Going Tubeless - Slime Pro vs Stans - my experience.
WhyteSky
Posts: 70
Apologies, this is an unnecessarily long post but I just thought I'd share my experience on going tubeless for anyone else who is considering it.
I'd been meaning to go tubeless for some time now but just never got round to do it.
So, a couple of weeks ago I was working away and popped in to a LBS for a little nose around (I'm sure I'm not the only one who does this) and spotted a tubeless kit on offer for £25 - usual price £50 apparently. It was a slime pro kit complete with 1" gorilla tape, 2 tubeless valves, 2 CO2 cartridges and a CO2 inflator head.
Unlike the Stans kit which includes rim strips to convert non tubeless rims, the Slime Pro kit is only suitable for tubeless ready rims. As I have Stans Crest rims I thought I'd give the kit a whirl.
Anyway, I fitted the Gorilla tape to the rims, fitted the valves, fitted the tyres and blew 'em up nice and quick with my Joe Blow. Then deflated them, added the Slime Pro sealant and blew em up nice and quick again, popping the beads back onto the rims.
As per the instructions I gave them a bounce, a spin, a whirl and a shuffle, repeating the process several times to ensure good internal sealant coverage.
Well the next morning the tyres were completely deflated so I reinflated and repeated the dance with my wheels. They still deflated and after persevering a couple more times I decided to give up and bought some Stans rim tape and Stans sealant instead.
First attempt - complete success. I've barely lost any pressure from either tyre since.
I think there were a couple of issues with the Slime Pro kit. First one is that the Gorilla tape is a lot thicker than the Stans tape and I think is more difficult to fit straight. Therefore, I think I may have compromised the bead seat in the rim when I was fitting the tape. I was getting sealant bubbling out of a couple of spoke holes and from around the valve stems.
However, regardless of whether or not I fitted the tape correctly, I think the sealant is inferior to the Stans sealant. I have a Specialzed Purgatory 2Bliss tyre on the rear which has incredibly thin and porous side walls and the Slime Pro sealant just kept weeping out of the sidewalls. The Stans sealant sealed the same tyre almost instantly.
Whether I'm imagining it or not I don't know but I can't help but feel my bike is so much more responsive since I went tubeless. Acceleration is easier, maintaining speed on flat ground is less effort and going up hill, well, let's just say I seem to be walking less! Could it be placebo? Who knows but it feels better to me.
So, that's my experience with going tubeless. I just thought I'd put it out there in case there's anyone considering it but unsure which kit to use. I appreciate there are other kits out there but of the two kits I tried I'd definately recommend Stans over the Slime Pro kit. In fact, I'd go as far as to say if you're considering going tubeless with the Slime Pro, just stick with tubes!
Incidentally, although the Slime Pro kit cost me £25, it wasn't a complete waste of money. For a start, it gave me the kick in the butt I needed to go tubelss. Secondly, it included tubeless valve stems and I'm now also the proud owner of a couple of CO2 cartridges and a micro inflator which I'm sure I'll find useful one day on the trails.
I'd been meaning to go tubeless for some time now but just never got round to do it.
So, a couple of weeks ago I was working away and popped in to a LBS for a little nose around (I'm sure I'm not the only one who does this) and spotted a tubeless kit on offer for £25 - usual price £50 apparently. It was a slime pro kit complete with 1" gorilla tape, 2 tubeless valves, 2 CO2 cartridges and a CO2 inflator head.
Unlike the Stans kit which includes rim strips to convert non tubeless rims, the Slime Pro kit is only suitable for tubeless ready rims. As I have Stans Crest rims I thought I'd give the kit a whirl.
Anyway, I fitted the Gorilla tape to the rims, fitted the valves, fitted the tyres and blew 'em up nice and quick with my Joe Blow. Then deflated them, added the Slime Pro sealant and blew em up nice and quick again, popping the beads back onto the rims.
As per the instructions I gave them a bounce, a spin, a whirl and a shuffle, repeating the process several times to ensure good internal sealant coverage.
Well the next morning the tyres were completely deflated so I reinflated and repeated the dance with my wheels. They still deflated and after persevering a couple more times I decided to give up and bought some Stans rim tape and Stans sealant instead.
First attempt - complete success. I've barely lost any pressure from either tyre since.
I think there were a couple of issues with the Slime Pro kit. First one is that the Gorilla tape is a lot thicker than the Stans tape and I think is more difficult to fit straight. Therefore, I think I may have compromised the bead seat in the rim when I was fitting the tape. I was getting sealant bubbling out of a couple of spoke holes and from around the valve stems.
