Vintage Tire Care
05-09-18, 01:20 PM
#1
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Vintage Tire Care
Whats the best way to maintane a vintage tire from rotting? I live a hot place, someone told me to put some vaseline on the tire to help the rubber from cracking. Any advice? Thanks!
05-09-18, 01:34 PM
#2
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Interesting question. Not a clue as to the answer. Subscribing!
05-09-18, 02:04 PM
#3
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On the bike, or in storage?
05-09-18, 02:13 PM
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Hermetically sealed in an impermeable container containing a noble gas (e.g. helium). Anything short of that isn't going to work. However, you said "vintage tire". That means it is already too late to undo any dry rot that has already happened.
05-09-18, 03:13 PM
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303 Aerospace protectant or even Armor All helps against UV. I used both over the years to keep the vinyl & rubber on my 1980 Mercedes diesel looking good. I think the 303 was best and used it exclusively in recent years. Don
05-09-18, 04:31 PM
#6
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+1 303 protectant is good stuff to have around, especially in hot areas. I think I did my bike tires with it once. Kind of tedious, but might be a good idea if they are to stay on for more than a year.
05-09-18, 04:33 PM
#7
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Keep them out of humidity and UV (sun) light.
And if they are badly cracked, don't ride on them.
And if they are badly cracked, don't ride on them.
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05-09-18, 05:23 PM
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Can I ask why you would want to preserve a consumable and not get a new tire? For myself rolling down the road on "all original " rubber, brake pads, and cables would not give me much piece of mind, I would constantly wonder when my 40 year-old side walls would blow out, or if the less than supple brake pads would arrest my forward progress, but then I did take old Nishiki out on a 2 mile ride once and what started as a 10 speed was a 1 speed on my return due to frayed cables. YMMV.
Last edited by ryansu; 05-09-18 at 07:14 PM.
05-09-18, 05:25 PM
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And if they are badly cracked, don't ride on them.
The bang sound looked like this...
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05-09-18, 05:51 PM
#10
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My 84 Stumpjumper came with a set of Ground Control tires. I thought they were pretty cool. I put a bunch of miles on them, even though they looked kind of... kreepy. One day I was riding to my brother in law's house, and I saw what I thought was a leaf stuck to the front tire... after a few rotations of it not coming off, I noticed it was rubbing against the fork- and I thought I'd run over some dog poo and then the leaf. When I stopped- I saw that the sidewall had split, and the inner tube was sticking out the side of the tire like a big thumb. I ended up walking the rest of the way to my BIL's house.
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05-09-18, 06:20 PM
#11
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These Turbo S's are over 20 years old. They've been mounted on the wheels for tha
t long, on the bike, hanging up a a spare room. No cracking or rot, just a little discoloration in the skinwalls. No special treatment. Would you ride on them?
t long, on the bike, hanging up a a spare room. No cracking or rot, just a little discoloration in the skinwalls. No special treatment. Would you ride on them?
05-09-18, 06:49 PM
#12
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Dangerous discussion only because I don't want to be liable for what I say may or may not work for you.
I use a few coatings of campers seam sealer on the sidewalls only. There's a number of brands that mostly suffice the same, but I like to use the type packaged as liquid in a bottle with built in applicator. Use generously.
I use a few coatings of campers seam sealer on the sidewalls only. There's a number of brands that mostly suffice the same, but I like to use the type packaged as liquid in a bottle with built in applicator. Use generously.
05-09-18, 07:44 PM
#13
Actually oxygen in our environment will cause them to deteriorate after some time. UV and ozone accelerates deterioration. Best way to preserve then is in a vacuum and in the dark, away from any electric motors..........maybe we can send our bikes to outer space storage on the dark side of the moon??...... I wonder how much that would cost monthly
05-09-18, 10:09 PM
#15
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Just to be blunt about it: riding vintage tires is generally a bad idea. Rubber and cotton decay with time. There are things you can do to make tires last longer, but after a few years have gone by, they really should be display only.
05-10-18, 07:25 AM
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My milage is now down to ~4,000 a year and with 17 bikes in the hanger in AZ I have had to deal with this. Best I found is what we use for C&V autos Aerospace 303 as mentioned above. One nice thing about the problem is tires have gotten a lot better ride and flat protection when they do need changing.
05-10-18, 01:55 PM
#20
Senior Member
I live a hot place, someone told me to put some vaseline on the tire to help the rubber from cracking. Any advice?
