I got a flat on the front tire of my Zip 404’s last weekend 
the wheels were bought in 2004… only used for racing …4 ironmans and 30-40 other races
not alot of mileage on the tires
the tire was good the the night before and got the race support mechanic to pump up the tire on race morning… It was flat right out of transition but I did not figure it out until I was half way up Knox mountain in Kelowna. It was an olympic race did not carry repair kit and had to walk a couple of km back to transition and my day was done…WAS IT BAD LUCK OR STUPIDITY…
do folks change the inner tube on a regular basis after a period of time…
I always deflate the tires in between races… never thought about changing the tube… any thoughts
They last as long as they hold air 
I have tubes that have lasted years, tubes that have lasted 500M and tubes that never make it past 100PSI.
Check your rim tape.
Sergio
butyl or latex?
When you start looking at that amount of time (assuming they are original tubes from 04) then yes, I have had a number of tubes go bad from time. Usually it will show as a leak right at the valve stem/tube junction, which gets moved around somewhat when you re-inflate.
I’m sure you are probably right… I will change but tubes tonight!
, I have had a number of tubes go bad from time. Usually it will show as a leak right at the valve stem/tube junction, which gets moved around somewhat when you re-inflate.
+1 (Well +10 to 20 if we can count each of the tubes that’s done that to me).
Can be caused by the specific pump to valve connection and the technique used to disengage the pump, but in the end it’s fatigue. Keeping the tyres in the garage with a wide range of temperatures / humidities doesn’t help, but I beleive it’s down to fatigue from reinflation and just from the valve being fixed in the rim and the rest of the inner tube being pulled and gradually trying to drift over time when the tyre’s been on there for a while with no punctures. I tend to put new tubes / tyres on after the longest ride pre taper, so about a month before, and relegate the previous ones to training wheels. I am also pretty lazy, and don’t repair many tubes, so that decreases the average age of the inner tubes.
I have one that came with my road bike in 2006. Still going strong. I have had others that have not made a full week. I just buy 8 or 10 every spring and see how many are left over.
Thats like asking the owl how many licks it takes to get to the center of a charms Loli-pop :o)
.
Thats like asking the owl how many licks it takes to get to the center of a charms Loli-pop :o)
Perhaps time to open the windows before usign the puncture glue…
spoke to a roady friend and he puts new tubes and tires on race wheels every spring and then uses the tires and tubes on the regular training wheels through the season… seems to make sense to me…lesson learned…
new tubes and tires for race wheels to save headaches in races…