I'll second that, slime and similar have never worked for me on any tyres, and on a very flexible tyre like the Big Apple, it's even less likely to seal.
.
Schwalbe Tyres
- Thread starter jerrysimon
- Start date
.
I have a pair of Marathon plus (es?) fitted to my Ezee Torq. Since fitting them I have not had any more punctures. Can anybody recommend something similar for 700x25? I have tried the fitted ones (Vittorio Rubino) which I shredded in next to no time, Continentals (punctured on very first ride) and specialized pro II which have proved 100% on my racer, but have punctured 4 times in about 100 miles on my Cytronex. the main issue I have is that the single track roads around where I live contain high levels of gravel. Any advice greatly appreciated. Also, somewhat off thread, is it my imagination or do Presta valves lose air over time without punctures, whereas schrader types do not? 
Thanks
Nick
Thanks
Nick
That's been my experience at times Nick. I really don't like Presta valves, they're fiddly, often unreliable and fragile too, so I always drill out rims and convert to Schrader on bikes I buy.Also, somewhat off thread, is it my imagination or do Presta valves lose air over time without punctures, whereas schrader types do not?
Thanks
Nick
.
I prefer the Schrader valves, but I was told that the Presta valves are designed for higher pressure. I have had problems with Schrader valves & tube in the past, with the tube splitting where the valve is connected. This might also happen with the Presta valve, but I have not got enough experience (travelled miles) to make a fair comparison.Also, somewhat off thread, is it my imagination or do Presta valves lose air over time without punctures, whereas schrader types do not?
Thanks
Nick
I have had that happen on Presta valves too, once both Presta valve to tube junctions failed on a new bike within the first two hundred miles, clerly cheap and faulty tubes. It's a really an uneven comparison though, since tube/tyre creep around the rim is more likely with the lower pressures of Schrader valve setups.
That said, some of the problem is caused by us. Failing to put French chalk over a puncture repair patch can cause the tube body to stick to the tyre inner, so that when the tyre creeps as they tend to do, it drags the tube along and rips out the valve. A thin film of French chalk all over the tube is an excellent preventative against a creeping tyre dragging the tube along.
It's worth keeping an eye on valves. If a correctly installed valve starts leaning towards a spoke on one side after a while, this trouble could be on the way, so it's best to let out most of the air and reseat the tyre and tube before re-pumping.
.
I have the relatively cheap Bontrager racelite hardcase tyres that came with my Cytronex and they've been ok. They're triple kevlar protected slicks and have a harder rubber down the centre. with softer stuff on the sides for grip round corners. I've had a couple of punctures but nothing unreasonable.I have a pair of Marathon plus (es?) fitted to my Ezee Torq. Since fitting them I have not had any more punctures. Can anybody recommend something similar for 700x25? I have tried the fitted ones (Vittorio Rubino) which I shredded in next to no time, Continentals (punctured on very first ride) and specialized pro II which have proved 100% on my racer, but have punctured 4 times in about 100 miles on my Cytronex. the main issue I have is that the single track roads around where I live contain high levels of gravel. Any advice greatly appreciated. Also, somewhat off thread, is it my imagination or do Presta valves lose air over time without punctures, whereas schrader types do not?
Thanks
Nick
Have you thought about Slime inner tubes. I know Cytronex sell them and I've been tempted to try them myself. The Slime site FAQ reckons they're fine with high pressure road bike tyres and Presta valves. Generally though like the car stuff you have to take it that it's only a temporary fix and in some cases isn't going to work.
I carried a can around in my Smart car for 7 years - you have to there's no spare tyre. When I did need it all it did was gush out and show me the tyre wall was shredded around the outer wall.
The slime inner tubes for bikes look like a fair idea though especially if like me you can't identify the hole in an inner tube without a tub of water. I can't see that the flexibilty on the Big Apple tyres would make much difference.
Personally I like the idea of carrying a spare inner tube.
The slime type products were invented for car tubeless tyres and that's where they are most suited. Initially they came in large aerosol form only, intended to reinflate the tyre at the same time as applying the sealant only after a puncture. The sealants were never originally intended for use with tubed tyres but some of the bike industry thought otherwise.
The threads we've had on this subject have had the majority finding as I've done, they don't work most of the time on bike tyres. All they've ever done for me is ooze without sealing, and a thin tyre tread makes that more certain since there's less time for the mix to harden as it comes out. I've tried three makes including Slime, and all let me down so I've never used them since.
