How Long Do Bike Tires Last in Storage | Detailed Explain

Maybe one of you has bought spare bike tires and stored them in the garage now; you want to know how long do bike tires last in storage? Well, many bike riders ask the same question: how long do bike tires last if you place them in the garage unused?

The answer to your question is they will last a minimum of 4 years and a maximum of 10 years, but this all depends upon the condition you are storing your tires.

Henceforth, always keep the bike tires in a cool and dark place to prevent them from cracking. Apparently, heat and light exposure will make the tire degrade more quickly. But physical factors like size, weight, or thickness of the tires will never affect the Lifespan.

How Long Do Bike Tires Last In Storage And What Factors Affect Them?

Tires with a lifespan of 5 years are safe on the roads, but if you are using a bike tire older than five years, you should get it checked every year. The professionals know everything, so they check for cracks or wear issues.

Many factors cause early deterioration. But if you store your bike tire with all the precautions, it will last even 15 years or more. Those new tires which you have stored in your garage will easily last 4 to 10 years, depending on 2 factors:

Environmental Factors

Various environmental conditions decrease the Lifespan of our bike tires, including Oxygen, UV light, Ozone, and heat damage. Let’s discuss each of these factors in detail.

• Oxygen:

We all know the upper layer of tires is made up of rubber. And the main reason behind the breakdown of rubber is oxygen. Many companies use antioxidant compounds to slow the aging process and prevent the rubber from deteriorating.

But in any case, if the oxygen successfully alters the polymers of the tire, it will result in the following:

1. Rubber will deteriorate
2. The tire will get rigid and brittle.
3. The occasional molecular session will soften the rubber.

The oxidation process works faster in high temperatures, so keep the temperature low in your garage to make the polymer sit healthily. And increase the Lifespan of tires.

• Ultraviolet Light:

The answer to how long bike tires last in storage depends on the condition they stay in the garage. If you place the tires with direct exposure to sunlight, they will absorb all the UV light automatically, and free radical reactions will be initiated.

However, this reaction works precisely the same in all rubber compounds, which is why manufacturers start to add carbon black to the tire. The carbon black work as the absorber of light and convert it into heat. In this way, your tires can live for longer life. But if you keep placing the tire under UV light for a more extended period, the carbon black will also lose its ability, and your tire life will start to decrease again.

• Ozone:

By interacting with the external environment, Ozone will take only a week to crack your tire. The concentration of Ozone is deficient in our environment; it will still be harmful to the tires because of elastomers.

These elastomers are used in a wide range during the manufacturing of tires. Ozone will start to crack the outer layer of tires and then destroy the side walls. That’s why keep your bike tires stored carefully inside the garage with minimum exposure to sunlight.

• Heat Damage:

As we discussed before, high Temperature will increase the process of oxidation. So if you place it at a hot Temperature, the tires will undergo thermo-oxidative degradation. This will increase the speed of the rubber aging process. This is the reason why tires last for shorter periods in hot areas.

Storage Factors

As well as the environmental conditions, storage factors also affect the Lifespan of tires. These storage conditions include Temperature or light, Ozone exposure, humidity, and deformation.

• Temperature or light:

Mainly experts will advise you to store your tires in a cooler place but remember; the Temperature shouldn’t go below 32 degrees or more than 77 degrees. However, where you are keeping the tires should not have indirect or even direct exposure to light, which can generate UV rays.

• Ozone exposure:

Many pieces of equipment can generate artificial Ozone. So always remember not to put equipment like electric motors, fluorescent lamps, or generators in the same storage place. Also, things that can make any electric discharge are harmful to place in the same storage room.

• Humidity:

Humidity can also affect the Lifespan of your bike tires, so avoid placing any water source in the storage place. Hence, the tires exposed to humidity have a short lifespan, so make sure to put your bike tires in a relatively dry place.

