Tyre life, what do we all think?

Big-G

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Whats the view on tyre life. I know tyres are considered safe to sell up to five years so whats the consensus on the total age deemed safe if there is no visible damage or cracking? And if there is then is that definitely
a replacement?
Cheers Chaps
G
 
What do you mean no visible damage or cracking? If the tyre is brand new old stock you can inspect the inside and outside properly. If the tyre is on a wheel after 5 years it’s going to have little mileage on it so it could be damaged from been left in the one spot and probably gone soft as well. If it passes a visual inspection inside and out I’d pump it up to its maximum stated pressure and if it didn’t bulge anywhere it would be ok. Not for a modern high powerd heavy machine though. JJH
 
And if there is then is that definitely
a replacement?
Cheers Chaps
G

You already know the answer to this bit of the question - at least I hope you do!

In terms of life beyond the manufacturers construction dates, if the tyre looks ok and is a year or two beyond the safe period, then I personally wouldn't sweat it to0 much (ive used well old tyres at points is the past with no significant ill effects) BUT I have known tyres to fail within the "safe date" window due to environmental factors i.e. they have been used in direct sun for months (particularly when I was in India) so even newish tyres can fail - often with no obvious external signs.
 
I've ridden tyres about 14 years old, fitted new to an R100GS that was then parked up. At first I kept very close eye on them but after a while became more relaxed. The tyres were a bit hard, no signs of cracking but I was very cautious about using in the wet as they just didn't have the grip of a new tyre. So my conclusion is ok but keep a close eye on them and to try to keep in mind the lower levels of grip afforded by the hardened rubber.
 
There is no one answer to this, everyone makes their own judgement.
Personally , most times I buy a bike I put new tires on it straight away, some folk are happy on 14 year old tires.
On the couple of occasions I haven't I have come close to disaster, which might have affected my thinking.
 
All interesting and thanks. As it happens the front is only 2016 and I’m getting a new one for the rear as it’s cracked but I think everyone has their own ideas, I just wondered what they were.


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Well my opinion has changed. If the rear has cracked why? Persumeably both tyers have been kept in the same environment so I’d replace both. In for a penny in for a pound. JJH
 
There is no one answer to this, everyone makes their own judgement.
Personally , most times I buy a bike I put new tires on it straight away, some folk are happy on 14 year old tires.
On the couple of occasions I haven't I have come close to disaster, which might have affected my thinking.
I’m in agreement with the Boff,new tyres on all my bikes,and restorations unless instructed otherwise:thumby:
 
The Question started with a mate who has bought a bike in boxes and it has a pair of 2015 of which the rear is worn out but it also has a brand new 2011 included. Why it's not been used we don't know and that got me looking at my bikes. As it happens he'll probably renew both anyway as he doesn't know the history.
 
My old man restored a velo 500 in the 90s, put the old tubes back in, last run in 74. My how we laughed when he was transported back home on the back of a flat bed with flat tyres. Beautiful restoration otherwise. I still abuse said bike now & then, maybe I should update the tubes?!
 
Funny, but my worst experience was with a Velo to, but considerably earlier, as they had just opened the Forth Road bridge.
The one with the rusty main cables.
Just bought the Velo, and decided to see if it would do the ton on the approach roads to the bridge, which were amount he only bit of dual carriageway around.
It did, but only on the run down to he bridge and I was still doing 90 or so with the toll gates in sight and grabbed a handful of front brake.
At which point the valve pulled out of the tube, the beads came off the rim, and I had to wrestle the bike from the extreme right lane across the 8 or 10 toll gates and through the emergency lane at the left side.
The P0 had repaired a tear in the tube adjacent to the valve with half a dozen push bike patches-----------.
Had it happened anywhere else I might have been in real trouble, and an experience like this does affect your thinking.
The fact that my old man had told me to put decent tires on the bike before I tried to do the ton on it is also still in my mind too-----------.
 


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