Tyre slime use ?

[sevenfourate]

Im pretty new to off-roading, but somehow have avoided a single puncture in the last year........

Just aswell really, as i dont carry so much as a pump, a patch, an mini air cannister, a can of slime or anything else ! My luck CANT continue

I have to do alot of road miles (50 : 50) in order to ride the 'Green lanes' here in the UK, so run tubes rather than mousses.

Anyone else just put a can of slime in their tubes to help / seal punctures ?



***Excuse the non GasGas bikes.....but i'll put up a few pics to show you US residents some idea of what some of our legal to use; Green-Lanes can be like in the UK:

 

[sevenfourate]

And a couple more:

 

[swazi_matt]

I used to use slime in my tubes and it does work. We get those 2" camel thorn trees here and I remember changing a tire once and finding the tube stuck to the tire because there were about 4 punctures with the thorns still in there.

But honestly if you are not running mousses (actually , even if you are) then you should be running tubliss they handle better and are easier to patch

 

[swazi_matt]

... BTW tubliss also with slime where I ride

 

[Caravan Monster]

I carry a spare 21" tube (fits front and will get you home in the rear tyre),tools and tyre levers for greenlaning. Slime works on punctures, but not tears. In my experience, a lot of dirt bike tube failiures are caused by the tube moving inside the tyre and tearing out the valve stem. This seems to be prevalent with low tyre pressure and higher speed tarmac riding - ie greenlaning.

If you decide to carry a tube, I would highly recommend wolfman front mudguard tube bag A touch pricey, but really top quality - mine has been down the road several times and doesn't have a mark on it.

 

[sevenfourate]

Cheers chaps.

Tubliss and spare 21" tube both viable options !

***Does the Tubliss suffer with 'prolonged' road use at all ?

 

[Fred1956]

Cheers chaps.

Tubliss and spare 21" tube both viable options !

***Does the Tubliss suffer with 'prolonged' road use at all ?

I've not seen an issue, it just takes a bit of weight to balance them-and it needs it at road speed....

 

[robszombie]

I use the slime type stuff designed for Tractors, it's a big container & you get loads of use from it. 4mm tubes help too.

 

[Diggs345]

I have been using the t lock system with good results , iv had a few torn tyres but the t lock held the tyre on the rim so I was able to continue with my ride , I also carry a 21" tube as a back up

 

[swazi_matt]

Cheers chaps.

Tubliss and spare 21" tube both viable options !

***Does the Tubliss suffer with 'prolonged' road use at all ?

I suppose it depends on the tire you use and the pressure you run, but the tubliss system itself will be unaffected wherever/whatever you ride
And as it is basically a 360 deg rim lock you can ride at just about full speed with a flat and hardly feel it (obviously if you do this you may end up with some square rims)

I have been using tubliss since 2007 and in that time I have had to plug 2 tires. The standard tubes my GG came with were punctured (and ruined a ride) within the first month

 

[Jakobi]

Tubliss is an exy option though Matt.. innit?

IMO if you are tearing the valve stems out of the tube you need to replace the rimlock, and ensure that the loc nut on the valve stem is backed up against the cap and not the rim. Holding the valve stem hard in place means that if any point the tyre moves and the tube is taken with it it tears away.

All my mishaps have come from pinch flats slamming into square edges with low pressures where the tube gets nipped by the rim. Like others, I carry a few tyre levers and a 21" tube. If I had a lot of thorns or the likes, I'd probably cry and give up riding.

 

[sevenfourate]

Tubliss is an exy option though Matt.. innit?

IMO if you are tearing the valve stems out of the tube you need to replace the rimlock, and ensure that the loc nut on the valve stem is backed up against the cap and not the rim. Holding the valve stem hard in place means that if any point the tyre moves and the tube is taken with it it tears away.

Very valid points im sure Jakobi from my very limited experience.

I've always made sure my rimlocks are in tip-top shape, and anytime ive had new rubber fitted ive been anal in making sure the tubes were in tip-top condition too. Goes without saying while changing rubber its easier / cheaper in the long run to sort those issues there and then while exposed.

I dont run silly low tyre pressures (Around 14psi front and rear due to the combined tarmac / off-road miles i do) but do (After advice) take the valve stem nut off completely so it doesnt tear at the valve if the tube moves slightly, and now actually use a 'rubber tap-washer' over the base of the stem to try to stop most of any 'rubbish' or water wanting to get in. (Pic below):

And swazi_matt: Thanks for the info. I think i might slime the tubes currently in there (Just had one new rim-lock, and one new tube fitted along with brand new rubber) and then Go-for-it with Tubliss next time.

"Fit and forget" suits me just fine

 

[Jakobi]

How are the tubliss to work with on the trail? Ie in the event that you do bust a decent puncture to a carcass? is it hard to break the bead?

With a bit of practice I don't really have too many issues changing a tube anymore. Kind of seems to take just as much/if not more time finding somewhere to park the bike and getting the wheel off.

 

[swazi_matt]

How are the tubliss to work with on the trail? Ie in the event that you do bust a decent puncture to a carcass? is it hard to break the bead?

With a bit of practice I don't really have too many issues changing a tube anymore. Kind of seems to take just as much/if not more time finding somewhere to park the bike and getting the wheel off.

