I had slimed tubes for a while, two or three bikes ago! Never actually had a puncture with them, so I can't comment on that. However, I was advised, if I needed to pump up the tyres, to turn the wheel so the valve was on the high side, and leave it for a minute or two, for the slime to drain away. If I did that, pumping up wasn't a problem. The slime did tend to pool at the bottom if the bike was standing. I wasn't aware of it riding, but if I let the bike stand and then lifted and spun one wheel, you could see it was going unbalanced, with a heavy bit. I presume the slime spreads itself around when riding.
Something I think is helpful, especially if you ride in towns where there can be a lot of broken glass, is to inspect your tyres regularly. I turn the bike over, preferably in full sunlight, and check the tread with a magnifying glass. It's surprising how often you'll find little bits of embedded glass glinting there. I usually prise them out with a wooden toothpick. I don't know if there's a real risk of the glass slivers working through to the tube, but better safe than sorry.
I like to keep my tyres hard, for ease of riding & less battery drain. I'm not sure if a hard tyre is less or more prone to being pierced.
Mary
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