However, regardless of whether or not I fitted the tape correctly, I think the sealant is inferior to the Stans sealant. I have a Specialzed Purgatory 2Bliss tyre on the rear which has incredibly thin and porous side walls and the Slime Pro sealant just kept weeping out of the sidewalls. The Stans sealant sealed the same tyre almost instantly.
Whether I'm imagining it or not I don't know but I can't help but feel my bike is so much more responsive since I went tubeless. Acceleration is easier, maintaining speed on flat ground is less effort and going up hill, well, let's just say I seem to be walking less! Could it be placebo? Who knows but it feels better to me.
So, that's my experience with going tubeless. I just thought I'd put it out there in case there's anyone considering it but unsure which kit to use. I appreciate there are other kits out there but of the two kits I tried I'd definately recommend Stans over the Slime Pro kit. In fact, I'd go as far as to say if you're considering going tubeless with the Slime Pro, just stick with tubes!
Incidentally, although the Slime Pro kit cost me £25, it wasn't a complete waste of money. For a start, it gave me the kick in the butt I needed to go tubelss. Secondly, it included tubeless valve stems and I'm now also the proud owner of a couple of CO2 cartridges and a micro inflator which I'm sure I'll find useful one day on the trails.
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Comments
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Gorilla tape is used on non tubeless rims, putting it on tubeless rims all but guaranteed a fail, silly mistake, I doubt the beads could seat properly at all.
Based on that mistake the slime sealant isn't a miracle worker and wasn't going to fix your mistake for you.
Less a comparison out two setups, more a case of messed up effort versus doing it right.Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
Gorilla tape will work on any rim. The only "tubeless" rims are UST, which require no tape. Anything else is tubeless ready insofar as it can be converted to run tubeless. Some will be very tight with Gorilla tape (because it's thicker than Stan's type type, but a rim cannot be "tubeless ready", that's just marketing.
I find Gorilla tape works better until you have to remove it, at which point it's horrible.
Sounds like the Slime sealant is crap though, I've always stuck with Stan's, just works.0 -
Stans, it just works....Paracyclist
@Bigmitch_racing
2010 Specialized Tricross (commuter)
2014 Whyte T129-S
2016 Specialized Tarmac Ultegra Di2
Big Mitch - YouTube0 -
I find Gorilla tape works better until you have to remove it, at which point it's horrible.
Sounds like the Slime sealant is crap though, I've always stuck with Stan's, just works.
Removal of gaffa tape is what put me off going that route also.
As for Slime, I can't comment from personal experience but my friend and I converted wheels at the same time (about 12 months ago). He used slime and in the end went back to tubes as there were instances of it not sealing small punctures.
Iv'e not had any issues with Stans other than the odd wet patch on the outside of the tyre when stood. Counted the other night and had in excess of 20+ punctures and none have stopped me.0 -
Only tried Stans tape once, it's ok but I found gorilla tape better, it's all down to how you fit it, removal is easy with IPA.0
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The Stans rims are definitely tighter fit to the bead and do have a shallower well, tubeless ready may be misleading, but a friend had thick rim tape and couldn't get tyres to seat properly and went back to Stans and they worked fine, no other changes.Gorilla tape will work on any rim. The only "tubeless" rims are UST, which require no tape. Anything else is tubeless ready insofar as it can be converted to run tubeless. Some will be very tight with Gorilla tape (because it's thicker than Stan's type type, but a rim cannot be "tubeless ready", that's just marketing.Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
Removing rim tape is easy enough, just heat it with a hair drier and no mess gets left behind.
I'm currently using tractor tyre sealant! It's a latex sealant intended for sealing tyres so I thought I would try it and it's less than a quater of the price of Stans sealant. After two months it's still doing fine.Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130702350 -
Gorilla tape is used on non tubeless rims, putting it on tubeless rims all but guaranteed a fail, silly mistake, I doubt the beads could seat properly at all.
total and utter bollox0 -
Used Stans on mine, absolutely awesome, never had something that does its job so well without any hassles.
When I researched going tubeless there was only ever one product for the job.0 -
Gorilla tape is used on non tubeless rims, putting it on tubeless rims all but guaranteed a fail, silly mistake, I doubt the beads could seat properly at all.
total and utter bollox
Now there's a constructive response. Rookie is incorrect but being a cockwomble doesn't achieve anything does it?Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130702350 -
The Stans rims are definitely tighter fit to the bead and do have a shallower well, tubeless ready may be misleading, but a friend had thick rim tape and couldn't get tyres to seat properly and went back to Stans and they worked fine, no other changes.Gorilla tape will work on any rim. The only "tubeless" rims are UST, which require no tape. Anything else is tubeless ready insofar as it can be converted to run tubeless. Some will be very tight with Gorilla tape (because it's thicker than Stan's type type, but a rim cannot be "tubeless ready", that's just marketing.
