Puncture prevention (Slime et al)

[Moose.]

Just how effective is this stuff at preventing punctures? After three in the past month I'm quite tempted to get some. Should I be looking at the stuff to put into my existing inner tubes or get some inner tubes with it pre-filled?

[ewenm]

I've no idea if that stuff is any good but I'd avoid adding any weight to the wheels. Are you getting pinch punctures or thorns/nails etc? If pinch ones, up your tyre pressures a bit instead.

[F.M]

It`s quite good and will stop small punctures...just take the valve out and pump it in...

[Moose.]

ewenm said:

I've no idea if that stuff is any good but I'd avoid adding any weight to the wheels. Are you getting pinch punctures or thorns/nails etc? If pinch ones, up your tyre pressures a bit instead.

My concern is the added weight, although the pre-filled tubes didn't feel like they weighed much more. So far all punctures have been thorn releated, although to be fair I should probably stop trying to create my own trails through undergrowth

[marcellus]

just a warning on slime tyres.....out riding with a mate who owns a bike shop (so should know better) he always uses slime but still got a puncture, there was a lot of mickey taking as he changed with tyre and in his haste he hadn't seated the tyre fully on the rim, inflated the tyre using a CO2 canister and then realised his mistake.....too late, intertube exploded and covered him, his bike and an innocent passer by in slime!!!

[alfaman]

I now use Kevlar lined puncture resistant tyres - which seem to work very well (no punctures on them so far ).

Friends who use slime have had pretty mixed results - it wont actually stop a thorn going into your tube - only restrict the air coming out.

[Trooper2]

I've always preferred polyurethane tire liners to Slime, they stop stuff getting to the tube and are allot less messy.

www.mrtuffy.com/about.htm


If weight is an issue then Kevlar belted tires are a good way to go and Specialized brand makes their Armadillo tires that are made from a special aramid that is very cut and puncture resistant. (A little less expensive than Kevlar)

www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqSection.jsp?sid=EquipTiresArmadillo

The Armadillos are funny because they make a little creaking noise when you ride on them, very good tires though..

[beyond rational]

Kevlar tyres, high pressures,rim tape and heavy duty tubes will hopefully offer prevention rather than the cure - I've also heard of slime going solid over time which can cause the wheels to become unbalanced. I guess you could always take slime with you on a ride and just put it in once you get a puncture? But I'd rather carry a tube

[Arif110]

I'd just like to second the Specialized Armadillos. Got back into mountain biking a year or two ago - and punctures had always used to be the bain of my cycling life. No more.

Great tyres - which now afford me the confidence to go further afield, both in terms of distance and types of terrain. They don't need molly-coddling, and will take a lot of abuse (Single-track).

[pdV6]

Trooper2 said:

Specialized brand makes their Armadillo tires that are made from a special aramid that is very cut and puncture resistant. (A little less expensive than Kevlar)

Kevlar being a trade name for the product which is aramid...

[neil_cardiff]

Dudes, just pump your tyres up harder.

I'm running skinny 1.8s and I've been out with our PDV6 and haven't held back on any of the rocky and rooty downhills we do - and I've still not got a puncture yet...(although fully expect to now...).

The grip lost isn't that much - and you'll develop your riding skill anyway.

Works for me, and I'm a big old guy - and not light on the bike...

[pdV6]

Your time will come, BlingBoy...

[rico]

Slime won't stop punctures, it just fills the hole and allows you to pump them up again. With snakebite type punctures or big rips, its useless.

Just carry a spare tube (high quality ones, not £1.99 cheapo ones) and use highish pressures and kevlar tyres.

[Moose.]

Thanks for the suggestions all. I do run with slightly softer tyre pressures so will try pumping them up a bit more (any suggestions as to PSI?). I think I'll also give those Mr Tuffy liners a go as they're not too dear and won't increase weight by any noticable amount.

[ewenm]

If you've got suspension you can run the tyres pretty hard. It's a bit more tricky on rigid bikes as the tyre pressures have a big influence over the ride.

[pdV6]

With my weight I tend to run tyres near their max pressure rating. Still doesn't stop pinch flats, but goes a long way to preventing them.

In fact, since getting the full susser, the only flat(s) I've had is when I took it for a spin on the (knackered) tyres and tubes that came with it. Since swapping them out for my own rubber, I haven't punctured yet. *touches wood*

[neil_cardiff]

pdV6 said:

With my weight I tend to run tyres near their max pressure rating. Still doesn't stop pinch flats, but goes a long way to preventing them.

In fact, since getting the full susser, the only flat(s) I've had is when I took it for a spin on the (knackered) tyres and tubes that came with it. Since swapping them out for my own rubber, I haven't punctured yet. *touches wood*

*tee hee he said rubber tee hee*