Slime for Foss Tube

[mbalmer]

I have thorns in my 36 with a Foss tube. I don't want to take it apart. Can I use slime with that tube? If so, how much?

[DavidHood]

Originally Posted by mbalmer

I have thorns in my 36 with a Foss tube. I don't want to take it apart. Can I use slime with that tube? If so, how much?

Good question!I'm looking forward to seeing the answers our RSU friends provide. There by the grace of God go I on my geared 36er. Should my FOSS tube ever fail (perish the thought) I might consider the weight penalty of Slime rather than risk having my LBS take it apart. If I do that, I'm making all sorts of changes like trading the heavy Nightrider for the highly anticipated but yet to be released lightweight 36" tire and a set of Kris' new cranks (137s). You might have to bite the bullet, load it up, and take it to your LBS. I'd bet they would swap a new (bring a FOSS with you) tube for under $20. I know mine would and they do most everything on mine. Good luck. Spring is a bad time of year to have a flat you can't fix. I hope I'm not jinxing myself by posting. Good luck!

[pkittle]

It would probably take quite a bit of slime--enough that it would be really noticeable as you rode. I only slime my commuter bike's tires (700c with 1" tires), and it definitely affects acceleration and steering. I used the recommended amount--there's a chart on the slime website, I believe.

I know that lots of people use Stan's sealant in tubes instead because it's not as thick and chunky--more of a straight liquid--so it takes less of it to keep the inner tube coated. It also apparently works very well. I've just never had any to try, myself, but had a gallon-sized bottle of slime already in my garage.

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Edit to add: I have no experience with the Foss tube, so take what I say with a grain of salt (or perhaps a whole bag of it!).

[zeus661]

I would not use Slime. I would patch it properly. You don't have to take the uni apart. Just deflate tire and pop enough tire off the rim to get to the area where the hole is.

[aracer]

Originally Posted by pkittle

I know that lots of people use Stan's sealant in tubes instead because it's not as thick and chunky--more of a straight liquid--so it takes less of it to keep the inner tube coated. It also apparently works very well. I've just never had any to try, myself, but had a gallon-sized bottle of slime already in my garage.

I've used it in MTB tyres (no tubes) for over a decade now. Would go tubeless with sealant on my muni were it not that I've not yet decided on the right tyre. On something like a 36er where I'd not be expecting to change tyres, I think I'd almost certainly go tubeless if I was getting punctures. Works very well at sealing thorn holes in tyres - though I've heard more mixed reports about how well it works in tubes (you also have the issue of it drying out and forming big lumps - a much bigger issue in a tube than a tyre).