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I've had a 2.3 spesh butcher grid gripton in the shed for a while. I used it for the first time today on the front and had a big slam. It just let go on a dry, slightly off camber gritstone slab, although the tyre was wet. No warning and I was down.
I thought gripton was supposed to be grippy? This is an older tyre that pre dates the t7/t9 versions ( which have been brilliant) and has the older tread pattern. Examining it afterwards, and the rubber seems very hard compared to my other t9 version.
The tread is virtually unused, so my question is, does rubber have a shelf life, and if so, what is it? Anyway, lost confidence in it now and it's coming off the bike.
Rubbers can age harden due to exposure to heat, ozone, sunlight and certain chemicals - manufacturers suggest a tyre life of 3-6 years
does rubber have a shelf life, and if so, what is it?
Yes, but it depends on how it's stored. Still, losing grip on an off camber slab with a wet tyre isn't surprising. Why was the tyre wet? What pressures were you running? Etc, etc. The tyre might be past its best, but age alone won't be all that affects it.
Tyre was wet due to an earlier puddle. It's a trail I've ridden loads before, never an issue in the dry or wet so I can hit it at speed with confidence. Today was very unexpected as if the slab was covered in ice.
Thanks for the above replies re shelf life.Â
I've had similar with an old Michelin DH24, used to love them and was made up when I found an unused one in the back of the tyre mountain. I think it was 10+ years old, and had gone rock hard with none of the soft squidgyness which used to make them excellent
Keep tyres in a cool, dark and dry place
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Yes, i had a set that the tread just turned to dust when i took them out of the box. They weren't stored well.
I have other sets that have been stored properly that are perfect after ~10 years, stored in a cool corner of the workshop in heavy duty bin liners, temp between 15 and 18 degrees.
And this is why everyone should have a dedicated tyre fridge 🙂
Keep tyres in a cool, dark and dry place
As long as it's not the same place as your washing machine/dryer
its an old griptron tire. Not great in the wet/slippery bits anyway
You only have to look at how car tyres crack and deteriorate to know tyres do go off. I stuck an old Magic Mary (pre-Addix) on my hardtail front wheel, but I would only risk it in the dry, can see it's gone a slightly shiny shade.
First rainfall after a dry period can make everything more slippy
Really soft ones tend to go off faster too, the materials are just a bit more volatile.
So, if you put an old tyre in a ziplock back with a new tyre, surely the old tyre will absorb the oils from the new one and be rejuvenated.
Not had an issue with MTB tyres stored in my dark/no sunlight garage, but road tyres do go off - just crack and fall to bits. I've a set of Snow Studs that are 13 years old - used in winter for commuting, and they are still fine. As has been said, certain tyres could harden a bit.