I just ordered a set of RS2's from Bike Bandit. The rear tire showed up the next day....looks fine and was made on th 41st week of 2014 - which makes it about 4.5 months old (Cool!).
The front tire showed up a few days later....and has a production date of the 11th week of 2012. That makes the tire almost 3 years old before I even put it on the bike! It is only a few weeks never than the tire I am taking off.
While the fresh rear tire looks great - the front tire has a smudgy dull film that just makes the tire look like it has been sittin in a warehouse for a long time....slowly aging.
I have contacted Bike Bandit where I ordered the tire to return the tire and have them replace it with a fresh one. From everything I have read on this site or others a tire should not be accepted if it is more than 2 years old....even if the tire is new. I think I got really lucky on getting the really fresh tire for the back....I just looked at the Bridgestone Battlax tires I got for my other bike and they were just over a year old when I bought them new. I guess it does take a while to get that stuff in a shipping container, on a boat, and then delivered to a nearbly warehouse - but 3 years just seems to be too long.
Since the front tire most likely will outlast 2 rear tires - I believe the front tire needs to be as fresh as possible when installed.
The front tire showed up a few days later....and has a production date of the 11th week of 2012. That makes the tire almost 3 years old before I even put it on the bike! It is only a few weeks never than the tire I am taking off.
While the fresh rear tire looks great - the front tire has a smudgy dull film that just makes the tire look like it has been sittin in a warehouse for a long time....slowly aging.
I have contacted Bike Bandit where I ordered the tire to return the tire and have them replace it with a fresh one. From everything I have read on this site or others a tire should not be accepted if it is more than 2 years old....even if the tire is new. I think I got really lucky on getting the really fresh tire for the back....I just looked at the Bridgestone Battlax tires I got for my other bike and they were just over a year old when I bought them new. I guess it does take a while to get that stuff in a shipping container, on a boat, and then delivered to a nearbly warehouse - but 3 years just seems to be too long.
Since the front tire most likely will outlast 2 rear tires - I believe the front tire needs to be as fresh as possible when installed.