SLLLlllliiiiiimmmmme...

On Fri, 10 Nov 2006 23:19:42 -0800, "Brian" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Finally, adding sealant to your tires will add 4 to 8 oz of extra
weight to your bike, and it won't work with Presta tubes.

It will work with *some* Presta valves, specifically the ones with the
stem that unscrews from the base, leaving a hole open into the tube.

Alternately, I have heard of Slime getting installed through an
intentionally-made small cut in the tube, over which a small patch was
applied immediately after the load of sealant goo had been pumped in.
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Brian said:

{the following was inspired by one of our regulars: thanks goes out to M. Rosenberg.)

And now for something completely different...

Tire Sealant. Pros and Cons...

....

Quoted message said:

Cons:

....

Quoted message said:

Finally, adding sealant to your tires will add 4 to 8 oz of extra weight to your bike, and it won't work with Presta tubes.

It will work with some Presta valves. For example, the Continental
"Race 700" tube I happen to have sitting on my desk comes with a Presta
valve with removable core.

An additional 'con' is that it will add rolling resistance. Any
viscous substance inside the tube will require energy when it changes
shape at the tire contact patch. Don't know how significant the effect
is but would suspect that it has a greater impact than the added
weight. It would be interesting to see some tests with identical
tires/tubes with and without Slime when further rolling resistance
trials are done as part of tire evaluations such as in the current
issue of Bicycling Quarterly (see current discussion in
rec.bicycles.tech).

Brian" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
{the following was inspired by one of our regulars: thanks goes out to M. Rosenberg.)

And now for something completely different...

Tire Sealant. Pros and Cons...

First, some background:

Slime brand is available at your LBS, as are double walled ATB tubes with the stuff already embedded inside. You can get cheaper, generic sealant at any auto parts store. Most brands are similar in composition and all of them work with Schrader Valve tubes. Installation is straightforward (if you have a valve core tool) and "pre-treated" tubes install & inflate just like your regular ones.

Pros:

Your tires are largely thorn-proof (and thumbtack, staple, wire, sliver, shard and needle proof too). You'll still get a hole in them, but they won't lose much air and that loss can be replaced quickly with your mini-pump; or a gas station pump. Sealant treated tires "let down" much more slowly, if at all, than an untreated tire with a minor puncture.

Peace of mind. You don't spend near as much time scanning the road/path/trail-way in front of your front tire; looking for fun things to swerve around.

When you get a bad punture, it's instantly obvious where on the tire the leak is coming from.

You can still patch tubes that get holes...you just don't have to patch them right away.

Cons:

You still have to patch the holes...you may not have to patch them right away, but that only means that they tend to accumulate...

If you don't ever actually patch the tubes; (just keep "topping up" the tires every 2-3 days) when the tires wear out, you will also have to replace the tubes - by that time, the two will have become glued together, and you're better off starting fresh.

If the stuff isn't applied correctly, it can seriously foul up your valve cores; to the point where it can be difficult, if not impossible, to inflate the tire properly. This can also happen anyway if you let a dollop of sealant drip into the valve stem while inflating (always inflate with the valve stem oriented upright).

The presence of sealant can make a messy job - applying a patch - that much more of a mess as you have to clean the sealant residue off the tube around the hole and keep wiping it clean every time more seeps out. Sealant and tire patch adhesive don't mix well, but the patch will still adhere if you can keep the tube wall free of residue while prepping it.

Finally, adding sealant to your tires will add 4 to 8 oz of extra weight to your bike, and it won't work with Presta tubes.

B.

It is my understanding that the solvent chemical that is used in some of the Slime products or equivalent, can dissolve the adhesive that holds the patch on the tube.
Thus a leak may start up later as the glue lets go.

Werehatrack said:

On Fri, 10 Nov 2006 23:19:42 -0800, "Brian" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Finally, adding sealant to your tires will add 4 to 8 oz of extra
weight to your bike, and it won't work with Presta tubes.

Geez, you weight freaks. That's less than one can of soda.

Quoted message said:

It will work with *some* Presta valves, specifically the ones with the
stem that unscrews from the base, leaving a hole open into the tube.

Alternately, I have heard of Slime getting installed through an
intentionally-made small cut in the tube, over which a small patch was
applied immediately after the load of sealant goo had been pumped in.

Bill Baka

It is my understanding that the solvent chemical that is used in some of the Slime products or equivalent, can dissolve the adhesive that holds the patch on the tube. Thus a leak may start up later as the glue lets go.

Correct, you have to keep the tube wall clean and squeeze the fluid sealant away from that portion of the tire. Once the adhesive sets up, you're OK (ymmv), but the presence of sealant residue in the adhesive can prevent it from setting properly.

B.

PS: I know that you can inject/introduce sealant into a presta tube other than thru the valve stem (by making a hole in the tube)...but doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose?