Originally Posted by
Milton Keynes
I've heard that if you do have a leak that the Slime won't seal, the Slime on the tube will keep a patch from sticking.
I don't agree. Slime makes it slightly more difficult but with proper preparation around the hole in the tube, the patch should stick to the rubber without issue. It's still made of rubber. "Proper preparation" would, of course, mean keeping the Slime off the prepared area.
Originally Posted by
Kedosto
Wow, tough crowd. But to be honest, I’ve not had the best luck with Slime brand sealant. I have had a little better luck with Specialized AirLock sealant, but none of those types of products are 100% anyway. In the event that the AirLock didn’t work, I’ve still been able to clean up the tube and install a traditional patch. It’s always best to carry a spare tube so you’re not trying to patch on the side of the road.
When dealing with sealant filled tubes, remember to position the valve stem at the bottom (6 o’clock position) for at least a minute or two to allow the sealant to flow out of the stem. Then, rotate the wheel to position the stem up high (10-2 o’clock) to fill. This will help keep sealant from clogging up the valve stem (and your pump head as well).
-Kedosto
I'm not a fan of Slime but I'm not a fan of sealants in general. However, what you have said is true of
any tube or tire that uses sealant. The job of the sealant is to seal leaks and the valve is a giant leak. Keeping the sealant out of the valve is the key.
In defense of Slime, it
is better than the sealants used in tubeless applications in many respects. Tubeless sealant needs to be refreshed regularly ( about every 3 months) while Slime does not. Ancient Slime tubes will still do their sliming even after years of storage. I put this down to the solvent used for the sealant. Tubeless sealants use glycols that dissolve into tire (and stay there) while Slime uses a different solvent that doesn't dissolve into the tire.
If I used sealant, I'd choose the Slime over any tubeless sealant any day.