A long time ago, probably 10-12 years, I grabbed a brand new set of Serfas Drifter tires, tags still on, at a gear swap sale. As far as I can tell they are most similar to the ones at the link below. I never put them on my bike – I ride a Surly Straggler, which I had just picked up not long before that time with surly's stock gravel tires – and so they went in the back of my gear storage closet, which seems to grow in complexity every year no matter where I live, and were basically forgotten.
Fast forward over a decade and a long journey through back problems and lifestyle changes and I am starting to claw my way back into cycling. I live in a city nowadays and am thinking I may swap those tires on to my bike, but realized I have no idea whether a 10+ year old set of tires is even safe to use based on their age alone. Does time – even with zero use – cause defects or degradation in tires? Anything I should look for / be concerned about? Or am I good to go?
https://www.serfas.com/shop/products/tires/drifter-city-ctr/?radius=25
(edit: I forgot to add the link.)
by Upbeat_Emotion777
5 Comments
They might have dry rot. Inspect them. Any cracks, are they still soft/pliable?
As long as they were stored away from sunlight and chemicals (like, even acetone in a bottle will gradually kill rubber), they should be fine.
Visually inspect for cracking and peeling. Ride carefully at first, check that the beads stay set. After that, forget about ’em.
If they look good, then they’re good.
Tires do age, even if they’re sitting in the garage, so the rubber likely isn’t as supple as when they were new, but if they work, they work.
In general, yes they can degrade a bit but it could vary. They might feel harder and more brittle/less rubbery (supple) but that doesn’t mean they aren’t safe to ride. You might find the sidewalls are more prone to cracking but you won’t know until you’ve mounted them or ridden them a bit. They might feel less grippy on the road and they might also be prone to wearing out faster.
With knobby tires, I’ve found that the knobs are more easily chipped off vs. just gradually getting worn down. Not applicable in your case since that is a commuting tire with low profile tread.
Yes, tyres degrade over time. It’s a natural process that you can slow with correct storage. In the dark with minimised temperature cycles. But you can’t stop it.
Check them for pliability, any signs of cracking, I wouldn’t use them. 10-12 years is a long time.
I remember following a friend who’d just put on some “new” tyres he got a bargain on. But then he’d had them hung on a garage wall for x years. The first time he braked hard for a corner, I saw the tyre throw of a puff of dust! Leaving a noticeable flat spot.
Keep an eye on them. Perhaps trial hard braking in a straight line somewhere safe and controlled. Just to be sure.