Originally Posted by
saturnhr
Do you guys think (butyl-) inner tubes age and that rubber decay makes inner tubes more prone to leaks and punctures with time? If so, what time is the estimated half-life of a inner tube (1/2 way gone?)
Do you guys think that the attaching (self gluing of inner tubes to the clincher tire, which we often see in older tire/tubes is a sign of rubber disintegration?
The rubber of tires ages with time and gets harder an brittle, but that is more to exterior exposure- isn't it? Does the same (or different) apply to inner tubes?
Generally, if the tire is okay, the tube shouldn't ever really "age". I've used tubes for years and many, many patches without experiencing any problems with degradation of the tube's rubber. I have, on the other hand, found tubes inside tires that had long since degraded that are also past saving. But those have also seen years of outside exposure and the tires are usually rotted shells.