Slime tubes?

coke · Jan 4, 2016

I used slime tubes for a few years and they worked very well. The main downside is the weight. I never had a flat while using them. I once pulled a honey locust thorn out of a tire, but it sealed right up after spinning it. They also hold air and don't go flat over time like most tubes. Using the heavy version, I never had a pinch flat.

On remote rides, I'll sometimes carry a slime tube even though I'm running tubeless now. Much more confident in one of those getting me back home than a normal tube.

mack_turtle · Jan 4, 2016

darth biker said:
Keep in mind some shops will set you up tubeless for $20 or so per tire.

that assumes you're too helpless to do it yourself. I have two tubeless bikes. both were set up at home using a conventional pump and Gorilla tape.

_CJ · Jan 4, 2016

Seriously, not going tubeless.

I've been on too many rides when somebody running tubeless got a flat, and it's a HUGE mess/hassle when they try to fix it. And if I can install a tube with sealant in it, why bother with the dog and pony show of doing a conversion?

_CJ said:
Looking for some opinions on Slime tubes....or suggestions (other than getting tubeless tires/rims or doing a Stan's tubeless conversion)?

mack_turtle · Jan 4, 2016

sorry for the derailment.

short answer- Slime tubes work fine for everything but big punctures and pinch flats. if you are willing to run your tire pressure high enough to avoid most pinch flats and deal with the weight and mess they make when they fail, they work fine. a tube injected with Stan's or Orange Seal might be another alternative, but pre-Slimed tubes are more readily available.

matadorCE · Jan 4, 2016

I tried the Slime tubes and quickly ditched them. No use against pinch flats or even small punctures plus they're heavy as hell. I'd rather go through the trouble of going tubeless before going back to slime tubes.

big_papa_nuts · Jan 4, 2016

mack_turtle said:
I have not tried it but I hear you can put Stan's sealant in tube. not sure if that works better than Slime in any way.

This will work, but Stan's (and most tubeless sealants) will dry up after a few months where as Slime can stay effective for years.

darth biker said:
Keep in mind some shops will set you up tubeless for $20 or so per tire.

Be wary of this. It has become common place for shops to convert tires and rims that were never meant to be run tubeless with disastrous results. Honestly I'm surprised that all the tubeless hype hasn't resulted in more lawsuits.

_CJ said:
Seriously, not going tubeless.

I've been on too many rides when somebody running tubeless got a flat, and it's a HUGE mess/hassle when they try to fix it.

This is a good point. Tubeless can be much more of a mess then Slime, but if your lucky it will happen at home and not be as big a deal.

I actually carry a rag (I keep my spare tubes in an old sock) just in case.

Zowie · Jan 5, 2016

My experiences with a Stans-like product:
I found the tube/tire combo keep the sealant liquid quite a bit longer--a regular 2.3-2.4 tire/tube has lasted nearly a year, and that was with 2oz--half what I would have done on a conversion.

The other advantage vs. what I see with slime is that very little air escapes before it seals--I've never had to stop and air up because of a few thorns, unlike some people I see trail side with Slime.

Downsides: Yes, it will harden, eventually. As always, many variables there.
It will clog the valve just like Slime as well.

_CJ · Jan 5, 2016

Zowie said:
My experiences with a Stans-like product:
I found the tube/tire combo keep the sealant liquid quite a bit longer--a regular 2.3-2.4 tire/tube has lasted nearly a year, and that was with 2oz--half what I would have done on a conversion.

The other advantage vs. what I see with slime is that very little air escapes before it seals--I've never had to stop and air up because of a few thorns, unlike some people I see trail side with Slime.

Downsides: Yes, it will harden, eventually. As always, many variables there.
It will clog the valve just like Slime as well.

Sooooo, you're saying you squirt the Stan's inside a tube? Half of what is recommended for use without a tube?

I can live with limited life on the setup, as I don't really need any sealant stuff locally.

J.B. Weld · Jan 5, 2016

_CJ said:
Seriously, not going tubeless.

I've been on too many rides when somebody running tubeless got a flat, and it's a HUGE mess/hassle when they try to fix it. And if I can install a tube with sealant in it, why bother with the dog and pony show of doing a conversion?

I don't mean to derail, not selling anything but this is my experience-

Slime is messier and more of a hassle regarding trailside repairs. Both slime tubes and tubeless will effectively seal small punctures without intervention but neither will deal with cuts or large punctures, in that event you'll probably have to change the tube either way.

