Wheel Balancing & 'SLIME'

Well Bigbutterbean, you might be right about one thing, my opinion as a shop owner might be a little bias... I can change a tube in about 3 minutes... but If I have to stop and clean slime from a customers wheel and tire, inside and out and then change a tube, it might take me 15 or 20 minutes depending on the situation... and in a shop time is money.... in the summer we can do about 30-40 tube changes a day... So yeah, that's yet another big reason I like to stay away from them.... but the cost issue?
I'm pretty sure Amazon sells slime tubes for around 8 bucks... the same amount I charge for the thick thorn resistant tubes... but yes, the tuffy liners are around 18 so, I guess there is a price difference there.
Anyway, it's just my opinion. I say if they work for you keep doin' what you're doin'.

mybike1 said:

Well Bigbutterbean, you might be right about one thing, my opinion as a shop owner might be a little bias... I can change a tube in about 3 minutes... but If I have to stop and clean slime from a customers wheel and tire, inside and out and then change a tube, it might take me 15 or 20 minutes depending on the situation... and in a shop time is money.... in the summer we can do about 30-40 tube changes a day'.

Click to expand...

Don't you guys charge by the hour? So if you help 40 customers or only 20, isn't your hourly rate still the same? Labor cost is the main reason I don't take my bike to a shop anymore. I've learned how to do all the work on my bike myself, and not just the engine related stuff either. I do everything from changing tires to servicing my hubs and bottom bracket. I even had to assemble a frame myself, because it came bare. No bearing cups on the head tube or the bottom bracket. I pressed in the bearing cups and installed a pair of suzuki motorcycle forks and also had to fuss around with a longer axle, because the suzuki forks are quite a bit wider than any bicycle forks I've ever seen. I'm sorry to go on a rant about labor costs, I know you guys have skills and experience, and everyone has to eat. If I learned a little more about bicycle mechanics, I could work in a shop. I would rather ride my own bike than spend all my time working on other people's. But that's just me. My main point was that if you charge by the hour, you will make the same amount in a day unless there are no customers in your shop at all. And people should learn how to change their own tires. I'm all about self sufficency when it comes to my bike.

Though not a frequent occurrence, with almost every flat I've gotten "slime" wouldn't have helped as they were split seams, slashes and/or multiple large punctures - the result being as mentioned, a nasty mess to have to deal with on the side of the road, I suspect the sticky goo attracting grime & grit as you're trying to change out/patch the tube wouldn't bode well for gettin' home either...

That being said, as I run quality tubes & tires (unlined & ungooed) flats of any sort are very rare & by the same token as above - I don't mess about w/patches as nothing is more irritating than a patch that didn't take after the fuss & bother of a roadside repair, so I simply carry a small pump & spare tube, I've a lil thing of rubber cement tucked away just in case I actually manage two flats, as the first tube can be sacrificed for patches if need be, far larger & more secure patches than store bought I might add.

Now with this as any other, it's very much a case of to each their own, whatever works & makes you feel secure... as a commuter I ride over 8-10,000 miles a year in all conditions & environments yet the "added security" of slime has never been enough to tempt me given the negatives mentioned by so many others, ones that for me - aren't worth the difference of carrying a spare tube, one I'd carry anyway.

If the sense of security is worth it to you, then that's good enough *shrug* we've all a bias lol

No Bigbutterbean, we dont charge by the hour... I'm sure some shops probably do, but none around this area does. It's all about doing the job correctly and doing it as quickly as possible... for example... for a flat tire change (assuming that the tire is ok) we charge $6 for a new standard tube and $6 labor to put it in. Yup, I'll never be a millionare, but I enjoy my work.
So you can see how important it is for me to do a job quickly, and if I have to deal with slime tubes more than 4 or 5 times in a day, it can get pretty frustrating.
...and yes BarelyAWake, I agree with you 100%. I stay away from patches for the same reason... it's just a better decision to buy a new tube... Some of the old school patch kits seem pretty nice, but most of the newer ones are meant to be used in an emergency only... to be used just long enough for you to get you back home... like a donut spare for your car... it will get you home so you can make the repairs properly.
...and yes... I've seen patches last for years... I'm just saying by the time you spend 4 dollars on a patch kit, mess around with the sandpaper, the glue, and waiting for it to set-up...and still keeping your fingers crossed that it holds... you're better off just putting in a new tube!
...AND I cant stress this enough... 90% of the flats that come in the shop are because the customer didn't have proper tire inflation. KEEP THOSE TIRE PUMPED UP!

mybike1 said:

