Originally Posted by
MidTNBrad
If I purchase a set of tires today and don't put them on a wheel until this time next year, will the tires deteriorate? If they sit in a garage in their original packaging, will they start to dry-rot, become brittle, or loose some of their suppleness?
It depends.
1 year is not a problem, in proper conditions. Being in the
garage, , ,
might be a problem, if it is not climate-controlled.
Many technical references online say that 5-7 years is the maximum shelf life of latex rubber products, with some higher-stress uses advising much shorter times. There is usually at least some latex used in most bicycle tires.
UV (sunlight) ozone (from brushed motors) and oxygen (hotter = faster) all damage rubber over time. Store them in a plastic bag, somewhere cool, in the dark, and store them where they will not be crushed.
Tires stored compressed will develop cracks; tires with any cracks exposing the casing threads are considered damaged and should be replaced. Many sites with info about car, motorcycle and RV tires tell you this.