....if inner tubes have a maximum shelf life?

[LittleGreyCat]

Having changed my first tire in yeah these many years, I used an inner tube from stock.
This must be 5-10 years old, I estimate.
The tyre is deflating slowly over several days.
I will obviously take the tyre off and check the inner tube for any obvious pinches, and also to see it the valve has a slow leak.
However I am wondering if these (Halfords) inner tubes have an effective "use by" date.

If so I could probably save myself a certain amount of aggro by ordering some new.

[531colin]

10 year old tubes will be synthetic “butyl”; unless you bought expensive “latex” (ie rubber) tubes.
…. I’m still using some marked 27x11/4 inch!

[Aikon]

I’ve found unused tubes stored as they were bought can have quite a short shelf life, five years for some I found perished recently.

[cycle tramp]

I think it depends how they are stored... the inner tubes I have fitted on my bike are definitely more than ten years old

[tatanab]

I recently binned several quality brand tubes that were stored in my shed. Still folded as when new, they had cracked and split along the fold --- the longitudinal fold. Certainly at least 5 years old.

As Aikon said "stored as they were bought". Perhaps that is the key.

[mattsccm]

Storage conditions both before and after you bought them plus a dozen other variables surely?
Inner stubes are hardly high quality items. Even the most expensive and bespoke will be knocked out by the million somewhere in the far east. Can't imagine quality control is the biggest priority and more than with toilet paper. Some maybe but lots? Nope.

[853]

I think it depends how they are stored... the inner tubes I have fitted on my bike are definitely more than ten years old

I don't doubt this at all, as only a few years ago I replaced one from the mid 1980s - and then it was because the valve had failed.

Is there, however, an optimum way to store unused inner tubes? Is temperature and humidity important? Should they be taken out of their packets and unfolded? All sincere questions, as I have a large stash

[peetee]

Every couple of years I inspect the tubes in the saddlebags of all my bikes.
Some show signs of failing but I couldn’t say accurately how old they are or what brand.
I have a fair few spare tubes but these are stock for my repair business so none are more than a couple of years old.

[Barrowman]

Storage optimum is I believe in the dark and not too warm . Same for tyres.

[Chris Jeggo]

Storage optimum is I believe in the dark and not too warm . Same for tyres.

+1. I have never had a Michelin butyl tube die of old age.