Bicycle Mechanics - Slime!

My bike came with Slime-filled tires. I knew this was going to be a problem the first time I put a pressure gauge on the valve stem and some of that green stuff squirted out. Sure enough, after a couple of months I was unable to get any air into the tire. The valve stem must have gotten clogged, but I really didn't want to pull out the core since I wasn't sure how much more of a mess that would create.

My dealer still owed me a free "tuneup" visit, so I just took it in and he said he would replace the tube. I told him OK, but forget the Slime. Anyone else had any experience with this stuff?

As a mechanic I HATE the stuff. I can't tell you how many times I've been "snotted" on by slime filled tubes. I'm guessing you boaught a Giant? When you bring it in ask the LBS for some thorn resistant tubes if your concerned with flatting

As a mechanic I HATE the stuff. I can't tell you how many times I've been "snotted" on by slime filled tubes. I'm guessing you boaught a Giant? When you bring it in ask the LBS for some thorn resistant tubes if your concerned with flatting

I agree on that! A number of years ago in my dirt-biking days (motorcycles) I tried some "flat-preventive" liquid in my tire. Well, I got a flat anyway, and when I dismounted the tire and tube the inside of the tire was such a sticky mess from that s*** that I ended up having to buy a new tire. That's why I was really skeptical when I saw that my bike (yes, a Giant) was using something similar.

And BTW, the Stanley Cup residing in Florida just has to be a fluke! Go Wings!!! (Assuming that there is a season).

Doug near Detroit

Put your tire valve @ either 4 or 8 o'clock when adding or letting out air. This way, your flat-fix fluid-of-choice does not come out the air valve. I've been using fluid in my tubeless set-up since the beginning of last year on 2 mountain bikes. To date, I've had ZERO flat tires. Before this, I would average a flat @ least every other ride.

Hi, I had slime tubes on my road bike. I went on a 70 mile ride and got two pinhole punctures and didn't know till the next day. However the next day the tire was flat. I thought it would be okay because the slime may have settled to one side over night. I pumped up the tire and went for a ride and it would not seal up, ending up walking home and then replacing the tube. :(

I don't think I'd use them again.

I've been using SlimeLite tubes for 6 mos, no flats. The day I switched to non-Slime tubes, I got a flat. Well, I'm back using SlimeLite. By the way, when I install new tires, I install new tubes. Before I check the tires' pressure, I would spin the wheels as fast as I can, by hand. By centrifugal force, this would throw the Slime away from the side of the tube next to the rim. Then, I position the presta valve at the 12 o'clock position. I, then, check the pressure. No Slime gunk comes out of the valve.

I've heard slime goes bad, they don't exactly advertize this, and it may be a source of the slimes bad reputation(not including clogged stems, which is operator error in my veiw). I know slime is actually fine fibers suspended in liquid so maybe it seporates after a while.
Specilized brand of no flat liquid claims that it doesn't ever go bad and I'v seen impressive things from Stans no tubes.

The benefits of Slime or Goo far outweigh the negative. If you know what you are doing you will rarely get it on you. I would never consider riding without it. I prefer riding my bike to sitting on the side of the road patching or replacing a tube.

You shouldn't need to check the tire pressure but once in a blue moon anyway if you use the slimes, the stuff seals the butyl tubes against seepage I had a mtb tire with slime in storage for over nine months and it droped less than 5 psi (It was somewhere around 60psi to begin with and about 57 when I drug it out)

... some thorn resistant tubes if your concerned with flatting


I use Mr. Tuffy or Slime brand tube protector type of liners to prevent puncture flats. I like the idea of the liner preventing a puncture, rather than sealing a puncture. The liners are effective, clean and reuseable. I've received only one puncture in the 4+ years of using these liners. (A very nasty thorn that looked more like a small nail rather than something nature made).

The cons of liners are: 1. they don't protect against pinch flats, and 2. once a year or so, the overlapping "joint" of the liner wears a small hole in the inner tube. To prevent #2, someone suggested I use a piece of electrical tape at the joint to make a smooth transition. The next time this happens, I'll try the tape.

Bottom line, I hate replacing tubes on the side of the trail.

Out here in the desert, I won't ride without slime. Even if it doesn't seal permanently, it will seal enough to get me home. I've had bad luck recently with nails puncturing thru to the rim side of the tube, they can't seal this. Overall, I've had a lot better luck with Specialized AirLock and AirLock thin tubes over slime brand (except none of the LBS carry them anymore). They perform much better, last for many more punctures and seal better. The first one of these I tried I put somewhere in the neighborhood of 80-100 thorn and cactus punctures in and it was still rideable, just went flat every night.

Slime tubes are crap when it comes to road bike application; simply because they will not seal a leak above 60 to 65PSI. I also lived in the desert and I tried the Slime crap because I heard so much about them, only to find out they don't work, and their presta valves are cheap. Now I have used them on a MTB and they work fine for lower pressure MTB tires.

You can still buy Specialize Airlock tubes directly from Specialize at: http://www.specialized.com/SBCEqSection.jsp?sid=04EquipTubesAirlinersAirlock I have never tried these tubes so I have no experience using them.

If you want flat protection then you should go where the rubber meets the road...THE TIRE; Specialize Armadillo is the most flat resistent tire on the market, not only in the tread but also in sidewall protection. When I lived in the desert I tried over a dozen different tire brands to find a tire that would not flat, then I added Mr. Tuffy's then on top of that I added Slime tubes and still averaged 3 flats a week; that's 3 more per week then I needed while commuting. So my LBS recommended the Armadillos and now I have gone over 15,000 miles on these tires without a flat. So would you say I'm sold on the Armadillos? you bet. And I don't care about the fact that the tire weighs more or that it's harsh riding due to it's puncture resistent sidewalls (you can soften the ride up if you don't pump to max 125psi).

And yes, when you have a flat using Slime tubes they will make a mess of the inside of your tire and rim.

If you decide to go with the Armadillo just use a racing tube like Specialize Turbo 65grm tube because the tire does the protecting not the tube. Or if you want a lighter tire you could use a Conti 4 Seasons tire that has 2 flat resistent belts in the 5 ply construction of the tread and they extend one of those flat resistent belts into the sidewall-the only Conti that has this feature. But these tires are a light tire and you may want to add more protection to it like the Airlock tube or a tire liner.

Also if you decide to use a liner they won't rub a hole into your tube IF you first sand the end of the liner that will be touching the tube down to almost paper thin then tapering to normal about 1/2 inch back, and use a thicker normal tube rather then a racing tube.