Hello fellow commuters,

I was looking into Michelin's self sealing inner tube, the Protek Max (see link below). Has anyone used these before, or heard of any problems or design flaws?

Oh, and before you (rightfully) mention Joe's No Flats; I looked into purchasing them but unfortunately I can't find any with schrader valves (automotive) with the correct dimensions for my bike which is 700c x 38.

https://www.michelinbicycletire.com/m...protekmax.view

What's the difference between a self sealing tube and a reg tube that you can inject your own sealant?
Is there an advantage? Joes sells their own sealant.
I've never used sealant, so I don't know.

My question concerning the specific tube goes beyond it having sealant. If you read the link, the tube itself is re-engineered to actually pinch close whenever there's a flat and along with the sealant, instantly closes the hole so no air escapes. Also the tube isn't round but square shaped, slightly thicker than traditional tubes (some weight penalty there, but I'm a Clydesdale commuter) which helps the tire keep it's shape even if there's less air in it.

I'm planning to join a local group of riders which travel around Greece on daily/weekend excursions to remote areas, and even though I've been exceptionally lucky never to have had a flat so far, would like to take any and all precautions to avoid having to repair one in the middle of nowhere.

Thanks for the explanation.
Hopefully, someone here will have some experience and feedback re the Protek.
Have fun on those group rides! Sounds beautiful.

It seems that-that person might be me! lol A set of tubes costs €18 which is around $24, so it's not as expensive as Joe's (at least here in Greece), and since I'll be in the area of the local dealer, I'll drop by and get them.

The main reason I looked into the Michelin tubes is that there doesn't seem to be any other tube for 700c x 38 available with schrader/auto valves which has me a little skeptical as to why that is.

The biggest design flaw I see is that they weigh 270+ grams. My tires don't weigh that much.

For some people the peace of mind of assurance against flats is worth extra weight and rolling resistance. Personally, I'd rather change a flat now and then and enjoy the ride in between.

I have the 700c x 38 Michelin City Protek Max tires weighing in at 850 grams each which isn't too good by itself, but keep in mind that I'm also a 250 lbs commuter so speed isn't that much of a problem.
Also I just though of another problem... if/when I get a flat with the above tires, I won't be able to patch them because of their surface, so I'll have to carry a spare tube.

Can I renew this thread... is there any further experience with these allegedly puncture-resistant, self sealing tubes?

Wow, one of my first threads revived!

After having tried the Protek Max tubes for quite a while, I have mixed feelings about their usefulness.

First, I would like to mention a SERIOUS PROBLEM I encountered with AGED Protek Max tubes... I had numerous blow outs when the surface around the valve failed causing the tube to literally shred at that position. In all cases, the tubes had at least 6 months to a year on them, and till that point had performed flawlessly with no flats. This happened with two different bikes on quality rims (Mavics) which were thoroughly checked around the valve hole for burs.

Other minor problems with the Protek tubes is their weight, which I could feel the difference accelerating and, that when stored, even for a few days, you MUST have the valves at the 12 o'clock position, otherwise you will get slime all over the pump nozzle and your clothes when you want to top up the air (this with the Presta valves which I eventually went with). I actually remember getting a flat while the bike was stored because the valve hadn't seated itself correctly when I topped up the air, resulting in a slow air leak over a period of 4-5 days.

On the plus side, they do their job of keeping flats from occurring very well; this after I had pulled out a assortment of small objects from the tires, such as staples, small wire shards from truck tires and tons of glass from the tire treads. Also they don't need topping up with air as often as other quality tubes, as long as they are used frequently and the slime coats the entire inner surface.


Note: I now run Marathons on my touring bike with good quality Continental touring tubes and have no flats for over 1000 klm (600 miles).

Thanks. Very helpful reviews and I think I'll give these a pass.