Beaded Edge Tyres

[JFerg]

My bike as 26 x 3 beaded edge tyres fitted.

There's a very good chance that they've been on it since it was built in 1968; 43 years ago.  Certainly they are well cracked along the walls; myriad fine cracks parallel with the rim.   Although I have not ridden it in the wet, these tyres have never given me any cause to doubt, and never a fright.

However... I have had experience of  a car with 25 year old tyres that was fine-ish in the dry and undriveable in the wet due zero traction.

Should I replace these tyres?  What is the collected experience with BE tyres?

JFerg

[Rex]

Likely as hard and glassy as Thatcher's heart. Knowing how much more pleasant it is to ride on tyres which perform as they should (especially in the wet)  I'd change them without a second thought.

[R]

Time to build a display model using those tyres, and get some new ones. ?

Tyres with fine cracks like that will not pass a roadworthy, so are not legal.
I've had a vehicle roadworthy rejected for that reason  ( I knew that, but wasn't going to fit new tyres unless the rest of it passed)(later tyres, not even beaded edge type).

Having a tyre blow and come off a rim is not pleasant with a beaded edge, since the tyre can escape and jam up the front wheel = a good reason why well-base safety rims became popular ?

Someone was commenting that tyres with long lasting nylon sidewalls may be the go, or are what is needed to be manufactured,  since the tyres 'wear out' just sitting around.  Not entirely sure if this is possible...

Opethiselps.

[esometisse]

they still built bikes with beaded edge tyres in 1968? That's a new one on me! Or do you mean "rebuilt"? What bike are we talking about?
Using tyres more than a decade old on motorcycles is never a good idea - throw them out!

Cheers
Andy

[JFerg]

Thanks.

New tyre on order today...

JFerg