No Bigbutterbean, we dont charge by the hour... I'm sure some shops probably do, but none around this area does. It's all about doing the job correctly and doing it as quickly as possible... for example... for a flat tire change (assuming that the tire is ok) we charge $6 for a new standard tube and $6 labor to put it in. Yup, I'll never be a millionare, but I enjoy my work.
So you can see how important it is for me to do a job quickly, and if I have to deal with slime tubes more than 4 or 5 times in a day, it can get pretty frustrating.
...and yes BarelyAWake, I agree with you 100%. I stay away from patches for the same reason... it's just a better decision to buy a new tube... Some of the old school patch kits seem pretty nice, but most of the newer ones are meant to be used in an emergency only... to be used just long enough for you to get you back home... like a donut spare for your car... it will get you home so you can make the repairs properly.
...and yes... I've seen patches last for years... I'm just saying by the time you spend 4 dollars on a patch kit, mess around with the sandpaper, the glue, and waiting for it to set-up...and still keeping your fingers crossed that it holds... you're better off just putting in a new tube!
...AND I cant stress this enough... 90% of the flats that come in the shop are because the customer didn't have proper tire inflation. KEEP THOSE TIRE PUMPED UP!

Click to expand...

Well that's more fair then to charge per job instead of per hour. It sounds like your shop and many of those around you are the kind I actually like to go to. The shop where I used to live only charged an hourly rate if it was a major repair. One time I needed my bottom bracket replaced and they charged me an hourly rate for that, but for tire changes I think they charged $5. The guy at the local shop where I live now charges an hourly rate for everything, including tire changes. I have learned to do most things myself, except for trueing wheels. I think more people should learn to do the basic maintenance on their bikes themselves, whether motorized or not. Ok, so you charge $6 labor to change a flat. That's not a bad price, but lets say somebody has 4 flats a month. Its possible with cheap tires and cheap, thin tubes of the $6 variety. That's $24 in a month spent on labor costs, plus another 24 spent on cheap replacement tubes. That's almost a full tank of gas, or a week's worth of groceries for one person. I learned to do basic stuff like this myself because I don't want to spend that kind of money every month.

I use the ATV slime in my tubes because of a lot of minor leaks from thorns and stuff making rides spoiled. It's got big chunks and globs of cloth lint meant to supposedly close up to a 1/4" hole. When I fill or check pressure I make sure the stem is in a position so that the slim could have drained before opening. So far it's been smooth sailing, other than the price, $60 for a gallon of it with a tranfesr pump. All of my bikes have it and I think it actually helps the balance of my totally wobbed rear pit bike wheel with fat 3.0x10" tire. On the thicker dirt bike tires, its incredibly difficult to stretch the bead even with spoons, and every time you do you risk bending the wheel. IMO the bigger the wheel is that you're mounting a tire to, the easier the mounting is, and the less of a warrant for using Slime. I have slime tubes in my mountain bike because I got tired of having to change tubes out in the middle of the woods.

When you connect or disconnect, make sure to do it quickly with a pop, and theres less chance of slime fouling al lof your equipment, also making sure the stem is in a position to not be filled with slime is also important. I'd say with skinny tires maybe 3 or 9 o'clock are good placed to let the slime drain out before attaching anything to the tube.

hmmm I have slime filled tubes on both my tires and after reading this I plan to order some non-slime tubes . I will put them on when ever these go bad . What I did find interesting to think about was how temperature could affect the slime . I am sure that the colder it gets the thicker it becomes . I don't have a bike shop in my town so all work has to be done by me , I have learned more about motors from working on my motorized bicycle than I ever have from any of my cars or trucks .

all those things you can put i your tire will throw the balance off. I found that out when I used to have a ford focus. It was balanced perfectly and riding smooth, but then I got a flat and put in some fix a flat and ever since then it had 60MPH wheel humming. I had to replace the whole tire to get rid of it.

I have slime tubes in my bike, I'm sure it's an issue. So far I haven't had an issue with my valves, pumps or pressure gauges.

I've run a total of 5 tubes on 3 bikes, never an issue with any of them. I think you guys that are having issues aren't using the tubes right. It clearly says on the instructions to place the valve stem at the 11, 12, or 1 o' clock position before filling and make sure you wait a few seconds. It can't get much clearer than that IMO.

But to each their own.

I haven't had any problems with my slime tubes but all of the comments here make me wonder . But in all actuality it shouldn't as my front tire has been on the bike for over 2 yrs. with a self filled slime tube and no flats yet . My rear tire gave out from old age and caused a pinch flat that flat tore the tube up . I replaced the tube and not the tire yep had a flat in the first 1/2 mile . I tried patching tube and putting in piece of old tube as a boot , didn't work . I have now replaced tire (bell Kevlar) and tube (slime filled) 100 miles so far no more problems . I am pretty sure that my problems were mostly caused by the bike sitting unused for about 6 months due to the 50cc motor having problems . I now have an 80cc (66cc) motor with about 150 miles on it . I have fixed all the minor bugs of the new motor and the tires are now in good shape , so I am happily ready to roll . Well at least I will be when I get my next social security check I'm 66 and plan to keep riding till hmmm well just till lol .