SLIME......

stumpy150

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 9, 2015
319
143
Yorkshire
Got some of the liquid slime on Saturday - ( £3.99 a bottle from aldi )

Decided to put it in my bike last night...What an experience....

Front tube...followed instructions on bottle ( removed valve etc ) - only a small amount went in then there seemed to be blockage - tried to blow it out with air line - nothing - nearly blew compressor !!

Took tube from wheel - Blockage in tube...Poked it out with a fine drill bit - not slime but a piece of rubber on the inside surface of the tube at the base of the valve stem which hadn't been cut away properly at point of manufacture - acting as a none return valve ??

Slime in both wheels ok but then noted both valves were leaking. Despite cleaning the valves the slight air leak form the valves would not stop...Remedied with a pair of new valves...thought it would have been a simple job !!

Out today and no leaks.....

Anyone else had a problem with SLIME??
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
16,998
6,536
go tubeless can covert the rims if needed not had flat in 1000 miles :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: SRS

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,262
30,648
I've tried several brands and none have ever done the job. Punctures still suffered but then far worse to repair due to the sticky oozing mess coming out of the puncture hole. The valve blockages are just an added irritation.

Perhaps not surprising, this stuff was invented for tubeless car tyres where there's a far greater thickness in which a seal can be created and there's no shifting between tube and tyre to break any seal.
.
 

Mac_user82

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 16, 2014
317
122
42
i have found a really good product that has worked for me i haven't had a flat in 1200 miles i have rode over thorns everything and not had a problem

The brand is called Fenwicks sealant works wonders best product on the market without a doubt i would strongly recommend to anyone and you can use it with co2
which is handy if you need to blow up to seal again.

i also use schwable tyres "Marathon plus" too which do help to keep the punctures down it a perfect companion for the fenwicks sealant because it stops any objects going in to the
tyres to far to puncture the tube ,

The way the schwable tyres work is the type of rubber they use it is made not to in bed in to the tyre at all it is meant to come back out straight away and not puncture.

i Did have one puncture before i put the fenwicks sealant in and the whole that was in it was barely see able really just i tiny hole

if i had fenwicks sealant in at the time it would of sealed it straight away.

The reason why i bought the sealant is because i ride in the summer month a lot of the time in the dark and i didn't really want to fix a flat tyre in the dark even though i do carry my
tools with all the time.

Last summer i rode 4 nights a week in the dark and never had one puncture at all so i didn't have to try and fix it in the dark which i thought was a great result
 

Croxden

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2013
2,134
1,384
North Staffs
It does say not to force it into the tube. My first attempt I was a little hasty in trying to get it in and blocked the valve stem & had to use a drill to clear it.

I have sealed punctured tubes with it and had a lot of success and little failures. I once had a blow out at speed in the front tyre, not to be recommended. The stuff flies everwhere and adds to the drama of a dodgy situation.

Now I have Marathon tyres with Presta valves I don't use it but would with Shreader valves. Just take it easy when inserting it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: stumpy150

jwm

Pedelecer
Feb 11, 2014
139
41
Hampshire
Massage the tube a bit when filling and allow gravity to help (as can a bit of air to open the tube up a bit), clean up valve before installing, should settle down. I've used slime on my bikes for years, as flecc said can be a pain if it doesn't seal and you have to patch, but it's do able.

John
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,262
30,648
i also use schwable tyres "Marathon plus" too which do help to keep the punctures down it a perfect companion for the fenwicks sealant because it stops any objects going in to the
tyres to far to puncture the tube ,
Schwalbe MP tyres would be about the best to use with a sealant, since they have much greater thickness in which a seal can form.
.
 

EddiePJ

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 7, 2013
4,632
4,013
Crowborough, East Sussex
www.facebook.com
I'm with SW on this one. Tubeless is the way to go for off road use.

From my experience Stans No tubes proved to be rubbish, and balled up into an elastic mess within just a few months of use. Very disappointing, but it did seal some quite severe flint cuts when first installed.

My choice, which to date has proved to have been superb, is Caffelatex http://www.effettomariposa.eu/en/products/caffelatex-family/caffelatex-sealant/
 

oldgroaner

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 15, 2015
23,461
32,613
80
Had some some good, some bad results with "Slime", on an ordinary bike i found it had sealed leaks in 14 different places (by the stains) when fitting a new outer and inner.
But on my Ebike had a massive blow out from quite a small hole and an instant flat, very messy too, slime everywhere!
Now I just carry a spare inner tube.
 

Advertisers