Slime and valve problems

allen-uk

I've had to stop riding my bike for some months for various reasons, and when I went back to it and tried to pump up the tyres, the fairly-new tube on the front wheel failed - seemed to be the area around where the valve seats into the tube.

Could this be caused by Slime lying about for months? The valve was high (pointing downwards), as I was smart (!) enough not to leave it at the base of the wheel.

Or is it just an unlucky tube?

On changing the tube, all okay - this was the front wheel, which I find fairly easy to change, and I'm currently plucking up the courage to put the track-pump onto the REAR wheel valve, as if that one goes too, it is a major problem for me to take off/manipulate.

Thanks.

Allen.

PhilipPirrip

Just sounds like an unfortunate tube failure. Similar thing happened recently to a neighbour using an ordinary tube, unfortunately for him he was eight miles from home without a spare.

I've had a pair of Slime tubes on a hack bike for the past four years that gets occassional use and have had no problems. Whether the slime's any good now is another matter.

Killerclown

The slime eventually solidifies. If you leave the bike standing around, the slime migrates to the lowest point. If this is where you have the valves, it can end up bunging them up.

allen-uk

Thanks, both, useful information.

A

svetty

I'd practice removing and refitting the rear wheel until it is second nature though if I were you

allen-uk

Svetty. (a) me - old, one-legged, poor vision. (b) bike - electric, horizontal dropouts (eh?). At least it has disc brakes though.

If I take the bleeder off once before I die, I think that’ll do me!

A.

gethinceri

Could you just unscrew / replace the valve inner in situ?
No need to remove the wheel if so.

allen-uk

Tried it, maybe too heavy-handed - the long bit of the valve that should be permanently attached to the tube got loosened, and air was coming out from there...

A