My experience with Conti Competition is that they are bomb proof. I installed some on some wheels in 1990 and only replaced them in 2003 because I was looking for a faster tire, they were still OK. I think the butyl tubes makes them last longer than tires like Vittoria that have latex tubes.

What I would do is pump them up to 130+ psi and leave them for a few days and see if they hold up. If they do, you're good to go. If you can get your pump to get that high, go to 150psi and see what happens. If the tires hold up from that I wouldn't have any problem using them.

FYI rubber has a shelf life like most foods (there are exceptions like mustard). Even car tire manufacturers recommend replacing old rubber greater than 7 years old (no matter the amount of remaining tread) as the composition breaks down making the material brittle and prime to cracking. You lose that soft supple feeling that gives you the grip on the road.

Maybe your tires are ok but ask yourself is it with the risk to avoid spending money on a new tire?

Maybe I'll buy new tires and use the old ones as spares in case of a flat.

Now I just have to source a set of 650s here in Canada...

The fact that you've stored the bike in a cool dry basement will extend the life expectancy,
I'd keep them, and give them a visual inspection before you ride.

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res, non verba

This is very interesting. Do you have a link? There was a story in Velonews (I think) back when he-who-shall-not-be-named was racing. Supposedly his tires cured in some guys basement for 7 years. I searched, but did not find the article.

it's a moot point for conti comps as that tire is stiff as hell even when new

No specific link but do a search. It is well known amongst the car enthusiasts about old tires. Especially on fun cars where you put less than a few thousand miles in tires over a long period of time (3-7 years+ at times).

Probably. But my example was based on car tires. You see guys and their weekend)track cars with racing rubber. But hardly drive it so the tires start to degrade due to age.

Not my tires so results may vary but at that age it's worth considering replacement. I was actually thinking about replacing the tires on my mtb soon for this reason. Tires are over 6 years old but have plenty of tread left since I only ride it a few times a year now.

I bought a pair of them & used them on the wheels at Wildflower--flatted before I even got to the transition area on the way down from the campground. Two weeks later, the other one flatted at a different race, different state (they were clear of debris on the treads). Last time I bought Conti Competition tyres. While not as fast, I've mixed up TUFO (slower but durable as hell), and Vittoria Corsa CG or CX as my tyre choice. I'd rather take a better roll of the dice to stay in the game using a slower but more durable tyre than save a few watts and flat out in a travel race when more $$ has been invested. As a result, I have never flatted out of any race using either of these.

FWIW, I have not replaced the TUFO in 7 years (only 2 little shallow nicks & have had the current Vittoria tyre for 4 years). Still running strong.

As an FYI - at this year CX Worlds - there were hundreds of flats - but the winner rode on some tires the father had in his basement for over 12 years and they did not flat- so odds are if they have not been exposed to too much daylight - you should be OK

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Graham Wilson
USAT Level III Elite Coach
http://www.thewilsongroup.biz