Tubes: Shelf Life?

Just had an interesting experience with my FS - which I haven't
ridden more than three times in the past couple of years.

Neighbor hates hills and we're on the crest of a big one, so when
I ride with him it's always a car to get to where he prefers to
ride...

In this case we did a couple of hours along a river and then put
the bikes on the car's rack and headed home.

When we arrived home, my FS's rear tube had a 3-4" rip in it
along the seam that bears on the wheel with about an inch rip on
each side perpendicular to the longer rip.

Not something anybody would want happening on the front wheel
while descending at speed....

I have no clue how old this tube was - but I only trash a tube if
the valve pulls out or something else unrepairable happens to it
- so it was probably pretty old, as in maybe more than 5 years.

So... That begs a question.

Does anybody assign a shelf life to their tubes. i.e. just trash
them on GP's once they are older than N years?
--
Pete Cresswell

On Feb 21, 7:59*am, "(PeteCresswell)" wrote:
Just had an interesting experience with my FS - which I haven't
ridden more than three times in the past couple of years.

Neighbor hates hills and we're on the crest of a big one, so when
I ride with him it's always a car to get to where he prefers to
ride...

In this case we did a couple of hours along a river and then put
the bikes on the car's rack and headed home.

When we arrived home, my FS's rear tube had a 3-4" rip in it
along the seam that bears on the wheel with about an inch rip on
each side perpendicular to the longer rip.

Not something anybody would want happening on the front wheel
while descending at speed....

I have no clue how old this tube was - but I only trash a tube if
the valve pulls out or something else unrepairable happens to it
- so it was probably pretty old, as in maybe more than 5 years.

So... *That begs a question.

Does anybody assign a shelf life to their tubes. *i.e. just trash
them on GP's once they are older than N years?

I usually try to replace presta tubes every couple years due to the
valve attachment being vulnerable to deterioration. Schraders I'll use
indefinitely. Never had a problem with age other than the valve area
of prestas. Probably just a bad tube in your case is all.

On Feb 21, 8:59*am, "(PeteCresswell)" wrote:
Just had an interesting experience with my FS - which I haven't
ridden more than three times in the past couple of years.

Neighbor hates hills and we're on the crest of a big one, so when
I ride with him it's always a car to get to where he prefers to
ride...

In this case we did a couple of hours along a river and then put
the bikes on the car's rack and headed home.

When we arrived home, my FS's rear tube had a 3-4" rip in it
along the seam that bears on the wheel with about an inch rip on
each side perpendicular to the longer rip.

Not something anybody would want happening on the front wheel
while descending at speed....

I have no clue how old this tube was - but I only trash a tube if
the valve pulls out or something else unrepairable happens to it
- so it was probably pretty old, as in maybe more than 5 years.

So... *That begs a question.

Does anybody assign a shelf life to their tubes. *i.e. just trash
them on GP's once they are older than N years?
--
Pete Cresswell

I've patched 40 y/o tubes from old Schwinns without issue, and have
the feeling you have too. Someone correct me if I'm inaccurate or just
wrong, I think that the older tubes were butyl, and newer ones are
latex or have more latex content or come out of the molds
differently.

Anyway, I've pulled newer tubes that seemed to have a weak seam, like
a crack. I chalked them up to a bad batch of tubes, shaking my fists
about overseas manufacturing and QC and etc, but it's also quite
possible that I was blocking out memories of riding a flat or
aggressive installation or something.

On 21 feb, 14:59, "(PeteCresswell)" wrote:
Just had an interesting experience with my FS - which I haven't
ridden more than three times in the past couple of years.

Neighbor hates hills and we're on the crest of a big one, so when
I ride with him it's always a car to get to where he prefers to
ride...

In this case we did a couple of hours along a river and then put
the bikes on the car's rack and headed home.

When we arrived home, my FS's rear tube had a 3-4" rip in it
along the seam that bears on the wheel with about an inch rip on
each side perpendicular to the longer rip.

Not something anybody would want happening on the front wheel
while descending at speed....

