Tubes with "Slime"

[HomerSimpson]

The slime tubes do work...most of the time.  I use them, and, for example, at the Seweweekspoort MTB ride three weeks ago I picked up a slow leak on the loop at the top of the poort.  Saw several damp spots on the tyre, used the pump to re-inflate and had no further problems.  Took out the tube at home, saw I had three puncture marks (not sure if they all occurred during that ride), put the tube back in and am still riding on it.  On the other hand, two years ago I punctured (not a very large hole) during Lourensford and pumping the tube merely forced the slime out without sealing the puncture.  One of the messier tube changes I have had to do!  With the price of the slime-filled tubes getting ridiculous, (about R90 now) I will probably go tubeless soon. 

[Slipstream Sean]

I purchased 2 new tubes with slime sealant in them, at the season. A 2 or 3 rides and I got a front puncture. Highly pissed of I ripped out my tube to see it was a cut, from glass, which the sealant cant close. I went back to my local bike shop and bought some tyre liners...but only put the tyre liner on the front wheel, and left the slime in the back wheel...and here I am 6 weeks down the line with no more punctures to report...the slime in the rear wheel is doing it's stuff(or perhaps I've just ben lucky) and the tyre liners seem bulletproof. If I get a puncture in the slime tube I'll put the tyre lioner in and let that be that, the tyre liners are lighter than the slime anyway so I reckon thats a much better option.

 

Maybe thats a further topic for discussion:

 

Slime vs Tyre Liners?

  

[Aquatic]

I used tyre liners ,and stops most sharp objects,what whent through was a long shard of glass,and those big acacia tree thorns..the SLIME brand are pretty light

[MaxUmis]

I purchased 2 new tubes with slime sealant in them' date=' at the season. A 2 or 3 rides and I got a front puncture. Highly pissed of I ripped out my tube to see it was a cut, from glass, which the sealant cant close. I went back to my local bike shop and bought some tyre liners...but only put the tyre liner on the front wheel, and left the slime in the back wheel...and here I am 6 weeks down the line with no more punctures to report...the slime in the rear wheel is doing it's stuff(or perhaps I've just ben lucky) and the tyre liners seem bulletproof. If I get a puncture in the slime tube I'll put the tyre lioner in and let that be that, the tyre liners are lighter than the slime anyway so I reckon thats a much better option.Maybe thats a further topic for discussion:Slime vs Tyre Liners???

 

[/quote']

 

 

 

I run tyre liners on my MTB. No punctures since 2001. I would advise against tyre liners in road tyres just because I got punctured twice by the liner it self on my road bike.

[Li Mu Bai]

Slime works well in MTB tubes, no question.

I gave 'Sludge' a go in my road tyres a while back. Had a front tire blow going down The hill into Knysna from plet at about 70km/h on the road bike. After investigating why the Sludge didnt really do much, I noticed it had formed a congealed band in the tube. The 8bar pressure just forced the last bit of wetness out, but the hole stopper latex didnt do its job. So I have concluded that it may be a waste of time in my road tyres.

I have also tried the 'Foam Bomb' (bomb which injects sealent into a road tube) didnt work well in last years race for victory, just took me much longer to get my puncture sorted after I had to fit a new tube anyway, so that gimmick didn't work well either.

In my MTB wheels I use Joes No flats, had punctures in Graskop and Stellenbosch which didnt seal, and needed plugs. Morutuwa made my wheels look like hedgehogs there were so many thorns, but I didnt flat, so the Joes worked very well there.

End of the day it all comes down to luck as you can only do so much to prevent flatting.

MTB = worthwhile, Road = dont bother.

 

[Guy2607]

The slime definitely works. Took the tyres off that were worn and noticed marks all over the tubes where the sealant closed very small punctures. Replaced the tubes with new juiced tubes as well at the same time just to be safe.

[Woofie]

 

I've done about 400km using Specialized's slime road tubes... No punctures so far.

 

Ive done about 3000km without puctures on my roadie without slime.

 

Before that though, I went through a stage of always getting puctures.

So out of desperation I put liquid latex into my tubes.

 

But after a while I realised that something was very wrong when I tried to inflate my one tire.

Eventually I saw that the valve was so blocked up that I managed to break it off the tube and the latex had managed to cover the hole where the valve used to be.

Amazing. But not so amazing, because I couldnt pump up my tire so I had to make multiple puntures through my sidewalls to get the tire to deflate.

 

I havent gone that route again.

 

BUT I have another question.

I will create a new post for it though

 

[PeterM]

 

 

Got up early to a cold but clear Sunday morning, waited till the sun was up and then headed out towards cape point. <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

At <?: prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Kalk Bay I heard a bubbling sound from the front wheel, which surprised me as my ?training wheels? had slime filled Gator Skins.

