Mountain Biking - Do you guys carry cans of tire sealant with you?

I recently got back into mountain-biking and I have been carrying a can of Fix-A-Flat (the pressurized can of sealant designed for emergency repair of automotive tires) with me while out.

Do any of you guys carry these kinds of products while out riding? If not, what alternatives do you recommend? I am running factory 29" tubes and tires, btw.

I hope this isn't a report. I googled for a while and then tried searching on this forum and all I could find was info about "fixing a flat," general tire sealant (the liquid that stays in the tire), and tubeless setups. So, if there are any good threads about carrying or using these types of products on the trail, please just link me to them!

Thank you!

I carried them at one time - until I had to use it. My tire picked up a bunch of sand burrs and I used Fix a Flat. That stuff leaked out everywhere and made a mess. I learned to carry spare tubes and a pump. I also learned about tire liners, and kevlar tires. You may want to look into those things.

I carry tire levers, tube and pump - all in my backpack along with my U-lock and my anaconda. The U-lock is by far the heaviest thing and is essential, so the other stuff is incidental.

Aahh good point. So just be ready to replace the whole tube rather than mess with the sealant? Sounds like a plan!

Thanks :) .

Make sure you always got something though, i did one ride to the top of a mountain for some crazy downhill and i kid you not, exactly at the top when i got off my bike i heard hissing and my tire was gone. had to walk it all the way down :/ i never ride anywhere without a tube, levers and a pump now.

spare tube/pump/tire levers > fix a flat can

Isn't the fix a flat can designed for schrader valves? Won't work with a presta valve unless you have an adapter.

Most of my bikes are set up tubeless but I still carry a spare tube/pump/levers in my camelback.

Yep..I just roll with a pump and tube. Haven't had a flat in a month or two (knock on wood)...actually since I took off my smart sam and put on an excavator.

I do have one of those adapters that the guy at my LBS gave me.

But yeah, my LBS is closed today so I can't find a tube anywhere, but I will pick up a spare ASAP and just go that route. Lighter, anyways!

Thanks, guys!

A tube is better than patches. I hate trying to find a hole in the field. Patch the tube at home.

A tube is better than patches. I hate trying to find a hole in the field. Patch the tube at home.
+1

I carry a few patches in case I flat twice (it's not unprecedented...especially when stupid me somehow misses that there's two prickers in the tire), but I'd rather just replace the tube.

Stan's before the flat then the flat don't happen.

What do you mean, Cheyou?

When I MTB'd I never carried cans of tire fix, why? Just fix the flat and go. If you're too lazy to fix the flat then why not just use Slime in the tires before you even roll? Then you don't even have to carry cans of tire fix! Then add to the Slime tube a really good tough puncture resistant tire and maybe a Mr Tuffy tire liner and your good to go.

It wasn't a lazy thing, more just that I never thought of actually changing the tube on the trail :) .

We run stans at our shop and so far haven't had a flat on the trail. Its super light-weight and works quick. I do sometimes carry a can of zefal if I'm riding with other folks who may not have their own stuff. Pumping up a tire on the side of a trail at 100 degrees doesn't sound appetizing. Fix-a-flat doesn't work very well on thin bicycles tubes.

I carry sealent in my wheels :) Stans

It wasn't a lazy thing, more just that I never thought of actually changing the tube on the trail :) .

I understand, but with the right combination of a tough tire, Mr Tuffy liner, thorn proof tube with Slime added, you would rarely get a flat.

I understand, but with the right combination of a tough tire, Mr Tuffy liner, thorn proof tube with Slime added, you would rarely get a flat.

Don't forget a serious set of legs cause that sounds heavy! :lol:

Don't forget a serious set of legs cause that sounds heavy! :lol: Sure, certain combinations could be heavy, but your mtb riding, you're not trying to average 20mph. But my suggestion is only for those trying to eliminate flats while riding. To the would be off road racer they wouldn't want a heavy tire, plus they know how to fix flats without resorting to a heavy can of flat fix. And when you look at it that way, the can of fix a flat probably weighs as much as the extra weight of a Slime tube and a Mr Tuffy combined...yeah I know, the can is not rotating weight.

I did. Once. But after a pinchflat and no spare tubes, Never again. Ended up walking 8 miles on a 107 degree day.

Would you guys recommend heavy-duty tubes, or regular tubes filled with some sort of sealant (or both)?