I have no clue how old this tube was - but I only trash a tube if
the valve pulls out or something else unrepairable happens to it
- so it was probably pretty old, as in maybe more than 5 years.

So... *That begs a question.

Does anybody assign a shelf life to their tubes. *i.e. just trash
them on GP's once they are older than N years?
--
Pete Cresswell


After 5 patches I toss the tube. Gives a shelf live of about 2 years.
Works for me.

Lou

Per landotter:
I usually try to replace presta tubes every couple years due to the
valve attachment being vulnerable to deterioration.

Every time I yank the pump head off of a Presta valve, I wonder
if putting one of those little screw-on rings on the inside as
well as the outside would add to the durability of the valve-tire
connection.
--
Pete Cresswell

On Feb 21, 1:59*pm, "(PeteCresswell)" wrote:
Just had an interesting experience with my FS - which I haven't
ridden more than three times in the past couple of years.

Neighbor hates hills and we're on the crest of a big one, so when
I ride with him it's always a car to get to where he prefers to
ride...

In this case we did a couple of hours along a river and then put
the bikes on the car's rack and headed home.

When we arrived home, my FS's rear tube had a 3-4" rip in it
along the seam that bears on the wheel with about an inch rip on
each side perpendicular to the longer rip.

Not something anybody would want happening on the front wheel
while descending at speed....

I have no clue how old this tube was - but I only trash a tube if
the valve pulls out or something else unrepairable happens to it
- so it was probably pretty old, as in maybe more than 5 years.

So... *That begs a question.

Does anybody assign a shelf life to their tubes. *i.e. just trash
them on GP's once they are older than N years?
--
Pete Cresswell

Good butyl tubes last in excess of 40 years if you avoid mineral oil.

On Feb 21, 6:01*pm, Phil W Lee wrote:
Scott Gordo considered Tue, 21 Feb 2012
07:23:34 -0800 (PST) the perfect time to write:









On Feb 21, 8:59*am, "(PeteCresswell)" wrote:
Just had an interesting experience with my FS - which I haven't
ridden more than three times in the past couple of years.

Neighbor hates hills and we're on the crest of a big one, so when
I ride with him it's always a car to get to where he prefers to
ride...

In this case we did a couple of hours along a river and then put
the bikes on the car's rack and headed home.

When we arrived home, my FS's rear tube had a 3-4" rip in it
along the seam that bears on the wheel with about an inch rip on
each side perpendicular to the longer rip.

Not something anybody would want happening on the front wheel
while descending at speed....

I have no clue how old this tube was - but I only trash a tube if
the valve pulls out or something else unrepairable happens to it
- so it was probably pretty old, as in maybe more than 5 years.

So... *That begs a question.

Does anybody assign a shelf life to their tubes. *i.e. just trash
them on GP's once they are older than N years?
--
Pete Cresswell

I've patched 40 y/o tubes from old Schwinns without issue, and have
the feeling you have too. Someone correct me if I'm inaccurate or just
wrong, I think that the older tubes were butyl, and newer ones are
latex or have more latex content or come out of the molds
differently.

Anyway, I've pulled newer tubes that seemed to have a weak seam, like
a crack. I chalked them up to a bad batch of tubes, shaking my fists
about overseas manufacturing and QC and etc, but it's also quite
possible that I was blocking out memories of riding a flat or
aggressive installation or something.

It's also worth considering that any old tubes with manufacturing
defects will have been discovered and thrown out long ago.
So if you come across a 40 year old tube, it must be a good one.

Probably a Dunlop or Vredestein IME.

On Feb 21, 10:59*am, Lou Holtman wrote:
On 21 feb, 14:59, "(PeteCresswell)" wrote:









Just had an interesting experience with my FS - which I haven't
ridden more than three times in the past couple of years.

Neighbor hates hills and we're on the crest of a big one, so when
I ride with him it's always a car to get to where he prefers to
ride...

In this case we did a couple of hours along a river and then put
the bikes on the car's rack and headed home.

When we arrived home, my FS's rear tube had a 3-4" rip in it
along the seam that bears on the wheel with about an inch rip on
each side perpendicular to the longer rip.

