Inner Tube Slime. Any Good?

[Lovacott]

Yet another thorn puncture on the way home last night which meant a roadside repair in the dark with howling wind and pissing down rain making the experience a tad unpleasant.

I'm considering putting slime in my tubes so at least I can leave repairs until I get home into the dry.

Is this stuff any good?

 

[T4tomo]

Yet another thorn puncture on the way home last night which meant a roadside repair in the dark with howling wind and pissing down rain making the experience a tad unpleasant.

I'm considering putting slime in my tubes so at least I can leave repairs until I get home into the dry.

Is this stuff any good?

I'm personally not a fan, I'd go down the tough tires route, especially on a commuter bike, but this time of year a thorn can strike.
What tyres are you using?

 

[Lovacott]

I'm personally not a fan, I'd go down the tough tires route, especially on a commuter bike, but this time of year a thorn can strike.
What tyres are you using?

https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bi...-27.5-x-2.1-with-puncture-protect-466444.html

 

[Venod]

I never had any luck with slime, on the occasions I punctured it sprayed all over and never sealed, making it a mess changing out the tube, I have had a huge success with tubeless and now don't run tubes in any of my bikes.

 

[Drago]

Its very Marmite. Folk love it or hate it.

When i worked In used it on my commuter. Used properly its almost infallible. When you absolutely must get there on timemits good stuff. I once accidentally roade through the a line of hedge clippings that Farmer Arrisswipe had ledt and the tyre held - when I got home and removed the tyre i had to peel the tube from the inside of the ture where it was held in place by 2 dozen off thorns.

The main downside is its weighty just qhere you dont want it - rotating mass. That can make the buke feel a little deaden and unresponsive, but on my commuter I was willing to put up with that.

Ignore people who whittle about gummed up tyre valves - thats user error from folk who never read the insteuctions.

So, yeah, it works, and can work very well, but it brings its downsides. Decent armoured tyres are nearly as resistant to deflation and dont suffer so much of a weight penalty, so may be a better compromise.

@Venod Do you not find that tubeless sealant makes a godawful mess too when you have to delve in there? The only difference is the colour.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

You're much better getting some decent tyres. I presume you're riding a MTB or similar, but do you need MTB tyres (ie does your commute go off road?). If it's entirely on road the toughest are probably Schwalbe Marathon plus, but they are heavy and make the bike feel sluggish, but you are unlikely to puncture. There are others (Marathon Supreme for one), which roll better but ultimately it's your choice.
FWIW I used to use Marathon pluses but changed to Bontrager Hardcase (on a road bike though).

 

[T4tomo]

https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bi...-27.5-x-2.1-with-puncture-protect-466444.html

So they have some kelvar protection, but they probably aren't on a par with Marathons or marathon pluses. If you don't ride off-road then a pair of one of those might be a good investment as your bike will also run better on road. the are also tough enough for gravel paths etc, but no good for mud.

 

[ianrauk]

I'm personally not a fan, I'd go down the tough tires route, especially on a commuter bike, but this time of year a thorn can strike.
What tyres are you using?

^^^^ This.
Never really felt the need. Seems too much of a faff for me. Durano Plus tyres seem to take everything that's thrown at them on the glass strewn, potholled streets of SE London.

But, give them a go, see how you get on.

 

[Lovacott]

Its very Marmite. Folk love it or hate it.
When i worked In used it on my commuter. Used properly its almost infallible.

I might just give it a try and see how I get on. All I'm interested in is it getting me to work/home so that I can do a proper fix when I get in.

Doing roadside repairs is a pain in the arse in the pitch black (cross country ride, no ambient light).

I don't mind if I have to ditch a £4.99 innertube and put in a new one every time I get a puncture.

 

[Cycleops]

https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bi...-27.5-x-2.1-with-puncture-protect-466444.html

When Halfords tell you their tyres offer 'advanced puncture protection' it's a bit like Trump or Corbyn telling you they're not sore losers.
I'd trust the known record of Schwalbe Marathons in whatever flavour, the pluses being top of the heap.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I use puncture protected tyres plus goo in the tubes - anything less seems to see me changing at the roadside

Last year I found I had a slow puncture one morning so I took the tube off to look for it - a piece of metal had managed to pierce the sidewall and was constantly in a battle with the goo - the goo would seal but then riding wiggled the metal which lost air again
when I gave the tyre a good looking at to check for other problems I found 7 different assorted puncture incidents that had been defeated by either the tyre or the goo

BTW - part of the problem with that was that the tyre was worn almost down to the canvas - hence less rubber.

 

[DRHysted]

I have had a slime inner tube puncture 3 times on my ride home it held until the 4th 1/2 mile from home when it wouldn’t re-seal.
I discovered the reason for the spate of punctures was the cheap tyres that had come with the bike had worn unevenly and in two spots the inner tube was touching the road. So I have no issues with Slime tubes. I’ve not noticed them deaden the ride unlike some tyres, so think of them as insurance, especially if your commute is at 4am!

 

[Ajax Bay]

Fitting Marathon + tyres has to be the first option, as @T4tomo @Tail End Charlie and @Cycleops have already suggested, in response to your OP.

06:43: I'm considering putting slime in my tubes so at least I can leave repairs until I get home into the dry.
Is this stuff any good?
[two hours and several comments later]
09:48: I might just give it a try and see how I get on.

I have to observe you are nothing but consistent, @Lovacott . Ask for advice. Get it. And then crack on.
Tubeless tyres another option, with 'slime'.

 

[overmind]

I second Schwalbe Marathons. I've had some on a commuter bike for several years with no punctures. They seem to be around £20 mark (each). That is much better value than that Halfords tyre shown.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I had Schwalbe's on my old ebike - never had punctures but I felt they were a bit unsure on a wet road

might have just been me - but when I needed a new tyre for my current bike I got a Continental puncture resistant one instead - combined with goo it seems fine