I have a regular spare tube in my under-seat pouch now, but I have been thinking of going to a tougher tube setup before I go on any of my planned backpack trips.

Thoughts?

I did. Once. But after a pinchflat and no spare tubes, Never again. Ended up walking 8 miles on a 107 degree day.

Did you ever hear about tire irons, pumps, and patches? You see, if you had tire irons and a patch you could have fixed the flat, and then used a pump to put air into the tire, then you could have been home in about an 3/4ths of an hour instead of 3 hours. I think you deserved a 3 hour walk in 107 degree weather for not knowing how to fix a flat on a bike your riding more then a few blocks from home!!

"Deserved" is a little harsh, no? :P

But yeah, I'm thinking about investing in some of those heavy-duty tubes before I go on any long rides. Even though I'll have spares, an ounce of prevention and all.

Would you guys recommend heavy-duty tubes, or regular tubes filled with some sort of sealant (or both)?

I have a regular spare tube in my under-seat pouch now, but I have been thinking of going to a tougher tube setup before I go on any of my planned backpack trips.

Thoughts?


I don't get too many flats, so I run tubes and bring an extra tube/pump. From what I've read, if I were to be in a place with way more flat potential, noticed myself getting a flat every other ride, or if I were just generally worried about getting flats I would definitely go tubeless with some sort of sealant in the tire.

Because of the remote nature of our sport I think the old Boy Scout motto "Be Prepared!" works best.

First, run your wheels as light as possible. Use a good light weight tube or go tubeless. Stan's seems to be the sealer of choice, and is light compared to a liner or heavy tubes. Carry both a spare tube and patches and never leave home with out a pump!

So the weight penalty of heavier tubes / liners is not worth the increased puncture resistance?

I roll with 2.4-3" tubes in my 2.35's. I'm not fighting punctures...it's better for pinch-flats though.

Not a whole lot of help in this thread. Slime patches and a small co2 cartridge, weighs next to nothing.:thumb:

And if you don't know how to fix a flat, sometimes an LBS will be nice enough to teach you if you don't have any friends to turn to, you may want to give the LBS a nice $40 tip if they don't ask for money...trust me, hands on teaching would be worth the $40 over the next 40 years or so you may be riding!!! Or you can go on the internet and watch a dozens of videos on You Tube how to dismount a tire, fix a flat, and remount. There is no excuse to be riding a bike without flat repair knowledge, even if your mechanically awkward! I was 8 years old when my 11 year old brother taught me how to repair flats, if an all thumbs snot nose 8 year old brat can learn how to fix a flat then anyone can if they desire to know. Any other mechanical repair if your not mechanically inclined I can understand not knowing and not wanting to do, but there's no excuse for not knowing flat repair unless you just stay a few blocks from home.

I don't use any sealer, I don't use tubeless (which can flat anyways), I don't use super thick tubes just ultralight racing tubes, I don't use Specialized Armadillo All Condition tires (probably the best flat resistant tire on the market), just normal road tires. Now I use to use Armadillos when I lived in the Mojave Desert area of California and goatheads would provide you with the thrill of having several flats on a ride which became quite the pain. So eventually after trial and error I found the best protection was the Aramdillos; once I left that area I no longer needed that kind of protection so now I use a lighter less puncture resistant tire. All I use currently due to a great close out price, are Kenda Konstrictor tires...never used this brand before but now I love these tires.

In my seat bag I carry about a 1/2 dozen glueless patches (I love these too, they work great), a spare tube, AND a even a spare ultralight (185grm) folding racing tire just in case a tire goes boomy. I ride into remote areas where lots of times cell phones won't work, and learned from the days of tubulars to carry a spare tire, and it's just something I do. I've had to use the spare tire twice in 30 years or so, and once for a stranded cyclist who blew a tire, saving him from a daunting 12 mile hike (just to get to the nearest phone!) on a very lightly traveled mountain road with darkness approaching in less then 2 hours.