If tubeless you break a bead, dump a little sealant (environmentally unsound I know) install tube and ride.

If slimed you may have the option to patch but it's messy, time consuming, and iffy. Most likely you're changing the tube, which is also messy, and when you're done you're left with hauling out a tube that's drooling slime all over your pack. Also slimed tubes are ineffective against pinch flats.

I would still consider using standard tubes and just see how it goes, worked great for me!

MikeDee · Jan 5, 2016

mack_turtle said:
sorry for the derailment.

short answer- Slime tubes work fine for everything but big punctures and pinch flats. if you are willing to run your tire pressure high enough to avoid most pinch flats and deal with the weight and mess they make when they fail, they work fine. a tube injected with Stan's or Orange Seal might be another alternative, but pre-Slimed tubes are more readily available.

Slime is better in tubes. Latex sealants harden up over time and your stuck with that hardened latex in your tubes.

Cleared2land · Jan 5, 2016

_CJ said:
Seriously, not going tubeless.

...and it's a HUGE mess/hassle when they try to fix it.

I completely disagree. They don't know what they're doing if it's a HUGE mass/hassle.

mack_turtle · Jan 5, 2016

sorry to derail again, but years of tubeless under my belt has not been too much hassle on the rare occasion that I go get a flat and have to put a tube in my tire. it's not any more mess and hassle than replacing a Slime tube would have been. so as far as mess and hassle, Slime tubes and tubeless are a wash.

_CJ · Jan 5, 2016

mack_turtle said:
sorry to derail again, but years of tubeless under my belt has not been too much hassle on the rare occasion that I go get a flat and have to put a tube in my tire. it's not any more mess and hassle than replacing a Slime tube would have been. so as far as mess and hassle, Slime tubes and tubeless are a wash.

So, as far as I'm reading here, the only advantage tubeless brings is eliminating snakebites. They're More of a hassle to set up, more expensive, and same mess to repair trail-side. People seem to complain about weight, but a previous poster said he only adds 2oz to each tube, so that's only 1/8 of a pound per wheel. A quick google search indicates a tubeless conversion saves about 4 ounces per wheel, but you have to add more sealant every 3-4 months?...so not really a big deal either way for a recreational rider like myself.

I honestly can't recall the last time I got a snakebite flat, maybe because I tend to run higher pressures (40-45), and no suspension. My main concern here is thorn and/or goathead type punctures, and I'm only looking for increased protection riding outside my normal area.

I will admit, the tubeless conversion sounds interesting, and I may give it further consideration down the road, but for now a couple ounces of sealant squirted into each tube is probably what I'm going to do.

MikeDee · Jan 5, 2016

_CJ said:
So, as far as I'm reading here, the only advantage tubeless brings is eliminating snakebites. They're More of a hassle to set up, more expensive, and same mess to repair trail-side. People seem to complain about weight, but a previous poster said he only adds 2oz to each tube, so that's only 1/8 of a pound per wheel. A quick google search indicates a tubeless conversion saves about 4 ounces per wheel, so not really a big deal either way for a recreational rider like myself.

I honestly can't recall the last time I got a snakebite flat, maybe because I tend to run higher pressures (40-45), and no suspension. My main concern here is thorn and/or goathead type punctures, and I'm only looking for increased protection riding outside my normal area.

I will admit, the tubeless conversion sounds interesting, and I may give it further consideration down the road, but for now a couple ounces of sealant squirted into each tube is probably what I'm going to do.

Slime says to add 4 oz. per tube.

mack_turtle · Jan 5, 2016

again, deraillment, but I run 24-26 psi in my tubeless tires. if I tried that with tubes, I would have a snakebite every 1/2 mile or trails on the local terrain. all the traction I want with no pinch flats: this makes it worth it to me. it would be the same amount of hassle as dealing with a tube, except flats are so rare that it some out in the long run.

45 psi on rigid bike sounds awful. props for being a hard man, but I would be too sore to ride after 20 minutes of that on the rocky terrain where I ride.

I don't see how it's more expensive unless you have really old/ cheap rims, as most modern rims can easily be set up tubeless. if you are converting a rim that was not made to be tubeless at all, that can be a giant PITA, so that makes sense.

hassle? every other month, I pop the bead of the tire off my rim, pour a scoop of sealant in the tire, pop the tire back on, and pump it up with a floor pump. it takes less than five minutes. I don't even have to take the wheel off the bike, making it less hassle than a tube.

