I have a pair of never installed Schwalbe tires that have been hanging up for about 10 years in my dark humid basement. They have not seen the light of day in all that time. When I examine them upstairs in daylight, they look to the human eye to be as good as new and they are not crumbling into dust like Imhotep. Is there a way to tell whether they're in any danger of failing, perhaps by examining them under a magnifying glass or by twisting them and listening? Or should I just put them in the trash to be safe?
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1Duplicate of Is 13 years too old for an otherwise new-condition tire? – David D Aug 19 '22 at 20:48
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Look for signs of fungus growth, and look for cracks due to aging. (Flex the tires quite a bit to provoke cracking if it's going to happen.) – Daniel R Hicks Aug 19 '22 at 23:30
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2Many people ride 10+ year old bikes on their original tires. While not as safe as a new tire, probably much safer than the tires many people ride on. Given they have been inspected, probably safer than a tire tire that has not been inspected since its last outing. – mattnz Aug 20 '22 at 04:02
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I ride a folding bike which still has its first set of tires and tubes, 20 years mine, not often ridden and needing a bit of air every now and again. I would not hesitate to use 10 year old tires. – Willeke Aug 20 '22 at 09:54