PeterCruzer said:Quoted post said:Only problem is
that they leak this nasty green slime when you are pumping it up, or
when you a patching a flat. I think that a better option are the
specialized self sealing tubes that have a clear sealant. However,
riding performance won't suffer much with the slime tubes.
Thanks. I''ve heard about what a mess it is to patch these things and
would probably carry an extra conventional tube on rides to avoid
having to patch a Slime-y one. OTOH, will investigate the specialized
options as well. Thx. Peter.
Dear Peter,
Two normal Slime tubes patched yesterday:
http://i32.tinypic.com/2vki13c.jpg
My last few hundred Slime-tube flats patched fine with Rema glue and
patches. Those two should be ready later this afternoon.
Slime consists of non-poisonous green gunk and chopped-up white
fibers, working on the principle of molasses and bits of rope poured
down the kitchen sink.
The further the hole is away from the center-line of the tube, the
less likely that it will be plugged with Slime.
Slime works fairly well on pinhole punctures from goathead thorns, but
not as well on larger slits and rips from glass.
Slime tubes are more fuss and trouble than normal tubes, but they may
be worth it if you expect a flat every week or two. I like them
because they get me home more than half the time on my daily ride and
the little drop of green or wisp of white fiber makes it clear when I
have to put in a new tube from my box of patched spares.
The Slime from a typical flat wipes off the rim and inside of the tire
with a finger and isn't much trouble.
Of course, if a tire creeps off the rim and the Slime tube bursts just
as you stop and reach for the presta valve, the mess is more
impressive:
http://i18.tinypic.com/4t9hswg.jpg
I carry four spare tubes and a postage-stamp-size box of glueless
patches, which I've had to use only once--the glueless patch worked
fine on the Slime tube.
As Andres points out, there's not much rolling resistance penalty for
Slime compared to plastic Mr. Tuffy belts, thick thorn-resistant
tubes, and thicker treads. That kind of anti-flat equipment works well
for some posters on RBT. It slows you down a bit, but there's no mess.
If you're thinking about carrying only a single spare tube on rides,
you may not be flatting often enough to make Slime tubes worth while.
Cheers,
Carl Fogel
