As per the title, I need to remove a set of full wets to release the rims for another job. The Tyres are date 46/16 and have done about a dozen laps. Rather than just chuck them, I was wondering if there is enough life in them to put on the Multistrada spare wheels. I would appreciate some thoughts from those that know. Andy
Put each one into a bin liner and seal it, keep them somewhere cool, they'll be like in suspended animation and emerge as they were when you put them away. Heat and sunlight are their enemies
John is right in post 3. Heat and sunlight accelerate the irreversible cross-linking process that eventually makes tyres scrap. The answer to when they will become a liability depends on a lot of factors - how they were stored from new, how old were they when you first used them, how many heat cycles they have had, how long they have been at high temperature, how have they been stored since you used them, and what you do with them now. You can definitely significantly slow the chemical vulcanisation process down by keeping them in a low oxygen, low light and steady low temperature environment. Black bin bags, sealed with minimum air in, kept somewhere cool will really help. It is maybe too obvious to say, but a fingernail test still gives a useful quick read on older tyres. Because wets normally start with a very soft low vulcanised grade of rubber, fresh ones will yield to a fingernail and cut quite easily. As they degrade, the rubber will get tougher until no matter how hard you dig, you can’t make any more than a mark. I would use them for as long as they cut quite easily, but not afterwards for full wet use, though older wets can still make decent inters when the track has a good surface but dries slowly as you can get heat into them and move standing water with the tread pattern, and they won’t rip like fresh wets. When they are tough as old wellies, get rid !
If they are cracked maybe don’t use them. If not, crack on imho. Stick them in the loft maybe if garage is cold ideally.
People don’t seem overly bothered when it comes to wets I’ve ridden on 5 year old wets that weren’t stored with any thought and I didn’t die
If they arent soft to touch (the finger nail test is a good one), dont use them on track as the grip comes from being soft/pliable I thought mine were ok a few years ago, was able to compare them to a new set at the track one day and swapped there and then as just knew mine were old never used old wets off track/road bikes so not sure on that side
Don’t, don’t, don’t store them in your loft. Lofts get really hot in the summer, they’ll be cooking on a daily basis, exactly what you don’t want, heat cycles.