What I most dislike though is the mess they make when they fail to seal, making a puncture repair then very difficult with both the tube and inside of the tyre covered in a slimy mess. I think that alone proves they don't always work, since they are supposed to harden and seal when exposed to air, but they obviously often don't since I've had tubes stay slimy up to when I've thrown them away in disgust rather than struggle to clean them up.
I'm with Mussels on this, why bother when a puncture is so easy to repair in minutes with no mess or risk of being let down.
.
The threads we've had on this subject have had the majority finding as I've done, they don't work most of the time on bike tyres. All they've ever done for me is ooze without sealing, and a thin tyre tread makes that more certain since there's less time for the mix to harden as it comes out. I've tried three makes including Slime, and all let me down so I've never used them since.
What I most dislike though is the mess they make when they fail to seal, making a puncture repair then very difficult with both the tube and inside of the tyre covered in a slimy mess. I think that alone proves they don't always work, since they are supposed to harden and seal when exposed to air, but they obviously often don't since I've had tubes stay slimy up to when I've thrown them away in disgust rather than struggle to clean them up.
I'm with Mussels on this, why bother when a puncture is so easy to repair in minutes with no mess or risk of being let down.
.
Last edited:
I have an aversion to all slime type products. Its not even based on experience, I just don't like the concept.
I tried Bontrager as recommended by my LBS on my Ezee and found them worse than the Kendas they replaced. To be fair, the kendas did me proud for a couple of years, but once they started to puncture it was seemingly constant. By contrast I shredded the Bontragers in a couple of weeks. Perhaps I'm just unusually hard on tyres. I have also found with the high pressure variants that I can quite easily burst the tube if I try to inflate to the recommended 115-125 psi on first fitting. My tally is now 4, and I have only to go near my pump to introduce a pavlovian fear response in my dogs. I now pump to 90 or so and leave them to bed in before I increase the psi, but even then I will only go to 110. Perhaps I eat too many cow pies....
My two methods of repairing punctures
Method 1
Remove wheel. Scratch head and rummage around to find tyre lever. Manage to force it under the tyre. Start to slide it around under tyre and push side wall. Pinch finger and scream. Remember need three levers. Can’t find others. Vague recollection that can use spoons. Try one, it bends. Try another and another – success. More finger pinching and shouting, but manage to remove inner tube.
Important next step: never attempt inner tube repair. This involves basin of soapy water, chalk, fiddly little rubber bits and model aeroplane glue in more or less random order. And bubbles, though where they fit in I’m not quite sure.
Put new inner tube in tyre, repeat lever, spoon, finger pinching and yelling process. Inflate and discover that new tube was punctured by spoons when put in. Move on to Method 2.
Method 2
Connect inflator/repairer previously bought from Halfords. Push button. Enjoy sight of type inflating. Pedal off.
Nowadays, I generally go straight to Method 2.
Last edited:
Is that the little can of 'Tyre Weld' type stuff?
I have a can of this in the campervan (no room for spare). Recently clocked the little can in the bike section of Halfords. Was wondering if it was worth carrying a can on the bike...
Ha ha. Yeah this is the bit that always gets me and takes me inordinate amounts of time to sort out. Also involves finding my reading glasses and a magnifying glass and something to put the water in that won't annoy my wife. The Presta valve turned into a life threatening high velocity projectile on the last attempt. I never did find it.My two methods of repairing punctures
Important next step: never attempt inner tube repair. This involves basin of soapy water, chalk, fiddly little rubber bits and model aeroplane glue in more or less random order. And bubbles, though where they fit in I’m not quite sure.
Needs more practice but I could do without it.
Looks like you're very hard on tyres. To be fair the roads round these parts aren't too bad and as long as I keep a look out for hawthorn trimmings, bits of metal, and broken bottles I'm ok.
I agree, one eye for the traffic, the other for the surface, with the agility of bicycles it's realy not that hard to avoid the pitfalls and potholes Very soon riding like this becomes second nature, and hence I can't remember my last puncture (touches all the wood in view ).
Not refering to anyone here, but it does seem to me that some people expect to be able to ride their bikes anywhere, as one would drive a car, without respecting the fact that a bike is inherrently a far more delicate creature.
Very soon riding like this becomes second nature, and hence I can't remember my last puncture (touches all the wood in view ).Not refering to anyone here, but it does seem to me that some people expect to be able to ride their bikes anywhere, as one would drive a car, without respecting the fact that a bike is inherrently a far more delicate creature.
