Sorry Slime inner tubes, but the relationship is over :(

Fordulike

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 26, 2010
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As much as I've raved about the combination of Slime inner tubes and Schwalbe Marathon tyres over the years, for a great anti-puncture combo. I'm sorry to say that, due to a horrible experience today, I will no longer be using Slime inner tubes. Instead I'll be sticking with a normal tube and the Schwalbe tyres.

Basically, every now and then, I'll pop a bit more air in the tyres to keep them at my usual inflation pressure. Go to inflate the rear tyre this morning and the pump struggled to get any air at all into the tube. Thinking the valve pin might be a bit clogged, I pushed it in and out dozens of times. Funny thing was, no air was coming out when I pushed it in.

No amount of fiddling about with it was getting air either in or out. Cue, the next 5 minutes trying to pull the valve out to release the air and replace the inner tube. It was horribly stuck in there.
When I did finally get it out, I was confronted with this:

Slime Valve.jpg

Still no air was coming out, so another few minutes spent gouging a hole through the Slime gunk that had solidified beneath where the valve seats.

So, no more Slime tubes for me, just plain old normal ones. I'll take the risk of having slightly less puncture protection, over the hassle of replacing the tube.
If this had happened out on the trails, then I would not have had the tools to successfully remove that tube.

Just hope my rather drawn out story, will help members in the future, decide on whether Slime tubes are for them.
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
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Very nasty. It says on the slime packaging or website somewhere that whatever that slime stuff actually is, can damage metal. It's the reason why I've never tried it - my wheels are brand new and were a pain to source.

 
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georgehenry

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 7, 2015
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Surrey
Ditto Fordulike, I have come to the conclusion that for me I either use a puncture resistant tyre with a normal tube and fix it when I get a puncture (very rare) or go completely tubeless as I have on the rear tyre of my Haibike mountain bike.

I have squeezed the largest tyre I could fit on the rear of my 2015 Haibike (2.35) to cushion slightly the weight my rear wheel has to deal with coping with a large man and full panniers off road and gone tubeless which has worked really well, although I guess the test will be when I get a puncture in my tubeless tyre that I need to fix away from home with one of those little rubber plug thingies that you push through the hole.

Basically because I get so few punctures I manage to be quite ham fisted when I do get one.
 
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soundwave

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May 23, 2015
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DSC_0161_02.JPG

stans no tubes did that as it has traces of ammonia in it so is corrosive but i now use caffelatex
 

kangooroo

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 24, 2015
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Wye Valley
I've had the same happen several times when using Slime. I switched to Goop a few years ago and no blocked valves since.
 
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Nealh

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Aug 7, 2014
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I get the same issue with presta's using caffelatex so stop using that as well now.
Latest stuff I'm using is some green gunk used on tractor TL tyres dirt cheap compared to other tyre sealants.
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
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Latest stuff I'm using is some green gunk used on tractor TL tyres dirt cheap compared to other tyre sealants.
Well at least you know that's been tested in the field

I'll get my coat...
 
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Fordulike

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 26, 2010
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Sealants, like slime are for tubeless tyres. You should never use it with tubes, I've been telling you that for years..
I agree, but I think the problem is that you can buy the pre-filled official Slime tubes, like mine, then are led into a false sense of security that they will be awesome :(
 

Nealh

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Aug 7, 2014
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I only tried sliming tubes once about 6 years ago never again, for my use on the gravel bike they are proper TL.
 
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