Discussion
I've not studied them scientifically, but used to use them on my wife's commute bike. Now they may well have worked a few times, and only failed for the big punctures, but...
...I found them to be rubbish to be fair. Anecdotally, at least, they seemed no better than 'regular' tubes at preventing punctures, and when they did fail, it was spectacularly messy too.
I had better results from swapping her tyres for more puncture resistant ones in the end. Other folk though, have sworn by them, so I suppose it depends on your personal experience as to whether you'd recommend them or not. But I wouldn't recommend them, nor would I use them on my own bike. I'd fit them for my sons or my wife if they insisted on using them, and cross my fingers, but I'd counsel against them...
...I found them to be rubbish to be fair. Anecdotally, at least, they seemed no better than 'regular' tubes at preventing punctures, and when they did fail, it was spectacularly messy too.
I had better results from swapping her tyres for more puncture resistant ones in the end. Other folk though, have sworn by them, so I suppose it depends on your personal experience as to whether you'd recommend them or not. But I wouldn't recommend them, nor would I use them on my own bike. I'd fit them for my sons or my wife if they insisted on using them, and cross my fingers, but I'd counsel against them...
I have fitted these to my wifes Hybrid as I was getting calls to turn up and fix punctures. They have been brilliant and I am going to fit on my winter bike. However they are heavy but I feel this is a small price to pay as there's nothing worse than fixing a puncture when out in sub zero temperatures on wet miserable days!
Same here. I have slime tubes in my winter bike (Condor Fratello) on the grounds that a bit of extra weight is no big deal compared to the hassle of fixing a puncture in the cold and wet. I’ve fitted them to my wife’s bike for the same reason.
No punctures so far, although I don’t know how much of that is down to the slime tubes and how much is down to well-inflated tubes in newish Gatorskins.
No punctures so far, although I don’t know how much of that is down to the slime tubes and how much is down to well-inflated tubes in newish Gatorskins.
I’ve got Durano + tyres on one of my road bikes, I use slime tubes as well. They are an absolute god send at this time of year. I had a big old lump of broken headlight go straight through the tyre last week. The slime tube meant I got home without having to muck about changing tubes in the dark, wet and cold, I just hooked out the offending article, topped the pressure back up, and carried on. The hole that the glass caused meant that I got another 2 intrusions on the 30 mile trip home, but there was enough slime in the tube for those not to be a big problem. As soon as I got home I, deflated the tube, then shoved an empty gel wrapper between the tube and tyre where the hole was, then re inflated the tube. It’s still holding, nearly a week on. I’ve bought some proper tyre boots now, but the gel wrapper worked fine. The trick is not to get freaked out by the loud PSHHHHHHHT you get if a suitably sized object gets the tube, and assume you’ll have to replace the tube, then set about changing it for ( what transpires to be ) no good reason. You’ll probably lose 30 or 40 psi as the hole seals, but if you’ve got a gas inflator, that’s no big problem, as long as it doesn’t happen as your going through a corner, or braking, down a hill. That can be an eye opener 
. I find the advantage of the slime tubes in a regular clincher, over a full on tubeless set up, is the relative lack of mess, if the tube does get totalled, and the ( relative ) ease of re seating the tyre, should it need to be taken off.
. I find the advantage of the slime tubes in a regular clincher, over a full on tubeless set up, is the relative lack of mess, if the tube does get totalled, and the ( relative ) ease of re seating the tyre, should it need to be taken off.Edited by GOATever on Tuesday 18th December 12:47
I've used Slime for years, not the tubes though as they weren't around when I started using it.
A few caveats
I use mine on MTB's and the tyres themselves are pretty chunky which may help. I can't remember the last time I had a puncture if I'm honest.
Road bikes though.. >sucks teeth<
It may be a different story, *some* peope say they can feel the increased rolling resistance caused by the slime circulating in the tube as the bike rolls.
And road bike tyres clearly are not as robust or engineered as stoutly as MTB ones.
I still feel generally that if it stops you having to take wheels off/piss about with puncture repair kits etc usually in the worst place/most inclement weather then it's likely worth it for that alone.
I'm not a roadie though so take my words as more MTB orientated.
A few caveats
I use mine on MTB's and the tyres themselves are pretty chunky which may help. I can't remember the last time I had a puncture if I'm honest.
Road bikes though.. >sucks teeth<
It may be a different story, *some* peope say they can feel the increased rolling resistance caused by the slime circulating in the tube as the bike rolls.
And road bike tyres clearly are not as robust or engineered as stoutly as MTB ones.
I still feel generally that if it stops you having to take wheels off/piss about with puncture repair kits etc usually in the worst place/most inclement weather then it's likely worth it for that alone.
I'm not a roadie though so take my words as more MTB orientated.
I've been using them for years mainly on MTB but more recently on hybrids. I've only had one puncture that stopped the ride and to be fair the tyre was sliced open so badly I had to replace the tyre and tube. Just remember if topping up or adjusting air pressure have the valve positioned at the top of the tyre otherwise you will get slimed. When I took my old tyres off not so long ago you could see loads of loads of punctures had occurred without me even noticing.
The slime tubes got me home, in the dark, again, last night. A big chunk of glass got through the Durano + defence belt, and I got the hiss of doom. I hooked out the glass, let the pressure settle, then put gas into it to get the tyre back up to pressure. It got me the 10 or so miles home, and was still at pressure this morning.
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