Thing about cell phones. I know cell phones are a great aid, if you have a problem on a ride you can call for help if service is available. I carry a cell phone too. I'm married, so I know I can call her if I need to. But here's where I'm "weird" about me (personally I don't think that is weird, men need to act like men) and may piss off some of you with this comment...my wife is not my mommy!! I do not call her just because I've had some sort of problem to come bail out her kid!! I carry necessary tools on my bike so that I can fix just about anything that goes wrong. I will fix the bike before calling her. In fact in the 35 years of marriage I've only had to call her twice, and that was before I started carrying a cell phone so I've never called her with the cell phone yet; once because I was involved in an accident and was taken to the hospital, called her after I got released to come get me because the bike was totaled and my shoulder was dislocated. Called her the second time when I got violently ill with diarrhea that would not stop after taking 3 Imodium AD (yes I even carry Imodium AD, Sinus headache pills, Ibuprofen, and allergy pills just in case), and still tried to ride home about 11 miles in between bouts, but about 11 to 12 bouts later I was left shaking and too weak to continue the remaining 8 or 9 miles so called her from a pay phone (yes, I carry change for a pay phone and still do).

The Vegas Valley, just above the Mojave Desert has those extra strength goatheads. I had just started a Century on skinny tires and had paired up with a Salt Lake Rider who flatted 10 miles in. He had some "Gatorskins" or something like that, supposed to be puncture proof. But a goathead got his right away. And I keep a bent nail from the mining district around Nelson, NV that came through the my nice Stan's filled UST tire. In the bottom and out a sidewall. Fat rusted old bugger of a nail. Stan's was no help that day.

I did recently call my wife and feel bad about it. I left my driver and putter in the backyard and was already on the tee box. I am such a wimp.

Wow

Did you ever hear about tire irons, pumps, and patches? You see, if you had tire irons and a patch you could have fixed the flat, and then used a pump to put air into the tire, then you could have been home in about an 3/4ths of an hour instead of 3 hours. I think you deserved a 3 hour walk in 107 degree weather for not knowing how to fix a flat on a bike your riding more then a few blocks from home!!

Well, That is what I do normally, but I figured I would try the sealant. Learned my lesson there. Now I always have a tube or two, a pump, and patches.

Nope.

Nope.

Nope to my last question?

I don't carry sealant. I prefer to run tubes.

Aah gotcha. Is it worth it to add slime / stans to tubes?

I don't even put that stuff in tubes(pointless on a DJ bike).

Well, for an XC / adventuring bike (where I might be on the bike for two or three days at a time, even), would it be worth it?

Yes.

Just get 4 ounces of Stans (the man) no tube, remove the core of your tube, fill 2 ounces of sealant in each tube, replace core, air up and enjoy a couple of months of flat resistance. Still carry your flat kit just in case you get a rusty nail but you'll thank yourself for not having to have to lug another 15lbs of heavy duty tube with slime and a tuffy liner with a lousy flat resistant tire. 60 grams is all 2 ounces of Stans add per wheel. Tubeless would be ideal though. Slime is lousy unless used in a heavy duty tube from what I've seen. Doesn't seal thin tubes very well and makes a huge mess.

Thanks for the info, adacas!

I have been considering tubeless, but am weary of the increased complexity in trail repairs (just dealing with the sealant and the wheel liner after adding the spare tube in, and because filling without a tube requires a CO2 inflator or compressed air). But, I am slowly getting sold on the benefits, hehe.

Also, I didn't think the cores of Presta valves could be removed? I wouldn't want to risk clogging the valve (been there, done that :P ).

My LBS carries tubes with removable presta valve cores like WTB, Kenda and Qtubes. Not all tubes have removable core but if you look at the presta valve itself you'll see two flat edges on the top of the threaded portion that you can grab a hold of with pliers and twist. To avoid clogging the valve when airing up I give the tire a good spin to force the sealant to the outside then stop with the valve at the 6 oclock position and then slowly rotate to the 3 oclock position and then air up the wheel. The only real downside to Stan that I can think of is that it lasts 3-5 months depending on the conditions. Hot dryer climates will be closer to 3 months and thats when it starts to dry and thicken inside the tube. Mountain bike tires are large enough that you can add more stans and save the tube longer but you'll need to replace the tube eventually.

I removed a goat head while stopped one time and let it sat and when I came back it was flat. All I did was give the wheel a spin allowing the stans to get to the leak and aired it up and voila it was patched. It even fixed a pinch flat I wasn't aware of. I love the stuff.

Hmm! Is a tube with Stans better than tubeless with Stans?

I carry cans of whoop ass.

Tubeless is much better but a tube with stans is pretty convenient for those of us not willing to go that extra mile for tubeless.

Well I apparently have a leaking tube so this is about the perfect time to go ghetto tubeless, at least on that wheel lol.