Originally Posted by
Digger Goreman
My darling wife contends that a tube has a shelf life of a year, or two, before it starts deteriorating. I disagree....
Right, wrong, or in the middle... and why?
Like most things, it depends. Others are correct about the various reasons they can deteriorate. Something they haven’t addressed is that they can weaken at sharp folds...corners are really bad for just about anything. Another issue could be deterioration of the box. Boxes are made of paper that becomes acidic as it ages. The longer it is in the box, the harder it is on those corners.
On the other hand, if they are stored without sharp folds and corners, they can last much longer. I’ve seen bikes from the 80s with original tires...the tires are essentially threads held together by crumbly rubber...with tubes that are perfectly good.
However if you are storing tubes for 10 years without using them, it’s technically hoarding.