# How often should inner tubes & rim strips be changed?



## rpm471 (Sep 17, 2008)

My tires are 10 years old and beginning to crack on the sides. Clearly it is time for new tires. However, should I also change the inner tubes and rim strips while I'm at it? FWIW, Continental advises changing tubes and strips with each tire change, and in any event, at least every 3 years. Is this an abundance of caution or legal liability protection?

Thanks to all.


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## DaveG (Feb 4, 2004)

*10 years!*



rpm471 said:


> My tires are 10 years old and beginning to crack on the sides. Clearly it is time for new tires. However, should I also change the inner tubes and rim strips while I'm at it? FWIW, Continental advises changing tubes and strips with each tire change, and in any event, at least every 3 years. Is this an abundance of caution or legal liability protection?
> 
> Thanks to all.


Under normal conditions I don't see a need to change tubes and rim strips. Usually I destroy a tube well before that is an issue. I don't know how you got 10 yesrs out of a tire. Either you ride 200 miles a year or you ride on cotton balls. Getting more than a season out of a tire is a minor miracle for most


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## seeborough (Feb 3, 2004)

rpm471 said:


> FWIW, Continental advises changing tubes and strips with each tire change, and in any event, at least every 3 years. Is this an abundance of caution or legal liability protection?
> 
> Thanks to all.


10 years is a very long time to go with the same tube and rim strip, I'd change it. 
As for Continental, they make tubes, tires and rim strips. Like Valvoline telling you to change your oil every 3 months or 3000 miles, they will 'recommend' you change the tube and rim strip as often as possible. 
3 years sounds more reasonable.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

I'd change the tubes as well as the tires if they're 10 years old. I'm kind of a high mileage rider, and usually go through one front and two or three rears in one season. I'll use up another set during the winter months. I almost never change the tubes under these conditions. If they've flatted and have 3 or more patches, I'll trash them for new tube. Depending on what kind of rim strips/tape you have, I think it's important to change them every year. I use Velox rim tape & I've had problems with flats on the inside of the tubes if I don't change the tape on approx. a yearly basis. It only costs a couple of bucks.


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## muscleendurance (Jan 11, 2009)

*when they need to be.*

To some people thats one flat (new tube throw away) and for others they patch it 10 times, it just depends how much your willing to pay for convenience really.
The words bike and need dont belong in the same sentance, unless you need one to get to work, or need to ride a bike to stay sane, everything else is just degrees of want, and *jones'*
mentality (which we ALL at some time or other go along with)


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

monthly


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## jmlapoint (Sep 4, 2008)

Wow! A Tire lasting 10 years may qualify for some kind of Record.
I go through 2-3 Tires a year.
Pitch a Tube after 3-4 Patches.
Change my Velox Rim Tape every Year.
January = New Chain and New Rim Tape.


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## Fredrico (Jun 15, 2002)

*mileage not time.*

A tire lasts about 2000 miles. A tube can go three times that long. It's protected by the tire from cuts as well as dry rot. A NYC bike club used to have a contest to see how many patches a rider could tolerate. The winner was 9. I don't know how many tires that tube went through, probably at least two.

Responses here might suggest weight has alot to do with flats caused by rim strips loosening up on the access holes to the spoke nipples. I weigh 160 # and have never had problems with Velox rim strips. They're at least 8 years old, 3000 miles a year, so each run about 24,000 miles. I'll probably replace the strip when I rebuild the rim.

I get nervous carrying a spare tube more than a year or so, remembering once repairing a flat with a spare that had a hole in it caused by the tire levers rubber banded to it in the sandwich bag. Never had a patch fail, though.


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## baker921 (Jul 20, 2007)

10 years! You deserve a new bike!


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## Charlie2Ba (May 28, 2009)

If you're changing out the 10yo tires I'd go ahead and change out the tubes and rim strips/rim tape as well...cheap preventive maintenance and might save you a long walk home. I was changing tires on an older bike for someone a few years back and the valve stem actually pulled out of the tube so I decided to change the tubes out too, and re-taped the rims while I was at it.


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