Has anyone used Slime tubes on a cross bike? Do they make them big enough (35)? Saw them and got to thinking....

Has anyone used Slime tubes on a cross bike? Do they make them big enough (35)? Saw them and got to thinking....

Specialized does make their Airlock tubes in 28/35. I use them on my cross bike - living here among the Goatheads, you pretty much have to or it's a flat every time out.

Slime brand (IMO) suck out loud. Their goop causes real problems with presta valves. Specialized uses a less viscous sealant that works without trashing the valves.

The other choice is to buy Conti cross tubes with removable valve cores and fill them yourself with a sealant of choice - Stan's, Tufo, Airlock.

I use Slime. As Terry said, in NM a sealant is MANDATORY. I haven't had trouble yet with my valves but I agree I have heard of people having presta valve issues with Slime. I have heard of very good results with Stan's. If you do go with Slime tubes remember to keep the valve at 10 or 2 o'clock positions when filling. It will help drain the slime away from the valve.

I've gone the Stans route and love it...
you don' t need to hold yourself to conti tubes (even though they rock)
with some carefuly precision you can inject through the valve, and no, it won't lock it shut... just pump air in right away to blow some of it out of the valve.

I like it because i use it on lots of my tubes. tubular race wheels, MTB wheels whatever I want. You get a lot of use for one container of sealant.

I've gone the Stans route and love it...
you don' t need to hold yourself to conti tubes (even though they rock)
with some carefuly precision you can inject through the valve, and no, it won't lock it shut... just pump air in right away to blow some of it out of the valve.

I like it because i use it on lots of my tubes. tubular race wheels, MTB wheels whatever I want. You get a lot of use for one container of sealant.


What kind of applicator do you use to inject Stan's into an inner tube that doesn't have a removable presta valve?

Also, do you happen to know of anybody who makes a tube with a removable presta valve that comes in a 32 or 35? I can only seem to find the Conti tubes in a 25.

What kind of applicator do you use to inject Stan's into an inner tube that doesn't have a removable presta valve?

Also, do you happen to know of anybody who makes a tube with a removable presta valve that comes in a 32 or 35? I can only seem to find the Conti tubes in a 25.

Ironically.... Slime tubes do have removable cores on their presta valves. The Slime tubes come in size up to 28.

I always use tubes smaller than the tire size anyway. It makes it easier to install the tire. I'd just use the smaller Conti tubes with the Stan's.

TrueGoo makes a thorn-resistant tube with sealant. It's HEAVY, but flat resistant. It makes your race tubulars feel all the nicer.

Living in NM as well, I used to think sliming the tubes, preferrably in combination with Armadillo tires, was mandatory. Goatheads and chollo cactus are just incredibly abundant out here. I am having similar or better results with a different approach:Panaracer FlatAway kevlar tire liners. They weigh like 2 oz, go in between the tire and inner tube, and seem to be very effective. Knocking (conspicuously) on wood, no flats with these. It'll be interesting whenever I do change tubes or tires to see what all is lodged in the liners.
My experience with sliming tubes is, it does indeed work (most, but not all the time), but it can muck mightily with both the Presta valve and yer pump valve, and the Specialized stuff is a little better in this regard, but not that much. I dunno if Panaracer makes a cyclocross specific tire, but I've been very impressed with their stuff.