That's more a feature of the specific rim. You're quite right than Stan's pioneered the tubeless convertible rim as a lighter and more versatile solution than UST, and their latter rims tend to be quite tight, but earlier ones weren't, I used to use rim strips and yellow tape on my early Olympics (as was the design), far thicker than Gorilla tape. Fantastic seal though, all tyres went up first time. Ironically the introduction of tubeless ready branded tyres made things far worse.0 -
One of the Schwalbe tyres on my Alpine rims, using just the thin yellow Stans tape, needed nearly 80psi to go on the rim, and as you know that had previously been run tubeless, with gorilla tape it would simply never have gone on. And yes, pumping a 2.25" MTB tyre to 80psi was a little scary....bike round the corner of the house while I'm using the full length of the track pumps hose!
Stans call them tubeless ready, maybe tubeless optimised would be better!Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
Removing rim tape is easy enough, just heat it with a hair drier and no mess gets left behind.
I'm currently using tractor tyre sealant! It's a latex sealant intended for sealing tyres so I thought I would try it and it's less than a quater of the price of Stans sealant. After two months it's still doing fine.
Hi RockeymonkeySC what make tractor sealant are you using in your tyres ?0 -
Gorilla tape is used on non tubeless rims, putting it on tubeless rims all but guaranteed a fail, silly mistake, I doubt the beads could seat properly at all.
total and utter bollox
Now there's a constructive response. Rookie is incorrect but being a cockwomble doesn't achieve anything does it?
seems to work for you
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Removing rim tape is easy enough, just heat it with a hair drier and no mess gets left behind.
I'm currently using tractor tyre sealant! It's a latex sealant intended for sealing tyres so I thought I would try it and it's less than a quater of the price of Stans sealant. After two months it's still doing fine.
Hi RockeymonkeySC what make tractor sealant are you using in your tyres ?
It's called Preventaflat. Two litres for £16Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130702350 -
Removing rim tape is easy enough, just heat it with a hair drier and no mess gets left behind.
I'm currently using tractor tyre sealant! It's a latex sealant intended for sealing tyres so I thought I would try it and it's less than a quater of the price of Stans sealant. After two months it's still doing fine.
Hi RockeymonkeySC what make tractor sealant are you using in your tyres ?
It's called Preventaflat. Two litres for £16
Thanks for that how much are you putting in a tyre.0 -
No, utterly true, see reasoning.......at least I have a pair.....Gorilla tape is used on non tubeless rims, putting it on tubeless rims all but guaranteed a fail, silly mistake, I doubt the beads could seat properly at all.
total and utter bolloxCurrently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
No, utterly true, see reasoning.......at least I have a pair.....Gorilla tape is used on non tubeless rims, putting it on tubeless rims all but guaranteed a fail, silly mistake, I doubt the beads could seat properly at all.
total and utter bollox
He really is an absolute cockwomble.Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130702350 -
No, utterly true, see reasoning.......at least I have a pair.....Gorilla tape is used on non tubeless rims, putting it on tubeless rims all but guaranteed a fail, silly mistake, I doubt the beads could seat properly at all.
total and utter bollox
you can't be doing it right then. used gorrilla tape on both standard rims and tubeless ready without any issue what so ever. currently getting used on my spank rims and my bro in law's easton heist ones0 -
No, utterly true, see reasoning.......at least I have a pair.....Gorilla tape is used on non tubeless rims, putting it on tubeless rims all but guaranteed a fail, silly mistake, I doubt the beads could seat properly at all.
total and utter bollox
I really am an absolute cockwomble.
nothing we didn't already know0 -
On Stans?
No, utterly true, see reasoning.......at least I have a pair.....Gorilla tape is used on non tubeless rims, putting it on tubeless rims all but guaranteed a fail, silly mistake, I doubt the beads could seat properly at all.
total and utter bollox
you can't be doing it right then. used gorrilla tape on both standard rims and tubeless ready without any issue what so ever. currently getting used on my spank rims and my bro in law's easton heist onesCurrently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
To avoid creating duplicate topics, i’ve just recently bought some mavic en821 tubeless wheels.
Theres no need for a rim strip that i can see, so do i just fit some tubeless valves and put some stans fluid into the tyres?
As the rims are ust can tubeless compatible tyres work, i’m not sure what i need to buy?0 -
with Ust rims you just need valves which are usually supplied with mavic.
