Has anyone here used Slime?

[JTE83]

Has anyone here used Slime? It's that green stuff you put in your tubes and it's fixes flats as you get them. I'm thinking about putting them in my Trek Pilot 2.1 spa wheels and on my Zipp 404s because putting tubes and a Michelin Pro 2 race tires on Zipp 404 clinchers is so difficult! Major roadside hassle for a tire patch!

Any feedback on how it was good or bad for your ride is appreciated!

 

[garage sale GT]

It works but I don't know how to get it into a presta valve. Some schraeder valves on narrower tubes just won't take it either. You can buy pre-sealed tubes, though; or maybe get an already gashed tube, put the stuff in through the hole, and patch it.

 

[JTE83]

I guess it might work well with tube where the presta valve assembly can be taken off and reinserted. One of my tubes is like that but it came with the bike. My Michelin Light and Performance Forte tubes aren't like that! I guess I need to go tube shopping!

Can you squeeze it into a regular presta valve that's unremovable?

 

[garage sale GT]

I can take part of the valve out on mine too, but don't know how to get the stuff in there.

I am posting again to mention that the stuff works best on low or medium pressure tires or small pinholes. A gash from a piece of glass, for example, will cause a narrow tire to lose pressure until it gets down to a pressure the slime can handle. It will get you home, though.

I'd rather have kevlar, though. Kevlar will stop a sharp object before it cuts through your cords. Unless you run over a nail or wire, you will need to replace your tire for safety's sake.

 

[JTE83]

I tried Spin Skins and they were terrible. Still got a flat. Gee, if slime doesn't stop a high pressure flat before going below 60 psi I'd rather forget it!

Hey GT - price of gas in Houston TX cheapest - $2.39 / gallon. Chicago last week $3.19 But electricity is expensive here!

 

[waldowales]

I use Slime in all my bikes, and also Mr. Tuffy liners, since we have a huge crop of goat head thorns where I ride. Yesterday, a friend and I rode 34 miles. I flatted half way, with a big mess of Slime oozing from a 1/4" gash in the back tire. Glass? Didn't find anything. Put in the spare tube, no Slime, went a few miles and my friend flatted. No liner, no Slime, just a Kevlar belted tire. Fixed that, went a few miles, and my new tube flatted. Pulled a big thorn out of the other tire at that time, oozed a little slime and sealed up. Fixed the second flat and finished the ride, last mile on a very low tire, new tube punctured again. Loaded our bikes in my van, as it was so late by then that I gave him a ride home. Good thing I did, his bike flatted again as we were loading. Conclusion: Slime stops small leaks in high pressure tires, but not big ones. Belted tires are better than liners. Nothing really stops goat heads. Also, if you do go to patch a Slimed tube, immersing it in water will open up all the leaks the stuff has plugged, making it look like a sieve. Too many holes to even consider patching, just pitch it.

 

[threaded]

I use slime on my ancient cyclo-cross and a 29er. It is good get you home, back to the pits stuff, but not a total fix. I still have to fix the punctures, but get to decide pretty much when. Tried it in a roadie, but not found it so useful on high pressure/low volume tires.

The only reason I use it on those two bikes is that Dutch Perfect don't make a suitable tire to fit them. Which is what I use on my usual commuter bike. Now if you dislike flats, that is a tire to try.

A fun experience I've had, twice (touch wood) with slime is that I've gone pulled the tube, pumped it up a little to see where the punctures are, and the tube has split showering green goo everywhere. I put that down to my punctures generally being cuts from broken glass on the cycle path, or flint shards in the hard-pack, rather than the pierced holes a thorn or tack might make. Oh, and pumping the tube up too far to see where the holes are (generally more than one). Doh!

The tubes I use it on have a Woods valve, also used it on a Schrader, which was fiddly. Never done it to a Presta, it is supposed to be possible from instructions I've read, but looks like a recipe for green goo everywhere. Yet might try it, the proper way, as I've just purchased some new tubes for my MTB racer that have removable valve cores.

 

[Eden]

A buddy of ours uses it in his wheelchair wheels and loves it - but again those are more low pressure than road bike wheels.
Another friend has some type of stuff in her race wheels - its not slime, but it does the same thing. She found on one cold morning that it had solidified a bit at the bottom of the wheel as it sat on her car. When she started the race she had such a case of the shimmies that she thought she might have a loose headset!
I personally bought a used tubular wheel that had a tire with some kind of sealant in it - also not slime, it was white. It worked pretty well. The tire leaked a bit when I first pumped it up, but then it sealed up and would hold 140 lbs of pressure for an hour or so.

 

[alienator]

PitStop. It's specifically for high pressure tubes; it doesn't require the removal of a presta valve core; it can be used as insurance against a flat; and it doesn't create the freaking mess that Slime does. The cans are small enough that you can carry two or three in your back pockets if you want.

It works.

 

[garage sale GT]

Another friend has some type of stuff in her race wheels - its not slime, but it does the same thing. She found on one cold morning that it had solidified a bit at the bottom of the wheel as it sat on her car. When she started the race she had such a case of the shimmies that she thought she might have a loose headset!

I actually put a little radiator coolant in mine. It seemed to work despite the dilution effect, or maybe I just didn't get any more slime-sealed flats.

 

[Vanquish]

I used a pre slimed tyre on the rear, after having a bad run with glass, and i was using the bike as a commuter at the time and didnt enjoy being late for work due to punctures.
I never had a problem with punctures whilst using it - however I seemed to have problem's inflating the tyre some times (almost as if the slime prevented the valve for accepting air) But after changing to Michelin Lithion tyres, I was told they have a real adverse effect to rolling resistance, so I have since pulled it out and replaced it with a Michelin aircomp.