Stopped and saw the yellow fluid leaking. Straight away turned the wheel to point the hole down so all the slime can seal it. But all it did was form a growing yellow puddle. Other cyclists stopped to check it out and offer help.

I think, the last drop must have sealed it as there was still some pressure left (2-3bar). Now I turned the wheel and I, and the other cyclists could not believe that there was a 18mm cut across the tire and it was 1,5mm open. No point fixing it with a new tube. As I was 24,4km from home I wanted to phone to get picked up, but changed my mind and thought ? let?s see how far I could cycle with this tire.

Going slow and avoiding EVERY stone/gavel/edge I kept on cycling. Well, to my surprise I made it home. Absolutely amazed that the slime and Gator Skin held together.

 

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[Woofie]

 

 

 

Got up early to a cold but clear Sunday morning' date=' waited till the sun was up and then headed out towards cape point.

At Kalk Bay I heard a bubbling sound from the front wheel, which surprised me as my ?training wheels? had slime filled Gator Skins.

Stopped and saw the yellow fluid leaking. Straight away turned the wheel to point the hole down so all the slime can seal it. But all it did was form a growing yellow puddle. Other cyclists stopped to check it out and offer help.

I think, the last drop must have sealed it as there was still some pressure left (2-3bar). Now I turned the wheel and I, and the other cyclists could not believe that there was a 18mm cut across the tire and it was 1,5mm open. No point fixing it with a new tube. As I was 24,4km from home I wanted to phone to get picked up, but changed my mind and thought ? let?s see how far I could cycle with this tire.

Going slow and avoiding EVERY stone/gavel/edge I kept on cycling. Well, to my surprise I made it home. Absolutely amazed that the slime and Gator Skin held together.

 

[/quote']

I had a fairly similar experience with my MTB.

Was just out on a "spin to the beach" when on the way back I heard a hish,,,,hish,,,,,,hish,,,,,,hish.

I knew there was a flat so I looked and there was a pretty big hole.

 

Aimed the tyre down and it lost lank pressure. Eventually I decided to pump and ride, pump and ride the whole way home, only a few km so it was ok.

I thought I would probably need a new tyre.

The next day, go to the garage, cant find the hole.

Tyre still inflated, all fine.

Sometimes slime is just very cool.

 

[Slipstream Sean]

 

 

 

But after a while I realised that something was very wrong when I tried to inflate my one tire.

Eventually I saw that the valve was so blocked up that I managed to break it off the tube and the latex had managed to cover the hole where the valve used to be.

Amazing. But not so amazing' date=' because I couldnt pump up my tire so I had to make multiple puntures through my sidewalls to get the tire to deflate.

 

I havent gone that route again.

 

[/quote']

[Slipstream Sean]

 

 

 

But after a while I realised that something was very wrong when I tried to inflate my one tire.

Eventually I saw that the valve was so blocked up that I managed to break it off the tube and the latex had managed to cover the hole where the valve used to be.

Amazing. But not so amazing' date=' because I couldnt pump up my tire so I had to make multiple puntures through my sidewalls to get the tire to deflate.

 

I havent gone that route again.

 

[/quote']

 

Funny, my rear tyre...with the slime in, is a mission to pump...the sealant is obviously blocking the whole...slime is just so messy, and the nozzle is sticky too and a bitch to turn...I'm refering to my road bike

 

[kosmonooit]

I've been using liners in my mtb tyres for years: they work well. I get the occasional puncture but nothing too distressing.

Question I have for the slime crew: when you have to replace a tube on a ride: you pack one pre-filled with slime? or just a standard so for the rest of the ride so no extra protection?

I am trying slime jobs in my 1st ever road bike ?which is still WIP: got some t00bs pre-slimed so lets see how that goes.?

[Cassie]

Two words for you guys.....Tuuube  Lesssss!!!

 

Try it you'll never look back again!!!

 

OK, so it's a couple more words...

 

[rad006]

And OKO

[PeterM]

 

My LBS told me that when they put slim into a road tyre they also put vaseline into the valve from both sides to stop the slime clogging the valve.

What i also do is to keep the valve pointing at an angle upwards while it is parked at home (and waiting) so that any slime runs back into the tube.

When i struggle to pump it up - all it needs is = take the pumphead (?) off the valve, push with my finger the open valve (quick and hard), air and some slime fluid will come out, then it is okay to pump again. Often i do that even before i pump the tyre - a kind of clearing of the valve throat.

PeterM2009-11-03 01:03:01