hi was just wondering on people’s opinions on slime inner tubes, I put one on my rear wheel and used it last night, came to my bike today rear tyre completely flat removed inner to find an inch split on the top by the valve and all the gel round the inside of tyre
Slime inner tubes!!
- Thread starter Matt7815
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Johnno260
Veteran
- Location
- East Sussex
I found them awful, the slime seems to pool when the bikes left overnight and when I set off the bike felt totally unstable until the wheels had spun up and re-distributed it again.
I would never recommend or use these again.
I would never recommend or use these again.
D
Deleted member 26715
Guest
I use them all the time & wouldn't ride a bike without them, first thing I did when I got the bike, bought them at the time I collected it & put them in straight away.
welsh dragon
Thanks but no thanks. I think I'll pass.
I have slime in my tyres. Helped me get home the last time i had a visit from the P fairy. I have hub gears, so it is a pig to replace an inner tube by the roadside. The slime coupled with a Co2 canister did the trick.
Johnno260
Veteran
- Location
- East Sussex
Each to their own, I found them pig awful, but if they work for you/others great.
D
Deleted member 26715
Guest
I must admit I am referring to MTB's but I did used to run the road bike with them, but as you say a personal choice, I heard some say they won't use them due to the extra 15 grams or whatever extra they weigh, if 30 grams of extra weight was all I had to worry about, I might not use them
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Folk either love em or hate em.
When I commuted I tried everything as a lucky charm to ward off the P fairy, and I found these tubes to be the most effective measure. I'd find stuff that had easily piece armoured Schwalbe or Continental tyres, but the tunes always sealed quickly and well.
That said, they're weighty, they can deaden the feel of the bike beneath you, so if depends what your priority is.
When I commuted I tried everything as a lucky charm to ward off the P fairy, and I found these tubes to be the most effective measure. I'd find stuff that had easily piece armoured Schwalbe or Continental tyres, but the tunes always sealed quickly and well.
That said, they're weighty, they can deaden the feel of the bike beneath you, so if depends what your priority is.
Phil Fouracre
Veteran
Slime's just great, put it in all my tyres. If you put it in yourself, you can use less than recommended if you want to experiment. I was unconvinced initially, but, having taken a tube out to replace a tyre a long time ago, I had a close look at the tube. Found a number of small brown spots on it, scraped off to expose green, they were effectively scabs, just proving exactly how well it had been working!!
Johnno260
Veteran
- Location
- East Sussex
I must admit I am referring to MTB's but I did used to run the road bike with them, but as you say a personal choice, I heard some say they won't use them due to the extra 15 grams or whatever extra they weigh, if 30 grams of extra weight was all I had to worry about, I might not use them
For me it was stability, I’m really rural so having a bike like a bucking bronco scared the crap out of me. Haha
D
Deleted member 26715
Guest
I've never experienced that, I buy the ready filled ones, I've never noticed any undue centrifugal forces, even after
laying the bike up for some time.
Johnno260
Veteran
- Location
- East Sussex
Mine where ready filled as well, if I left the bike for 1-2 days the slime seemed to pool and un-balance the wheel.
After a few miles it was ok, but those first few miles were horrible.
Maybe it was just a bad tube but it put me off totally.
I can see the attraction but mine I just hated.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
You've just had a bad tube.
I've found them to be great. Just the other month I ran over some wire ( it looked like the thin wire strands you get in a cars tyre) A piece of it embedded itself into the front tyre,
When I pulled it out, I could hear the dreaded hiss of air escaping but after a brisk turns of the wheel it magically stopped. Over 4500 miles I've only had one puncture that I've known about. On the negative side, the presta valves tend to become blocked with the slime over time and makes pumping up the tyre awkward once in a while. The slime does tend to settle at the bottom of the tube if the bike is not used. If you spin the front wheel when then slimes settled you can feel the unbalanced effect of it , but it soon disappears after a few revolutions. It must spread evenly through the tube as it rotates. When the temperatures cold its take longer to smooth out ( only guess it must become a little less fluid in the cold) I'm only talking a few extra revolutions though. Would I buy them again?? Absolutely yes ,
Very reasonably priced in Wilkos ( the last time I looked) for the prefilled "Slime" tubes buddy :-) :-)
When I pulled it out, I could hear the dreaded hiss of air escaping but after a brisk turns of the wheel it magically stopped. Over 4500 miles I've only had one puncture that I've known about. On the negative side, the presta valves tend to become blocked with the slime over time and makes pumping up the tyre awkward once in a while. The slime does tend to settle at the bottom of the tube if the bike is not used. If you spin the front wheel when then slimes settled you can feel the unbalanced effect of it , but it soon disappears after a few revolutions. It must spread evenly through the tube as it rotates. When the temperatures cold its take longer to smooth out ( only guess it must become a little less fluid in the cold) I'm only talking a few extra revolutions though. Would I buy them again?? Absolutely yes ,
Very reasonably priced in Wilkos ( the last time I looked) for the prefilled "Slime" tubes buddy :-) :-)
Last edited:
- Location
- Glasgow
I have used them in the past, they work if the puncture is just that, not a big gash.
You still need a pump though, the air escapes until the tube self seals.
Turn the wheel a few times for the slime to act faster, buy only slime branded tubes, not imitations like chain reaction sells, they don't work.
Nowadays I don't bother with slime since I've fitted marathons greenguard on all my bikes, but I will still use the slimed tubes with the studded ice tyres, as they have less puncture protection.
You still need a pump though, the air escapes until the tube self seals.
Turn the wheel a few times for the slime to act faster, buy only slime branded tubes, not imitations like chain reaction sells, they don't work.
Nowadays I don't bother with slime since I've fitted marathons greenguard on all my bikes, but I will still use the slimed tubes with the studded ice tyres, as they have less puncture protection.
