Bicycle Mechanics - Slime innertubes....do they work?

Anyone seen these? I was looking at those bands that you put between the tube and tire to keep thorns and such from puncturing a tube, when i noticed the Slime innertubes with that gel-like stuff inside. I had some tires on my car like that by uniroyal........pucture proof tires.

So does anyone know how well these tubes work if at all?

dazco,

I have never used the slime innertubes, but I think that a lot of people don't think that slime is very effective against certain types of punctures, especially on the road. Some also complain that the slime can mess around with the valve on the tube, especially prestas. Try a search on this site. Theres a ton of stuff about Slime and other tire sealants that some think work better.

-Moab

thanks.......i'll search. Maybe i'll just get one of those small cans of sealant.

Slimed tubes gave me OK results but slimed tubes and a tire liner worked even better.
Slime can be quite messy if you do get a bad leak.

Lately I've been using thorn resistant tubes with good results. They are about 3x thicker than standard tubes. No mess either.

Just read a ton of stuff i searched for both here and google. My final decision after reading lots about slime, tire liners, thick tubes and puncture resistant tires.........Just carry a spare tube.

What the heck.....it's simple to change a tube, and you have no problems like some of these products seem to cause such as sliced tubes(liners) or added weight to the wheels(slime) not to mention that many people found no benefits over a regular tire and tube.

I may opt for a thicker tube tho. Some said they had many less flats, and since there seem to be no dis-advantages to them i may try them. But i'll still carry a spare tube.

By the way, do they make a pump like the ones for your shocks that will also work for tires? Or do all shock pumps do double duty?

Tried it all.Even liners,thorn resistant tube,slime.Still got flats.Carry a spare tube and patch kit.

I found the 'thornproof' tubes way too heavy. I have tried the Blackburn slime tubes with mixed results. Most of my flats are pinch flats and the slime does nothing for them. I have been through 3 on the rear, but still using the original on the front (after patching it once). The good thing about the slime is that even if it does go down, if the hole is small enough you can just pump it up and spin it to spread the slime and away you go. Doesn't always work unfortunately. The other thing that puzzles me about these tubes is that they are marked 1.5-2.2 but only look like 1.5, thus in a 2.2 they would have to stretch an awful lot. Seems like too big of a size range to me. I have also tried the liners without much success, and oh what a pain to install!

My use of slime ended with a green streak up my back.

In my own experience commuting I found the Slime tubes to be worth thier wieght in gold. Here in southern Colorado, we have literally billions of "Bull Head" thorns all over everything. These things are hardy and will grow anywhere there is the smallest amount of dirt, even in cracks in the asphalt. They are particularly bad in the summer and fall after they have dried out and hardened. The slime tubes seal this type of puncture very effectively. Before I got them it was not uncommon for me to have to patch two or three punctures per week. It didn't take long before I had more patch than tubes in my tires. I would say they are worth trying at least.

About a month ago, after many "goathead thorn" flats, I went with BikeNashbar self sealing tubes and Slime tire liners. So far so good. If you go with the self sealing tubes or Slime sealant, use a rolling pin to evenly distribute the sealant inside the tube before putting the tube in the tire. The stuff is thick, and doesn't always evenly distribute itself just from tire rotation.

From my experience with slime, I'd say that it isn't worth it, unless you live in parts of the western US where goathead thorns are common. Slime is not very effective on larger holes, and it oozes grean cr@p out all over the place. Don't even consider using slime on any tyre pumped over 50 psig-it's going to become a green geyser if you do! If you need sealant for road tubes, Tufo sealant does work, although it is more costly. Don't even consider slime for road bike use.

Lots of opinions on slime. It has worked for me, on my 20" slicks at 90 psi on my 'bent. I once hit something, heard about three little psst-psst-psst sounds, and the leak sealed up. Sure beat fixing a flat in the heat and mosquitoes!

Some folks hate the stuff, some can't live without it. It depends a lot on where you ride and what type of puncture you may get. Mountain bikers and commuters tend to like the stuff, roadies not.

Originally posted by KnightWhoSaysNi
My use of slime ended with a green streak up my back.
:D :D are we back to the snot-rocket thread :D

Originally posted by dazco
Anyone seen these? I was looking at those bands that you put between the tube and tire to keep thorns and such from puncturing a tube, when i noticed the Slime innertubes with that gel-like stuff inside. I had some tires on my car like that by uniroyal........pucture proof tires.

So does anyone know how well these tubes work if at all?

Instead, use a better quality tire, especially Specialized Armadillo technoilogy, which is pretty close to impervious. It is now available in road tires, mtn bike tires and slocks.