Slime. Any good?

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Discussion

Hard-Drive

Original Poster:

4,146 posts

236 months

Wednesday 20th February 2008
quotequote all
Sorry, as I'm new to MTBing there will be a few silly questions!

When I rode when "I were a lad" I hardly ever, ever got punctures. I've had two now in just over a week of riding. Really annoying!

I hear good and bad things about Slime...what do the PH collective think? Am I right in saying that you get a bottle and pour it in if it's a car type valve, but if you are on Prestas you have to buy the whole tube?

What's best? Convert to car valve tubes or buy presta filled slime tubes? Do I need to drill my rims out if I am going to car valves (I'd rather not...) Or as my Bontrager Race Disc wheels are OK for tubeless tyres, do I just do that instead?

Thanka again!!

Trooper2

6,676 posts

238 months

Wednesday 20th February 2008
quotequote all
Slime makes a huge mess if you burst a tube or get a slit, I much prefer running Kevlar belted tires and if that isn't flat resistant enough, then add thorn resistant tubes.

In your post you don't say how you got your 2 punctures, glass, nails, pinch flats? Pinch flats will be two holes close together and look like the fangs of a viper have penetraited the tube, if that's the case then you need to try running more air in your tires to prevent that from happening. Pinch flats occur when the tube gets pinched between the rim and the tire bead because of low tire pressure.

mat205125

17,790 posts

220 months

Wednesday 20th February 2008
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2 punctures eh? Both in the same wheel?

Are you sure you didn't actually just have 1 puncture and weren't 100% thorough when cleaning the offending sharp object from your tyre?

gbbird

5,193 posts

251 months

Wednesday 20th February 2008
quotequote all
I have found it very useful, and i use it in all my tyres. Has helped me out on a number of occasions

Though i found out to my peril this weekend that it does not last forever. Got a puncture in a pre filled slime innertube, probably about a year old (well about a year since i bought it from a shop, god knows how long it was at hhe shop for) and it did not work at all. Previously, in the tubes i have filled myself, it works a treat. But you cannot DIY with the tubes with thin presta valves, only the bigger car type ones

g

CooperS

4,540 posts

226 months

Thursday 21st February 2008
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Go tubeless... you never ever get a flat again...



Runs for cover

westy04

275 posts

269 months

Thursday 21st February 2008
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Tubeless is great. I run the Joes No Flats on my Stumpjumper with Schwalbe Racing Raplh / Nobby Nic combo tyres on it and they are superb tubeless.
But with my daily hack hardtail, I run car type tubes with the Joes super sealent sloshing around inside and I haven't had a puncture in ages with that. Thats with my daily hack consisting of 10 miles of canal paths. The car type vaves can be removed easily to be able to squirt in the sealent.
Don't go the slime tubes way because they weigh tonne.

dhutch

15,236 posts

204 months

Thursday 21st February 2008
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Ive found its very rair to get a flat. Infact i dont think i got one all last summer.
- That was about 500 off road on an off the shelf spesh rockhopper.

Only time i have got many punctures was last year on my run about (old) bike when the tyres where totally shot. And that was mainly on campus going to lectures and back, due to the glass after a wednesday night!

Slimes great for kids bikes (cheap tyres) and wheel barrows etc.
- It works, and you dont notice it as much as most people make out.
- However ive just never found it nessary with decent tyres/tubes.


Daniel

Gooby

9,268 posts

241 months

Thursday 21st February 2008
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I was having the same problem and tried slime tubes. They are too heavy and I still got punctures. I had a chat with the local experts and ended up with some kevlar reinforced tyres, some decent inner tubes and some special "padding". This goes between the tube and tyre and resists punctures. It is feather light and really tough. It feels like loft insulation buy is REALLY hard to cut to size. The main problem was I was running the tyres under inflated. I was using "car" pressures (26-28psi) when it should have been 50+. Dont get punctures anymore.

Roop

6,012 posts

291 months

Thursday 21st February 2008
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I did the C2C last year and bought some Slime tubes with Prestas in anticipation. I also fitted some Specialized Armadillo narrow road tyes. I never used the Slimes, they are still in their boxes and despite running massive pressures and running on some crap surfaces, I haven't had a puncture yet thanks to the Arma's (touch wood).

My bike's a basic Specialized (Rockhopper...?) and I have no idea what the wheels are. Black ones with spokes. hehe

dhutch

15,236 posts

204 months

Thursday 21st February 2008
quotequote all
Yeah, lower presures dont help eather.
- Although ive been running around 25/30 all over winter and thats been fine.

The last few years rockhoppers have all been on bog standard Fasttrak's, which are actually a pretty good all rounder and summer tyre. And is also available in a armadilo armored version.


Daniel

Hard-Drive

Original Poster:

4,146 posts

236 months

Thursday 21st February 2008
quotequote all
Hmmmm...thanks for the tips...perhaps a track pump with a pressure gauge is a good starting point then. I wonder if I'm running it a bit soft...