I use a fairly stiff sidewall tire with tubliss (Mitas have been working with tubliss and have some v decent tires that suit tubliss) so i have never had a sidewall cut which is probably the only repair you cannot fix if it is bigger than a tire plug (same coated cord that you would use to patch a puncture on your car). Once you know how to use the plugs you can easily plug the puncture in minutes and pump it up again and be on your way. And that is if the slime has not already sealed the puncture

because of the 360 rimlock you often do not even know that you have a puncture. see this clip as evidence
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...=zmLrR2g589i3tEE0erzUUQ&bvm=bv.55123115,d.d2k

I have never needed to remove a tire in the bush with tubliss, but the only time you would have to do that would be if the inner rimlock tube burst, then you would have to replace it becausa bicycle patch will not hold 100 psi! This happened with my first set, but the tube is now much thicker than then and the liner has also undergone a few changes
And replacing tires is easier than with a tube, but (and it is a big BUT!) you need to really pay attention to the initial fitment of the system and also make sure you do not pinch the rimlock tube when changing tires. I think the majority of riders that are anti tubliss have not fitted it properly the first time and then it doesn't seal properly and looses air

It is not an install and leave though because you do need to make sure the inner rimlock tube is at 100PSi which basically means a few pumps every 2 weeks or so

 

[Neil E.]

I've been using Tubliss for the past two seasons. I like the system except for the fact that the high pressure tube bleeds down gradually and needs a top up every couple of weeks. My front tire has been losing air slowly and at the end of the last ride it was basically flat. Other than pushing a bit in the corners, it worked fine.

I've been using 8psi front and rear. I hammer into tree roots pretty hard and I've clipped a few rocks. No rim damage and the bead remains fully seated. I can only assume the the tire carcass has shifted slightly relative to the kevlar band and that's why I have a small leak. Submerging the front wheel showed some air loss out the spoke nipple threads.

I'll try some slime and see how it works.

 

[sevenfourate]

I use the slime type stuff designed for Tractors, it's a big container & you get loads of use from it. 4mm tubes help too.

Was about to order some slime, but decided to run out to the garage and check....and as i thought; my new tubes are both 'one piece valves' where the actual valve mechanism itself isnt threaded like many are, so the guts of it cant be removed as such.....

I presume this means i WONT be able to get any slime into the tube..........

 

[nibby]

Good thread, interesting for me re the Tubliss comments.

I'm currently running bib's and have been thinking of tubliss to allow for more control in the psi department on front and rear, like the idea of running really low pressures for some of the hard stuff we do.

But I'm lazy and the thing I like with the bib's is not having to take anything else with me in the event I get say a nail straight through the tyre.

Am I correct in saying that if I did get a nail through (and I've had a few over the years ) then I would need to carry with me

1. tubliss repair kit (those small black rubber gormmet things?)
2. small cycle pump

and would be good to put in some slime when I change tyres.

Or maybe those are not needed as it looks like you can run flat for the rest of the day.

but what if I punctured the cycle inner tube (not sure how if it was protected but possible I suppose?)

would I then either have to change this and take off the tyre which would involve me taking tyre levers etc.

Is that about right?

Sorry to hijack the thread.

cheers

 

[swazi_matt]

There are a few reasons why i run with slime in my tyres
Firstly it makes fitment of the tubliss easier as it lubes the tire and inner so that the initial movement is less stressful if you know what i mean.
Secondly, you would probably be able to finish you ride with the nail in the tyre with almost no loss of pressure. I only noticed that i had a puncture about 3 days after it happened and that was quite a big one. I used the brown cord type of plugs and to be honest i have never done it on a ride yet, but you may need to carry a pump of sorts

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/...b33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_17145.jpg


As i mentioned earlier i only ever had one inner tube fail on me and that happened while the bike was on the trailer, with the earlier thinner tubes. If it happened on the trail (very long nail may make that happen, but the liner seems pretty tough) you would have a slow ride home, possibly ziptie the tire onto the rim so it does not come off

 

[swazi_matt]

Was about to order some slime, but decided to run out to the garage and check....and as i thought; my new tubes are both 'one piece valves' where the actual valve mechanism itself isnt threaded like many are, so the guts of it cant be removed as such.....

I presume this means i WONT be able to get any slime into the tube..........

I get armpump putting the off-road slime into my tires with the valve removed so i would think it would be almost impossible to do it with the valves in

rather just carry a tin of tyreweld, it works most of the time on tubes

 

[nibby]

Thanks Swazi,

think I might give them a try

I bet traction when the pressure is around 7-8 psi is pretty good

cheers

There are a few reasons why i run with slime in my tyres
Firstly it makes fitment of the tubliss easier as it lubes the tire and inner so that the initial movement is less stressful if you know what i mean.
Secondly, you would probably be able to finish you ride with the nail in the tyre with almost no loss of pressure. I only noticed that i had a puncture about 3 days after it happened and that was quite a big one. I used the brown cord type of plugs and to be honest i have never done it on a ride yet, but you may need to carry a pump of sorts

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/...b33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_17145.jpg


As i mentioned earlier i only ever had one inner tube fail on me and that happened while the bike was on the trailer, with the earlier thinner tubes. If it happened on the trail (very long nail may make that happen, but the liner seems pretty tough) you would have a slow ride home, possibly ziptie the tire onto the rim so it does not come off