Having a puncture while riding is an experience that most bikers have to deal with once in a while. There are several kits for puncture repair that you can acquire and carry with you when you are out riding. But carrying a puncture kit can be stressful since it is an added weight, plus you might forget it while leaving the house.
There are alternative solutions that you can do to avoid carrying your puncture kit; one of them is the use of self-sealing inner bike tubes. Self-sealing inner bike tubes can mend a puncture in a short time as the tube is equipped with a unique sealant. The sealant flows inside the tube as the wheel spins. In moments when a puncture has occurred, the sealant enters the punctured space and covers the opening, making sure that air will not escape from the tube.
- Instantly seals up to 1/8" (3mm) punctures
- Provides flat tire protection for up to 2 years
- Pre-filled with environmentally-friendly Slime tube sealant
- These are no ordinary bicycle tubes! These extra strong inner tubes stop...
- Slime Tube Sealant seeks out and instantly seals punctures in your tubes up...
- Designed specifically to stop tube punctures from ruining your ride and...
- Schrader Valve tube, that installs like any traditional inner tube and full...
- Environmentally friendly. Non-toxic, non-corrosive and non-hazardous,...
- Item Package Quantity: 1
- Country of origin:- United Kingdom
- Model Number: 30077
- Package Weight: 820 grams
How Do Self Sealing Inner Tubes Works
Self-sealing tubes come with a sealant that is evenly distributed inside the tube. When a puncture occurs while riding, the sealants take care of all the small punctures that may occur (up to 0.2 mm at a time).
The sealant in the tube has the same property as traditional sealant spray from the tube compound. It contains natural latex properties that dry when it gets into contact with air. The latex compound prevents the further escape of air by reacting to the outside to form a seal.
The self-sealing inner tubes work depending on the size of the puncture that your bike may encounter. In case of a big puncture, it could be dangerous since air will leak out of the tire very fast as it can take a longer time for the sealant to enclose the gap. The sealants are said to work best with punctures that have an average diameter of 0.2 mm.
Self-sealing inner tubes are a good option for your ride as most punctures that you might experience are small and can be treated with sealants.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Self-Sealants
Self-sealing inner tubes are perfect for your riding wants, but you should first consider your riding habits and surfaces, as it may cost you more if your riding habits and surfaces are not good. The self-sealing tube may affect your riding experience depending on your biking style.
Before choosing a self-sealant for your bike, there are a few tips that you should consider:
- When using a self-sealing inner tube, your tube will weigh more than regular tube weight. It can be from 50 grams to about 100 grams more. If you don’t mind extra grams on your bike, then self-sealing inner tubes are a deal for you.
- The tires may be less lively when using self-sealants than when not. The added mass on the tire needs you to put more energy when pedalling.
- A bike having self-sealant may record relatively less bouncing and vibrating. The sealant in the inner tube may act as a shock absorber, but it won’t prevent bouncing and vibrating when riding.
- A self-sealant tube will fit the same as a regular tube and use the same pressure as a regular tube.
- Self-sealing tubes are suitable for both heavy winter tires and lighter winter tires.
When adding a sealant to a non-sealing tube, you are needed to add additional equipment for it to work. When applying self-sealing sealants to your inner tube, you need to be aware of these guidelines.
- First things first, wear protection while handling sealants.
- Since sealants react with air, it is advisable to be quick enough when adding the sealant to your tube to avoid drying and waste before it enters the tube.
- Self-sealing inner tubes are already adhesive and are easy to manage, as they do not require additional materials to work.
- After installing sealants in the tube, pump the tube and spin the wheel rapidly before riding. Spinning the wheel aids in distributing the sealant thought out the wheel.
Pros:
- Using a self-sealing inner tube guarantees you to use your favourite tires. One advantage of having sealants in your inner tube compared to having it on your tubeless tire is that you are left to choose a tire that you have more confidence in, unlike using tubeless tires where you have no choice.
- Using a self-sealant inner tube is less tricky than using tubeless tires. Since the need to have particular tubeless rims and tires is nullified, you can use your existing tire and put self-sealing sealant in your inner tube.
- Using self-sealing inner tubes reduces maintenance costs. Inner tube sealants are more durable than tubeless sealants. You can have the same inner sealant for up to 24 months before the sealant begins to corrode and needs replacement. Some self-sealing product guarantees that the sealant will be of use as long as your tires are well.
Cons:
- Using self-sealing inner tubes renders less protection compared to tubeless tires. Having a self-sealing inner tube for someone new to riding may mean triple protection: since it contains the sealant, tire, and tube. In actual fact, the inner tube in such scenarios is the weakest link. This is because the tube is quite vulnerable, and the sealant can’t handle big punctures.
- They are less comfortable than tubeless. Because sealants are affected by pinch flats, the inner tubes require to run under higher pressure than the tubeless tires. Riding a bike under higher pressure means less comfort, harsher rides, and increased tire tear and wear.
- Sealants can be affected by the weather. Tube sealants are developed to withstand the tire tread: cold or hot. But some sealants may struggle in utmost weather conditions. In cases where the weather registers an extreme cold, the sealant may freeze, and it would not meet its purpose, causing a flat tire.
- Using self-sealants can be messy at some point. In situations where the tire tube needs to be repaired, your hands may end up getting into contact with the sealants and get dirty.
- Instantly seals up to 1/8" (3mm) punctures
- Provides flat tire protection for up to 2 years
- Pre-filled with environmentally-friendly Slime tube sealant
- These are no ordinary bicycle tubes! These extra strong inner tubes stop...
- Slime Tube Sealant seeks out and instantly seals punctures in your tubes up...
- Designed specifically to stop tube punctures from ruining your ride and...
- Schrader Valve tube, that installs like any traditional inner tube and full...
- Environmentally friendly. Non-toxic, non-corrosive and non-hazardous,...
- Item Package Quantity: 1
- Country of origin:- United Kingdom
- Model Number: 30077
- Package Weight: 820 grams
Conclusion
Self-sealing inner tubes are worth it. If you frequently experience small punctures, you wouldn’t mind the addition of a few grams to your bikes. Self-sealing inner tubes are cheap, durable, and require fewer techniques to apply.
Happy Riding!