Not something anybody would want happening on the front wheel
while descending at speed....

I have no clue how old this tube was - but I only trash a tube if
the valve pulls out or something else unrepairable happens to it
- so it was probably pretty old, as in maybe more than 5 years.

So... *That begs a question.

Does anybody assign a shelf life to their tubes. *i.e. just trash
them on GP's once they are older than N years?
--
Pete Cresswell

After 5 patches I toss the tube. Gives a shelf live of about 2 years.
Works for me.

Lou

I patch them until the valve tares, or until they explode. I've had
some tubes that looked like collages. I get a kick out of having tubes
with tons of patches. Sometimes I think that if I keep going I would
have a heavy duty tube after a while :-s

wrote:
:On Feb 21, 10:59Â*am, Lou Holtman wrote:
: On 21 feb, 14:59, "(PeteCresswell)" wrote:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
: Just had an interesting experience with my FS - which I haven't
: ridden more than three times in the past couple of years.
:
: Neighbor hates hills and we're on the crest of a big one, so when
: I ride with him it's always a car to get to where he prefers to
: ride...
:
: In this case we did a couple of hours along a river and then put
: the bikes on the car's rack and headed home.
:
: When we arrived home, my FS's rear tube had a 3-4" rip in it
: along the seam that bears on the wheel with about an inch rip on
: each side perpendicular to the longer rip.
:
: Not something anybody would want happening on the front wheel
: while descending at speed....
:
: I have no clue how old this tube was - but I only trash a tube if
: the valve pulls out or something else unrepairable happens to it
: - so it was probably pretty old, as in maybe more than 5 years.
:
: So... Â*That begs a question.
:
: Does anybody assign a shelf life to their tubes. Â*i.e. just trash
: them on GP's once they are older than N years?
: --
: Pete Cresswell
:
: After 5 patches I toss the tube. Gives a shelf live of about 2 years.
: Works for me.
:
: Lou

:I patch them until the valve tares, or until they explode. I've had
:some tubes that looked like collages. I get a kick out of having tubes
:with tons of patches. Sometimes I think that if I keep going I would
:have a heavy duty tube after a while :-s

Me, too. On the other hand, lots of new tubes are crap, made with
inconsistent rubber thickness and very poor valve attachment. I've
seen Shrader valves that tear out of the tube.



--
sig 3

I had a tube in my saddle pack for around 6 months. One day I was going down
woodside road here. I got a flat and took the wheel tire and tube apart. I
was going to patch it, opened the patch kit and the tube cement was dry. You
all may have had patch kit with a dry tube cement. Anyway I also had another
tube, brand new in my saddle pack. I installed it, everything ready. Pumping
and pumping and nothing. I thought the stem was somehow defective. Then my
guess was that it had a hole in it and took it off the rim. I looked at it
and it was ripped along the seams in many places. I had bought it at
Performance bike in Redwood City. I walked a mile in my socks(I wasn't going
to ruin my cleats) to their store and the clerk gave me a new tube free.
The tube was a performance bike tube. I have been buying continental tubes
since. What could it be? Maybe it is the effect of OZONE eating the rubber
somehow. I keep my bike in my garage maybe there is ozone in there.
"(PeteCresswell)" wrote in message
...
Just had an interesting experience with my FS - which I haven't
ridden more than three times in the past couple of years.

Neighbor hates hills and we're on the crest of a big one, so when
I ride with him it's always a car to get to where he prefers to
ride...

In this case we did a couple of hours along a river and then put
the bikes on the car's rack and headed home.

When we arrived home, my FS's rear tube had a 3-4" rip in it
along the seam that bears on the wheel with about an inch rip on
each side perpendicular to the longer rip.

Not something anybody would want happening on the front wheel
while descending at speed....

I have no clue how old this tube was - but I only trash a tube if
the valve pulls out or something else unrepairable happens to it
- so it was probably pretty old, as in maybe more than 5 years.

So... That begs a question.

Does anybody assign a shelf life to their tubes. i.e. just trash
them on GP's once they are older than N years?
--
Pete Cresswell