Any tire can be set tubeless as long as the sealant used is good, stans works every time I use it.“I am a humanist, which means, in part, that I have tried to behave decently without expectations of rewards or punishments after I am dead.”
― Kurt Vonnegut0 -
Although ust tires are a pain to fit on a ust rim because of the tight tolerances is the best combo
,On the other hand you have the basic/cheapo editions i.e continental 2.4 RQ that are difficult to sit on rim when set up tubeless. Most times is a rim/tire combo matter of getting it right first time.
Scwalbe's magic mary tr snakeskin went on like a charm first time hand pump and no leaks from the bead at all,
My cheapo contis made me give up after I spill every ounce of stans fluid everywhere while using direct air supply from a compressor, rim tire combination is critical for a good set up“I am a humanist, which means, in part, that I have tried to behave decently without expectations of rewards or punishments after I am dead.”
― Kurt Vonnegut0 -
On Stans?
No, utterly true, see reasoning.......at least I have a pair.....Gorilla tape is used on non tubeless rims, putting it on tubeless rims all but guaranteed a fail, silly mistake, I doubt the beads could seat properly at all.
total and utter bollox
you can't be doing it right then. used gorrilla tape on both standard rims and tubeless ready without any issue what so ever. currently getting used on my spank rims and my bro in law's easton heist ones
not done stans but no reason why it wouldn't work. You said tubeless rims all but guaranteed to fail, well its not0 -
with Ust rims you just need valves which are usually supplied with mavic.
Any tire can be set tubeless as long as the sealant used is good, stans works every time I use it.
I'll have to see if I can buy the valves as none came with the wheels I got them off eBay.
Inside the tyre will still need some stans fluid to seal any punctures?0 -
Although ust tires are a pain to fit on a ust rim because of the tight tolerances is the best combo
Define best? Heavy and expensive. Yes. There's guaranteed compatibility, but I'd never go back to UST.One of the Schwalbe tyres on my Alpine rims, using just the thin yellow Stans tape, needed nearly 80psi to go on the rim, and as you know that had previously been run tubeless, with gorilla tape it would simply never have gone on. And yes, pumping a 2.25" MTB tyre to 80psi was a little scary....bike round the corner of the house while I'm using the full length of the track pumps hose!
Pump to 20psi and manipulate by hand, 80psi is a terrible idea, because there's every chance it'll just blow off the rim. Lubricate the bead if necessary.
Stan's rims and Schwalbe tyres are tight, but again, that's a specific combo, Gorilla tape would indeed make them tighter, but that's not because it's incompatible with tubeless ready rims. You just have a notoriously tight combo.0 -
Did all that Nick, it wasn't moving at all, it was soapy watered and pushed and pulled around at 20 and 25 and 30 psi (by 35psi you can't!), not going on.
POAH, the OP used stans, unless you've tried it on stans, you can't really comment with the same authority as someone who has can you?Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
I have used True Blue tractor as well as Slime automotive.
Slime is great as it has the biggest chuncky bits of anything to seal big cuts.
The automotive Slime is cheap as chips in 1.5L bottles from any auto place.
The slime doesn't dry out after 3 months like Stans. Lasts 2 years at least.
You will wear the tyre out before you have to top it up, unlike Stans which has been coral in every Stan converted tyre I have ever opened up.
Pumping up a tubeless tyre to 80psi is pretty much a guarantee that it will weep from the sidewall and after trying to seat a non tubeless tyre doing just this and almost loosing a finger and nearly a total loss of hearing for several hours after the rim exploded, I suggest that nobody doe it.0 -
I have used True Blue tractor as well as Slime automotive.
Slime is great as it has the biggest chuncky bits of anything to seal big cuts.
The automotive Slime is cheap as chips in 1.5L bottles from any auto place.
The slime doesn't dry out after 3 months like Stans. Lasts 2 years at least.
You will wear the tyre out before you have to top it up, unlike Stans which has been coral in every Stan converted tyre I have ever opened up.
Pumping up a tubeless tyre to 80psi is pretty much a guarantee that it will weep from the sidewall and after trying to seat a non tubeless tyre doing just this and almost loosing a finger and nearly a total loss of hearing for several hours after the rim exploded, I suggest that nobody doe it.
I'm glad I'm not the only one. I tried to make some continental double fighter 3 tubeless last night.
I've never done it before. They went up to 40psi no bother. I then heard a hiss and put it to my ear.
Bang. Slime on my face and the side wall of the tyre split. Scary
Do you think halfords will take them back as faulty. Only one day old. 0
