How long do tires last?

[Bunker]

Is there an accepted life limit on tires that haven't worn out? Assuming a bike that hasn't been ridden much, when would you replace tires because they are 'old?' 3 years? 5 years? 10? When they turn to black dust on the rims?

Tnx.

[marc]

I suspect the particular brand/make of tire has something to do with it. I replaced tires on my vintage bike because handling got wonky, apparently due to the tires. I say that because the problems went away with the new tires even though the old tires had lots and lots of tread left. The tires I replaced had been on the bike a bit more than 4 years.

[ca1ic0cat]

Apparently the tires start to harden quite a bit after four years. Unfortunately this is the type of problem that you usually learn about when you lowside out from loss of grip. When it comes to tires I lean toward "better safe than sorry."

[AdamWebber]

Tire Safety Boards recommend that American tires be replaced if they are at least 10 years old. In Europe they recommend 6 years. This doesn't guarantee that 10-year old tires are worn out. The actual deterioration of the tires is different for all compounds of rubber. But I wouldn't put my life on a 10-year old tire.

Tire dealers should not have tires on their shelves for more than 2 years and tires should never be sold if they have been in storage for 6 years. You can tell how old the tire is by checking the date stamp. It's a square box that contains 4 numbers. The first two are the week of manufacture. The last two are the year of manufacture. If your date stamp only has 3 digits in it then your tires are at least 12 years old.

In my opinion, if the tire shows any signs of deterioration by cracking, rotting, warping or hardening, the tire should be replaced. After all, tires are cheaper than helmets, gear and medical expenses.