• Deformation:

Do you want to store your bike tires but need to know how long do bike tires last in storage? If you place your bike tires vertically but a bit elevated from the ground, it will reduce the pressure on the tires. Ensure not to place tires above 6 feet if the storage room is already full. This will minimize the stress on the side walls of the bottom tires by increasing their life span.

How To Store Bike Tires?

Most of us don’t live in those places where we can ride our bikes all year. Hence, there comes a season when we must store our bikes in the garage. Here comes the question of how long these tires can stay in storage rooms.? It depends on the way you are keeping your bike. Without delay, here are the tips which will guide you on how to store bike tires so they can have a long lifespan.

• Step 1: How to Clean the tires?

So, the first thing you will do before placing the bike in the garage is to clean out any dirt, grim or gravel. Many experts advise making a mixture of soap and water and applying it with a tire brush. But some bike riders also say that only water is enough.

However, while cleaning, scrutinize the tires to see any wear or tear and then dry the tire completely.

A prevalent method of the tire is to wrap them in an air-tight plastic bag like a lawn or leaf bag. Secure the bag tightly using a tap; this will block the UV penetration and reduce the penetration of waxes and oils, which are beneficial for the tire.

Usually, this method is used by many tile sellers, who secure the tires in the same way and place them on the shelves for two to three months.

• Step 2: Where to Store Your Bike Tires?

Many experts recommend storing your bike tires in an area where there is no light, the place is arid, and doesn’t allow extreme heat or cold.

There is no specific place where you must place the tires; even if you have available space like any cabinet, drawer, closet, or even under a bed, you can put your tires there. However, the only thing you depend on is the climate conditions of the area where you live.

On the other hand, if the place where you are going to place your tires has an open window or any vent, you are automatically giving space for UV rays to enter.

Specifically, if you store your bike tires in the basement, again, it depends on the area where you live. Of course, this will solve your temperature issues. But mostly, these basements have many ozone-emitting devices, including motors, generators, sump pumps, or even hot pipes.

If you have no choice but to store your tires outside, always remember to store them for a shorter period. And rap them with a waterproof covering that has holes to prevent any moisture.

• Step 3: What Is The Best Method To Store Bike Tires?

The rubber compound used in manufacturing modern bike tires is extra durable and resistant to breakdown. Although, if your tires keep sitting in the oil, grease, gasoline, solvents, or grimy deposits, this will straight cause significant damage to your bike tires.

So how will you store bike tires? How long do they last in storage? This is how you must keep your bike tires, and by following the tips, you can make your bike tires last for years.

• Stacking bike tires:

You can stack bike tires vertically on the ground but never hang them unmounted. Accordingly, if you place cardboard between the tires, it is acceptable, but it will automatically increase the pressure. And if these tires are placed in the same position for longer, it will cause distortion.

• Hanging the tires:

Experts recommend hanging your bike tires on the rim and filling it with pressure. By doing this, you will eliminate the excessive stress and maintain the shape if you are going to store them for a more extended period.

You can hang your bike tires on the wall using a large nail or a screw. But what if you hang the tires unmounted? Though if you hang the tires using fiber wire or bead, it’s totally fine. But if you fold your tires, they will crease, droop, or distort them. So it is said to re-fold the tires before storing them.

• Re-folding the tires:

If you have a fiber bread tire, you must unfold it before hanging it with a rim. According to many experts, you can re-fold the tires at the end of the season. You only have to wrap any rubber band or zip tie around the tires and then store them anywhere you want.

Folding the tires is also not recommended if you plan to store them for more extended periods, as the folds can cause breakdown and weaken the rubbers.

FAQs:

Conclusion:

To conclude if you are a biker and bought spare tires and want to store them. Or, in another case, if you live in those places where you can’t ride bikes the whole year, there comes the reason you have to store them in the garage.

For this purpose, you want an answer about how long bike tires last in storage. But all these stored tires stay in the garage only for a couple of years because when used, they are greased regularly, which is suitable for the tires.

However, storing your bike tires properly can even work fine after 6 to 10 years of storage. It is also recommended after 5 years; you have to keep checking the cracks on your tires.