Here is a Slime Inner Tube Review. Enjoy!
While cycling across Europe, I managed to collect 13 punctures in 2000km.
I'm sure you understand why it became incredibly frustrating, especially when I had to push my bike after running out of patches one day.
I did a little research, and it turns out you don't have to spend more time fixing punctures than cycling awesome scenery!
In today's post, I'm going to tell you about my experience with Slime Inner Tubes and why I've not had a puncture for over 6 months.
Quality
Price
My Rating
4
5
5
Pros
- Will finally put an end to almost all of your flat tires.
Cons
- Will increase the overall weight of the bike and slow you down.
- Having extra weight in the wheel is the worse place to have it.
Summary: Slime Inner Tubes are one of the easiest and quickest solutions for annoying punctures.
You might lose a bit of speed but the here's the kicker:
They're cheap enough to give a go and see what happens!
Who Should NOT Invest In Slime Inner Tubes?
The first thing you need to ask yourself before getting the slime tubes is how much do you want to stop punctures?
- If speed is important to you, then don't get these tubes. Adding weight to the wheel is the WORST place to add it.
- If you can change tires at the speed of a rocket and don't mind doing so, then don't get these tubes either.
- If you ride in a big group and find you get tired quicker than the others. Accidentally getting a puncture is a nice tactic to use. With slime, you'll just be frantically stabbing your tire and come across a bit odd.
Who SHOULD Invest In Slime Inner Tubes?
- If you commute to work and arriving on time is important, then I would get these for piece of mind.
- If you get the feeling you want to collapse into a heap on the floor when hearing the sound of hissing from your wheels, I would get these too.
- If you're a casual cyclist, I think Slime Tubes are also a great investment. It's annoying when a flat tire ruins your occasional bike ride, and you've got to call it a day.
What Kind Of Results Did I Get From Slime?
What's the real story?
I've noticed that it feels harder to pedal than with slick road tires, but this is the price I'm willing to pay not to get punctures anymore.
If ultimate speed is what you're after, then you'll want to look elsewhere.
Now:
With regards to punctures.. I'm not a superstitious person, but I feel incredibly nervous writing this...
Six months after installing the new inner tunes, I've had zero punctures
There, I've written it down twice now...I hope that doesn't jinx me!
The reason my tire stopped deflating along with my hopes for the day is because of something called "Fibro-Seal technology."
I have no idea what that is, but basically, the movement of the wheel spreads the sealant around the inner tube and instantly seals a puncture up to 3mm. It's non-toxic, non-flammable, and it cleans up with water.
I've had no trouble after six months, but it will apparently last up to two years before the sealant starts to break down.
Like a lot of things though it comes down to luck. Admittedly I'm not cycling over rough terrain like some of the roads in Europe, but I know I would have gotten at least one puncture in the area I live in by now.
Especially as I cycle past pubs where there's often broken glass from the night before.
That’s not all.
Other Peoples Experiences With Slime.
There are not many reviews online which is why I've written this one, but here are a few comments from a forum discussion I found.
"I only really notice the extra weight when I pick the bike up, not really noticeable when riding."
"One downside I've noticed with them is in the winter, I commuted through the last winter and due to working 12hr shifts I would be setting off from home at 5am in -15c temperatures and found that the slime wouldn't run round the tube and it gave a horrible wobble when riding at speed."
"I used to use them. They must have sealed small punctures without me knowing I had them due to small amounts of slime inside the tire. Don't seem to work on pinch flats, though (I used to get them constantly) but since changing to heavy duty tubes, I've only had one puncture so far in over a year....."
Why does this matter?
Well, it's other people's opinions about how slime worked for them. I might have just got lucky the whole time! Some liked Slime, and some pointed out areas where it didn't perform as well.
The comment about Slime in winter is an interesting one and may cause you to rethink their usage if you're using them at low temperatures.
Another interesting comment is about the pinch flat's as well. If your punctures are pinch flats then perhaps heavy duty tubes are the way to go.
What To Look Out For
As you might have noticed there are some seemly random numbers on the side of the tube box. The numbers related to the size of your tubes. To avoid disappointment make sure you get the correct size for your wheel.
This guide does a good job of clearing everything up
Some Alternatives You Might Consider.
Slime is sublime (see what I did there), but there are other options out there if you're interested in bulletproofing your tubes.
- You could give puncture proof tires a go (thicker tires)
- You could use thorn resistant tubes (regular tubes but thicker)
- A bicycle tire liner (sits between the tube and the tire)
- You could use Slime's stand alone product (although it's a little messy)
- You could use a tubeless tire (professional installation is often required, and they're expensive)
Let's Call It A Day Shall We!
Tubes are just a bit of rubber, but like other little bits of rubber, they’ll cause you a headache if they break
Better to be safe than sorry ay!
The best part is that they're inexpensive and worth having a go to see what happens.
Check Current Slime Inner Tube Pricing
Related Posts:
See Through Cycling Shorts: Are You Guilty?
Road Bike Cassette Sizes For Climbing: How Do You Choose
How Much Does A Bike Tune Up Cost: What's The Average
Best Cheap Protein Powder: A Buyers Guide To Keeping In Shape
