Boy these are heavy tubes. But after three consecutive days of flatting from different punctures on new tires, I gave up. Once installed, your wheels will noticeably slump around and handling is pretty terrible. But hey, no flats after 600 miles so far, a couple self-healed punctures, and they hold air like a dream. I'd never use them for training or weekend rides, but they serve their purpose for daily commuting peace of mind.
These are required anywhere you have sharp, pointy objects waiting to ruin your day. Arizona, where I ride, is awash in goat heads. Small, round seeds that have points as sharp as any needle you've seen, all over the place. Without Slime tubes, you will learn to either repair tires out on the trail, or spend allot of time pushing your bike home. Either one is not the way to enjoy your bike adventure. Don't leave home without them!
Been using Slime tubes for many yrs, got a flat recently, even with tube liners and Slime. Got the tire off and had all this watery green liquid, I had a spare tube and made the change. Got home and was reloading the Slime and read the instructions, it's good for 2 years. I believe I had last loaded Slime into the tube about 6 yrs ago.
My spouse & I have been using these Slime inner tubes for years in conjunction with Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires... the combo makes our rides bulletproof! Havent had a flat on the road in years!
after 6 flats in the last two weeks decided to go with new tires(gator skins) and slime tubes. I see the slime tubes have good reviews but my front tube only last one day and the tube split on the seam next to the stem. must be a bad tube or I just have very bad luck.
My commute takes me through dirt paths and paved roads with more crevasses than an arctic climb- and I installed these to keep me rolling until I got to work and back home. So far, so good though they have not been penetrated as of yet. They are much heavier than standard tubes, so if being light and speedy is your thing, bring your patch kit instead.
I spent a sunny week biking in the Phoenix, AZ area. The trip leader strongly recommended using slime self-sealing tubes. Viola! A week without flats despite all the nasty, thorny elements on the road and I am not referring to other bikers. I did experience some green slime shooting out after I first installed and pumped up my tires. But this reassured me tht the slime was working. Give 'em a try.
A mainstay (IMHO) for any cyclist that does not run tubeless. I have gotten as many as three seasons out of one tube. One of only three products I have ever given a five star rating to.
I keep this on my rear tire all the time now. Total life saver! Riding through city streets every day, I can really tell the difference between when I have a slime tube vs a regular tube in the frequency of flats. I highly recommend this.
There was a period I got 3 flats in a one week, even with tire liners. A real pain, especially if it's raining. I searched around for alternatives and gave Slime a try. I've been Slimed and I love the stuff. All my bikes have Slime Tubes installed. I'll get an occasional Slime Spray, which tells me it just plugged a leak and I can continue my ride without stopping. When you do have time to repair the leak (really isn't necessary), the Slime marks the spot, making for a easy repair.
It worked so well it sealed my valve and couldn�t put air in my tire any more. So I replaced the slime tube with a conventional tube and got a flat 3 rides later. I put the slime tube back on with a new valve. I can deal with this. This only happened with one tire, the other one is still holding strong and over two years.
A great product that has been around for decades. If you hate flats then add SlimeTubes to your Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires and possible ride a year (for me 10,000 miles) without a flat. There is no downside. Everyone likes to talk about weight on a bike, as long as you are not racing weight matters very little, and sitting by the side of the road repairing tires will make you 100x slower on your route than riding a lightweight bike. Make sure you buy the Slime tubes and not the bottle to add slime to your existing tubes.
I got these because I had a series of flats on my commuter bike, even when using gatorskin tires. Since I installed these I haven't had a single flat. I didn't do a double-blind study or anything, but my perception is that they work really well. They are a bit heavier and more expensive than other tubes, but I'm happy to accept the weight and not worry about flats (also, for a commuter bike with a rack and panniers, is tube weight that important?), and I save money by not buying new tubes. The only design "flaw" I can find is that a tiny spray of slime comes out of the presta valve every time you open it to top off the air. Perhaps they could put a one-way flap where the tube joins the valve to prevent that? Otherwise, this is a great product that seems to do exactly what it promises. Highly recommend them.
I bought a pair of these for the new tires going on my hybrid bike. I routinely ride about 15 miles at a time, and have run tire slime in regular tubes before, with no problems for a long time. These tubes cost more than plain tubes, and you can tell they are heavier than plain tubes as well, but for an exercise bike it is no big deal. They do have a cool bright green cap for the schrader valves. So far, so good with no flats after 3 months. I expect and hope there will be many more trouble-free miles to come.
They're...tubes! I feel like any tube that's more robust than a "race" tube will get you great results. These are no exception.
The slime goop sealant stuff has patched a couple small punctures, though I doubt there's much left afterwards. Definitely order a couple extra to have on standby. Gives great peace of mind!