Please see my comments below.
Finding the hole is easy, just put some air in, listen for it escaping and look for the bigger hole. Usually you know where the hole will be before the tyre comes off the rim.
Applying the patch is easy, quick rub with sandpaper, thin layer of glue and slap the patch on, all takes about 30 seconds.
Finding the hole is easy, just put some air in, listen for it escaping and look for the bigger hole. Usually you know where the hole will be before the tyre comes off the rim.
Applying the patch is easy, quick rub with sandpaper, thin layer of glue and slap the patch on, all takes about 30 seconds.
My two methods of repairing punctures
Method 1
Remove wheel [Why?]. Scratch head and rummage around to find tyre lever [that's not the tyre lever's fault and you'd have to find the aerosol anyway.]. Manage to force it under the tyre. Start to slide it around under tyre and push side wall. Pinch finger and scream. Remember need three levers [Only if the tyre is a really tight fit]. Can’t find others. Vague recollection that can use spoons. Try one, it bends. Try another and another – success. More finger pinching and shouting, but manage to remove inner tube. [It's really not that hard, the cheap tyre levers that come in kits are rubbish, decent ones cost about a fiver and will do the job quickly]
Important next step: never attempt inner tube repair. This involves basin of soapy water [Again, why?], chalk, fiddly little rubber bits and model aeroplane glue in more or less random order. And bubbles, though where they fit in I’m not quite sure.
Put new inner tube in tyre, repeat lever, spoon, finger pinching and yelling process. Inflate and discover that new tube was punctured by spoons when put in. Move on to Method 2.
Method 2
Connect inflator/repairer previously bought from Halfords. Push button. Enjoy sight of type inflating. Pedal off.
Nowadays, I generally go straight to Method 2.
But I'd add to that, let the rubber solution dry for a few seconds to a matt finish before applying the patch. That way it will adhere immediately in contact adhesive fashion and be able to stretch with the tube without edge peeling.
A quick dust with French chalk scraped from the block in the repair outfit will ensure no risk of any adhesive around the patch sticking to the inside of the tyre.
As Mussels says, puncture repairs are very quick and easy to do, something I rapidly found out when entering the trade as a junior and having to do all the punctures that came in. That was long ago when much of Britain cycled to work each morning, and for a small extra charge repair was while the customer waited for a couple of minutes.
.
A quick dust with French chalk scraped from the block in the repair outfit will ensure no risk of any adhesive around the patch sticking to the inside of the tyre.
As Mussels says, puncture repairs are very quick and easy to do, something I rapidly found out when entering the trade as a junior and having to do all the punctures that came in. That was long ago when much of Britain cycled to work each morning, and for a small extra charge repair was while the customer waited for a couple of minutes.
.
Having just repaired a puncture at home, as others have stated the real problem is finding the hole in the inner tube. This one was tiny (went down over nite) and I could only find it by immersing in water. If I was at work, it was late in the evening and getting dark I wouldn't stand a chance. Interesting to read the various posts though.
Anyway back to topic. My Big Apple arrived today but I was out at work
I will go pick it up from the RM delivery office tomorrow and report back.
Regards
Jerry
Anyway back to topic. My Big Apple arrived today but I was out at work
I will go pick it up from the RM delivery office tomorrow and report back.
Regards
Jerry
Use your lips. Because the blood circulates very close to the surface of the lips as a body heat dispersal system, they are over equipped with protective nerves and very sensitive.
Just pass the pumped tube past the lips at a distance of just an inch or two and you'll instantly feel the slightest movement of air escaping. Almost as good as a bowl of water and less messy.
.
Yes, that's what I do, and I never have a problem finding the puncture.Sometimes I do struggle to find the offending object in the tyre though, and have on more than one occasion repaired or replaced the tube only to find it punctures shortly after because I didn't diagnose correctly the first time. I also use self adhesive patches rather than glue which shortens the process even more.
Related Articles
-
MTF Enterprises announces acquisition of EMU Electric Bikes- Started by: Pedelecs
-
Wisper 806T folding bike wins Which? ‘Best Buy’- Started by: Pedelecs
-
Sustrans calls for protected cycle lanes- Started by: Pedelecs
-
Amazon launch their first UK e-cargo micromobility hub- Started by: Pedelecs
