Storing tires

[Thunderchild]

Anyone have any tips on storing tires or tyres;)?  Recently, I dusted off an old Panaracer rear Spike for winter and noticed cracks around the knobs.  This could be just age as the tire is old, but it has seen little use.  I also noticed one of my IRC studded tires, used for occasional riding the last two winters has cracks around the knobs. This tire is not that old.   I have applied Armour All (supposed to stop plastics, tire rubber, etc. from deteriorating), on treads and  sidewalls.  Hard to say if it had any affect.  

Thunderchild

[Simon]

Don't think there is great deal you can do to prevent this,rubber compounds degrade over time,some compounds obviously degrade at a different rate to others,this could account why some tyres store better than others,
as for storing conditions I think ensuring the tyre doesn't come into contact with direct sunlight is a recommended one,
wifey used to work at a rubber factory manufactoring components for F1 cars and the M.O.D.
parts where stored in darkened,temperature controled room.
Simon.

[Colin]

Yeh, I noticed this "ageing" of tyres which appeared as lots of tiny cracks in the rubber.
I put it down to storing them in my garage, freezing cold in the winter and boiling hot in summer (UK)!
The same thing happened to inner tubes left out there, I went on a ride and got a flat and both my spares were completely useless and persihed.

Funnily enough though, the tyres and Inner tubes that are inflated on rims don't seem to be at all affected..........?

I keep my inner tubes indoors now, but the spare tyres still have to live in the cold, damp garage!

Col.

[Mr.Ed]

An airtight container ( like a vacum sealer) might help, however impractical