 

[kleng]

PitStop. It's specifically for high pressure tubes; it doesn't require the removal of a presta valve core; it can be used as insurance against a flat; and it doesn't create the freaking mess that Slime does. The cans are small enough that you can carry two or three in your back pockets if you want.

It works.

TUFO tire sealant is another option

 

[9202]

PitStop. It's specifically for high pressure tubes; it doesn't require the removal of a presta valve core; it can be used as insurance against a flat; and it doesn't create the freaking mess that Slime does. The cans are small enough that you can carry two or three in your back pockets if you want.

It works.

Didn't work for me.

I flatted on

 

[9202]

PitStop. It's specifically for high pressure tubes; it doesn't require the removal of a presta valve core; it can be used as insurance against a flat; and it doesn't create the freaking mess that Slime does. The cans are small enough that you can carry two or three in your back pockets if you want.

It works.

Vittoria Pitt Stop didn't work for me this weekend at the Mount Dora Bike Festival.

I was 6 miles into the metric century when I flatted on Saturday, had 2 cans with me. Used the first one, it pumped the tire up pretty well. I rotated the wheel to ensure the stuff coated the inside of the tubular.

Waited a while and it again went flat.

Then I used the second can, same thing, so I rode 6 miles on the flat tubbie to get home.

Next time, I will have a spare tubbie and some Tufo tape with me.

Really annoyed me to no end. I finally got another tire and finished the ride, alone.

 

[alienator]

Vittoria Pitt Stop didn't work for me this weekend at the Mount Dora Bike Festival.

I was 6 miles into the metric century when I flatted on Saturday, had 2 cans with me. Used the first one, it pumped the tire up pretty well. I rotated the wheel to ensure the stuff coated the inside of the tubular.

Waited a while and it again went flat.

Then I used the second can, same thing, so I rode 6 miles on the flat tubbie to get home.

Next time, I will have a spare tubbie and some Tufo tape with me.

Really annoyed me to no end. I finally got another tire and finished the ride, alone.

Apparently you didn't use it correctly. Inflate and ride. Don't wait. In fact, the can says to ride 3 miles or so at least. You also need to be sure that that whatever caused the puncture still isn't in the carcass. It's also not a magic fix for large punctures.

In my tubies, PitStop inflates to the desired pressure with no problems and seals the hole.

No conclusions can be drawn after only one use.

 

[9202]

Apparently you didn't use it correctly. Inflate and ride. Don't wait. In fact, the can says to ride 3 miles or so at least. You also need to be sure that that whatever caused the puncture still isn't in the carcass. It's also not a magic fix for large punctures.

In my tubies, PitStop inflates to the desired pressure with no problems and seals the hole.

No conclusions can be drawn after only one use.

Agreed, but I was disappointed none the less. I have not had a chance to check the tire yet, but I will bet that the puncture must have been large and irregular.

Just got home and I am too tired to mess with it tonight. Thanks for the info and help.

 

[Edudbor]

It seems like most of the anti-flat otpions you have come with a very wide range of opinions on how well they work.

I had flat issues myself, but I wonder why nobody seems to have any actual numbers or statistics. You'd think a bicycle magazine would take the top 10 products and put them on 10 different bikes and test each one in a controlled environment on a number of different terrains.

 

[meb]

I guess it might work well with tube where the presta valve assembly can be taken off and reinserted. One of my tubes is like that but it came with the bike. My Michelin Light and Performance Forte tubes aren't like that! I guess I need to go tube shopping!

Can you squeeze it into a regular presta valve that's unremovable?

Yes you can squeeze it if the valve has been removed such as in Continental brand presta tubes. Slime uses that same approace to put the sealant in their own brand presta tubes.


The new Slime in a bottle has a no presta picture on the outside, so it doesn't work to put it directly in the smaller presta valve directly.

I had a pinch flat on a presta tube and added slime that way to a road tire. However, while Slime seems to work well on my mountain bike and cruiser tires, I have had less success on road tires. I'm speculating the higher pressure of a road tire is too much pressure for the Slime to seal properly.

 

[MNRon]

I have had good luck with Slime on the 90 psi tires on my recumbent. Be sure to follow the instructions: put it in, inflate, and ride.

You can get it in a presta tube by poking a small hole in the tube, inserting slime thruough the hole, and then patching the hole. Seems like a hassle, but when on a loaded tour it is nice to hear a pssst-pssst-pssst that disappears from a back wheel, knowing you might need to add a few psi at the next opportunity, rather stoppping, removing panniers, replacing a tube, in the bugs/rain/face of a farm dog/etc.

As an LBS employee I hated Slime; as a touring cyclist I like it.

 

[Wyldsyde]

I know this isnt the point but if you are getting flats:

1. make sure your tyres and in good condition and remove glass from cuts etc.
2. properly inflate your tyres. I personally use 8bar to 120psi and have flatted twice in 3 years.
3. Carry a spare tube or two. They are light anyway and straight out the the box fit in a very small saddle bag.

I dont know why patches or slime even exist when Michelin top of the line tubes are like $15?

Has anyone here used Slime? It's that green stuff you put in your tubes and it's fixes flats as you get them. I'm thinking about putting them in my Trek Pilot 2.1 spa wheels and on my Zipp 404s because putting tubes and a Michelin Pro 2 race tires on Zipp 404 clinchers is so difficult! Major roadside hassle for a tire patch!

Any feedback on how it was good or bad for your ride is appreciated!