra tires? Tires are expensive, unlikely to fail unexpectedly, and can be purchased quickly. When a tire wears, I keep the most recent worn tire as an emergency spare. It will easily last the day or two it takes to buy a new tire. In practice, I haven't yet actually used the emergency spare. I ride over 5,000 miles a year, so the emergency spare is never much more than a year old. I'm looking forward to hearing why others think it's important to keep all these tires around for so long that rubber degradation is an issue.

I'm also cutting back on spare tubes. Right now, I have two spare tubes, one in the bike bag and one in the garage. But I think I'm going to stop keeping the second spare. High quality tires and tubes are available. Getting a flat is becoming a rare occurrence. I generally install a new tube when I install a new tire, because the additional cost of a new tube is so low. And by using high-quality tubes, the likelihood of a bad seam or similar failure of a new tube is very small. So the old tube can become my second spare, or emergency tube.

To answer the original question, my emergency spare tire hangs on a hook in my garage. When I go on tour, it's easy enough to pack. I plan to keep the emergency spare tube lightly inflated in the emergency spare tire, hanging off that hook in the garage, taking zero additional space.

When I use the spare tube, it's time to buy a new tube. I sprinkle my new tubes with talcum powder so the rubber is less likely to stick to itself, and to make it easier to install the tube when it is needed. Then I double-bag them in kitchen zip-lock bags. The double-bagging is mostly to ensure the powder doesn't get all over the tools in the under-the-saddle bag.

[msullivan]

I have a Bike Friday and the tires aren't so easy to buy. The kind I wanted were a special order so I bought 2 intending to use one on the back tire and save one for later.
From everyone's replies, I need to protect the rubber from ozone and light so I will store them in plastic bags in a cool, dark plac.
Thanks.

[robert.pmiller]

 I apply 303 protectant to the sidewalls of my tires to slow down the aging process,since I have several custom bikes with high end tires,so this is a issue for me. The 303 is the best stuff I have found in a long time for protecting rubber,latex ,etc.
 As for the tubes,I place them in a ziploc bag and sprinkle baby powder on the top.seal the bag and then shake it up,to coat the tubes.

I have done these two methods for years with good success,  no dryrot.

Robert

[RussSeaton]

Why own extra tires? Tires are expensive, unlikely to fail unexpectedly, and can be purchased quickly.  I'm looking forward to hearing why others think it's important to keep all these tires around for so long that rubber degradation is an issue.

Yes tires and tubes can be outrageously expensive if you buy them on the spot from your local bike shop.  As you do.  Little more reasonable price if you buy them on sale over the internet.  I don't like wasting money on tires and tubes so I buy them when on sale.  And buy them in bulk since I have lots of bikes.  Tires and tubes can and do fail unexpectedly.  Usually tires wear out over time.  But they can just give way all of a sudden.  Its good to have spares at the ready.  Not at the bike shop where it takes time and effort to get to.  Rubber degradation?  Never given it much thought.  I think that occurs over decades, not the few years I keep spare tires and tubes around.  Not something I spend much time or effort worrying about.

[robert.pmiller]

Got to agree on that one, a good touring tire can be extremely difficult to find,and expensive,if you have a blow-out in the middle of no-where.  As the saying goes S--t happens,,so on a long tour I always carry a folding spare with me. Learned my lesson once,do not want to repeat that headache.
I still am a proponent of treating the spare with 303 just cause the stuff works!

[bogiesan]

You know how bike shops hang their tires on dowels or hooks? Yeah, don't do that at home. Last couple of 451 tires I ordered fro the Hostel Shoppe for my recumbent showed severe deflection where they had been hanging on a round but small diameter obejct.

I store my 451 tires flat and I hang my 700s over a large diameter cardboard tube. I keep my tubes in a drawer in the shed with all the other bike related objects.

After more than 10 years with this bike, I buy my 451s in pairs because that's usually how I need them. And I always carry a spare 451 on tour because they're difficult or impossible to find on the road.

[Pat Lamb]

Why own extra tires? Tires are expensive, unlikely to fail unexpectedly, and can be purchased quickly.  I'm looking forward to hearing why others think it's important to keep all these tires around for so long that rubber degradation is an issue.

Yes tires and tubes can be outrageously expensive if you buy them on the spot from your local bike shop.  As you do.  Little more reasonable price if you buy them on sale over the internet.  I don't like wasting money on tires and tubes so I buy them when on sale.  And buy them in bulk since I have lots of bikes.

Agree with everything Russ said.  To extend one point, shipping and handling will eat you up on one tire.  Spread it over 4-6 tires, and the per-tire S&H goes down to reasonable.

One other thing, touring tires are often hard to find.  In my fair city, I can buy 700Cx23s and 25s, 28s are rare, 32s and 35s are only available in knobby 'cross tires.  Since I prefer smooth 32s with flexible sidewalls, I have to order them.  Decent selection and better prices drive me to the 'net.  If I could persuade an LBS to stock my preferred tire, I'd buy them there -- but only 2-3 per year.

[BikeFreak]

I have both tires and tubes (unused) that are 10 years old. They have been stored away from direct sunlight and typically below 70 degF. I did not seal them in plastic bags to prevent ozone attacking the rubber. They still look and feel as new, I cannot spot any cracks or deteriorations at all.

Summer 2012 I mounted 2 of my 10 year old Continental tubes on my touring bike and crossed USA. I had 1 flat tire and the tubes look like new.

Furthermore I have stored my cross country touring tires also being approx 10 years old. The tires were used in the summer time for 2 months and did approx 6000 miles, so they are quite worn. But today, 10 years later, being stored inside away from sunlight and moisture, the rubber is still flawless.

Lucas

PS: Tires/tubes are either Schwalbe or Continental.

[staehpj1]

I read somewhere that some pro racers actually age their tires for a few years.

I have used tires and tubes that were in my basement for over 20 years and had no problems.

[DanE]

Pro racers often are racing on handmade tubular tires which utilize natural latex rubber. Often when you buy these tires new they have a certain tackiness and can benefit from some aging so that they cure and become a little harder. That's why you are reading that pro racers age their tires. This does not apply to the vulcanized, butyl rubber touring tires that we are all using here reading the ACA forum. The tires we are using certainly don't go bad overnight, but I don't think age improves them either.

[PeteJack]

I don't go for storing tires either.I got two new tires, Panasonic RiBiMos before setting off this summer and took the old front tire (same brand) as a spare. After 4700 miles the rear tire was down to the thread stuff and I replaced it with the spare but I'd only had one flat in all those miles. (Actually I had another when the valve body came out of the valve stem of the bargain tube my LBS supplied but IMO that's not a real flat)

I always carry two spare tubes. One February in Seattle when there had been snow and there was a lot of debris from those wire snow 'chains' I got 3 flats on a day ride and ended up in a coffee shop patching a tube! This was a few years ago and I have to agree that flats are pretty rare these days. I think the tires were well worn Armadillos, not a tire I recommend.