Slime filled tubes - clogged up valves..

[the reluctant cyclist]

My LBS fitted me some slime filled inner tubes and armoured tyres just after Christmas.

Whilst it has been great to not be visited by the puncture fairy since then. I can't actually blow the tyres up now as the slime has gone into the ends of the valves (god I hope that's what they are called) and they are all seized up and I can't unscrew them to fit the pump and blow them up.

Has anyone else had this problem?

I also purchased two inner tubes to fit myself to the mountain bike and I noted that these have done the exact same thing!

 

[gbb]

I may be on the wrong track here, but i had some 'self healing' tyres a few years back.
They were fine, and indeed instantly self healed when they were supposed to.....but, the surrounding area became solid. You could tell where the fairy had visited, the tyre became progressively dotted with these hard sections.

As always...plus's and minus's.

 

[mickle]

The valve will undo with a bit more effort. Rotate the wheel so that the valve is at the top and wait a few mins for the slime to drain down. A pair of needle nosed pliers will undo the valve but you'll need to hold the valve body with another pair of pliers to prevent the valve ripping out of the tube. Clean the valve as much as possible with a wet cloth. Alternate between inflating and partially deflating until the valve clears.

If you have Schrader valves on your mountain bike you'll need to source a Schrader valve core tool. Halfords have them. Locate the valve at the top of the wheel and allow to drain then remove the valve core and either wash the slime off or install new cores. Whilst the valve core is out blow some air through to remove any residual slime from the area.

 

[beanzontoast]

Briefly experimented with using this kind of product a few years ago in my mtb tubes, but the 'gummy valve syndrome' you describe, plus the occasional spraying of the stuff when pumping up tyres eventually put me off using it.

 

[Dave5N]

I put their puncture proof tape in my son's tires.

It isn't.