IPunchCholla · Jan 5, 2016

mack_turtle said:
again, deraillment, but I run 24-26 psi in my tubeless tires. if I tried that with tubes, I would have a snakebite every 1/2 mile or trails on the local terrain. all the traction I want with no pinch flats: this makes it worth it to me. it would be the same amount of hassle as dealing with a tube, except flats are so rare that it some out in the long run.

45 psi on rigid bike sounds awful. props for being a hard man, but I would be too sore to ride after 20 minutes of that on the rocky terrain where I ride.

I don't see how it's more expensive unless you have really old/ cheap rims, as most modern rims can easily be set up tubeless. if you are converting a rim that was not made to be tubeless at all, that can be a giant PITA, so that makes sense.

hassle? every other month, I pop the bead of the tire off my rim, pour a scoop of sealant in the tire, pop the tire back on, and pump it up with a floor pump. it takes less than five minutes. I don't even have to take the wheel off the bike, making it less hassle than a tube.

All this^. And if popping the bead off is too much every other month, just get a syringe and refill through the valve.

_CJ · Jan 5, 2016

mack_turtle said:
again, deraillment, but I run 24-26 psi in my tubeless tires. if I tried that with tubes, I would have a snakebite every 1/2 mile or trails on the local terrain. all the traction I want with no pinch flats: this makes it worth it to me. it would be the same amount of hassle as dealing with a tube, except flats are so rare that it some out in the long run.

45 psi on rigid bike sounds awful. props for being a hard man, but I would be too sore to ride after 20 minutes of that on the rocky terrain where I ride.

I don't see how it's more expensive unless you have really old/ cheap rims, as most modern rims can easily be set up tubeless. if you are converting a rim that was not made to be tubeless at all, that can be a giant PITA, so that makes sense.

hassle? every other month, I pop the bead of the tire off my rim, pour a scoop of sealant in the tire, pop the tire back on, and pump it up with a floor pump. it takes less than five minutes. I don't even have to take the wheel off the bike, making it less hassle than a tube.

Yeah, I really don't have any traction issues at 40-45psi, but I am 200+lbs. If I'm riding snow/ice covered streets and trails, then I take em down into the 30-35 range. Any lower than that and I can see the sidewalls wrinkle, and I get worried about rolling a tire. Been there, done that, don't want to do it again.

I like the lower rolling resistance of higher pressures, and have adapted my riding style to the rigid bike, so even 6+ hour trail rides don't beat me up. People don't really understand that about rigid bikes. Yes, it feels like your wrists are going to break riding a rigid after being on suspended bike for years, but 2-4 months on the rigid and you start to get it figured out. It's just a different style of riding.

mack_turtle · Jan 5, 2016

i rode a rigid singlespeed for years with tubes and every time I got done with a ride, I wished I could go lower on my air pressure because my wrists were sore. I never got used to it and the pain never went away. I finally broke down and bought a tubeless-ready wheelset and it was much better. then I got a suspension fork. I respect and understand rigid mountain bike riding, but it does not suit everyone. your experience is yours and mine is mine. if you're happy with high pressure tires, stick to tubes because you're not going to get the same benefits that most people get out of tubeless tires.

EddieSmirckx · Jan 6, 2016

Everything works some of the time, and also fails once in awhile... I run tubeless in all my bikes and wouldn't go back to tubes, but I'm also a bike mechanic and not intimidated by tubeless in any way. It gets a lot easier with practice. If I were not a mechanic and I was going on a trip I might use a slime tube if nothing else was available, but it would be my last choice due to weight and "ick factor". If I wanted a simple solution that wasn't tubeless I'd add 2 fluid ounces of Stan's sealant to both tubes, then get a 2 oz. bottle of Stan's to throw in my pack along with a pump and a spare tube and hit the trail. The tube with Stan's in it will be reasonably light and fairly reliable, and if I get a major cut I have the backup sealant, tube and pump to get me home. As far as I know, the only way to NEVER get a flat is to NEVER ride a bike...

Slime tubes?

coke

mack_turtle

_CJ

mack_turtle

matadorCE

big_papa_nuts

Zowie

_CJ

J.B. Weld

MikeDee

Cleared2land

mack_turtle

_CJ

MikeDee

mack_turtle

IPunchCholla

_CJ

mack_turtle

EddieSmirckx

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