Tubeless sealant

[Deleted member 7464]

Hi guys,
After a bit of a poor experience with stans today. By that I mean it wouldn't seal a small hole at all and when I removed the tyre all that was left was a clear liquid. This isn't the first time by a long way that I've seen this with stans. Pretty poor as all the latex had disappeared.
What sealants do you recommend and please go by personal experience and not reviews from the Internet as they seem to be biased sometimes.
Ta very much

 

[R120]

Been using Orange Seal for a few years now, have had no issues, but also no punctures that I have been aware of so either its doing a great job or I am lucky

 

[KennyB]

Stan's ordinary (not Race). Check every 3 months, (Milkit valve system makes this easy). I've had loads of punctures but no flats for over 3 years. Never seen what you describe. When did you last check your sealant and how hot is it where you are? I carry a Stan's DART in case of a picture that the sealant alone can't fix. I had a small cut in the side wall of my biologically powered bike recently, sealant fixed this but it was touch and go so DARTed it as a precaution.

 

[Deleted member 7464]

I only put it in 2 months ago, it's been fairly warm but not that much so it would dry out.

 

[Astom22]

I have had good experience with Orange Seal and I'm currently using Trucker Co. I too have either been super lucky or it is doing its job, since I have no flats in the past two years using both brands.

 

[steve_sordy]

Continental Revo Sealant (it's white-ish), originally because I had Conti tyres at the time. It has no ammonia in it which was important to Continental because ammonia can damage their tyre compounds. I was happy with the Revo Sealant because it works, it lasts well and as long as you keep some free sealant in there it does stop flats from punctures. Being latex based it also seals the sidewall very well indeed. Works just as well on Maxxis tyres.

I have also used Slime tubeless tyre sealant (it's fluorescent green). This is not latex based and does not dry out. It may run out of course from all the tiny punctures you get before it seals! It is not as good on sealing the sidewalls of new tyres, so new tyre setup takes a bit longer. It works at sealing punctures just as well as the Revo.

In fact right now I have Slime in the front and Revo in the rear. I have just put my (non-Conti) summer tyres on and that was all I had. Happy with both.

Edit: As with all sealants, shake the bottle well before using, even if you will be using the whole bottle, so as not to leave any fibres in there.

 

[Deleted member 7464]

Continental Revo Sealant (it's white-ish), originally because I had Conti tyres at the time. It has no ammonia in it which was important to Continental because ammonia can damage their tyre compounds. I was happy with the Revo Sealant because it works, it lasts well and as long as you keep some free sealant in there it does stop flats from punctures. Being latex based it also seals the sidewall very well indeed. Works just as well on Maxxis tyres.

I have also used Slime tubeless tyre sealant (it's fluorescent green). This is not latex based and does not dry out. It may run out of course from all the tiny punctures you get before it seals! It is not as good on sealing the sidewalls of new tyres, so new tyre setup takes a bit longer. It works at sealing punctures just as well as the Revo.

In fact right now I have Slime in the front and Revo in the rear. I have just put my (non-Conti) summer tyres on and that was all I had. Happy with both.

Edit: As with all sealants, shake the bottle well before using, even if you will be using the whole bottle, so as not to leave any fibres in there.

I have used the conti stuff in my fat bike with good results. Most of my other bikes have stans in and they have been okay but there's nothing to say that they have had any punctures. Considering the small hole in my tyre this time and the clear fluid coming out of the hole I am not pleased with stans at all.

 

[Frankieboy]

I‘ve had slime Pro in my tyres (Magic Mary & Nobby Nic, tubeless easy) since Feb 2019. No problems sealing them, no punctures that I know of, just need to add a few PSI now and again.

First time using tubeless and chose this because it doesn’t have latex and doesn’t dry out, as @steve_sordy says. So far so good. Also been using Slime, standard stuff, in inner tubes for a few years and it just does what it says on the tin.

To date I have no reason to look at anything else.

 

[steve_sordy]

I have used the conti stuff in my fat bike with good results. Most of my other bikes have stans in and they have been okay but there's nothing to say that they have had any punctures. Considering the small hole in my tyre this time and the clear fluid coming out of the hole I am not pleased with stans at all.

The only way I could tell that I'd had any punctures was when I was using the Slime sealant. The following day after the tyres had had chance to dry out, there would be small damp patches where the puncture had been. I had over two dozen on each tyre before I swapped them out! Never had a flat.

 

[LAWHITEY]

I'm in the market for some, anyone used Peatys or Muc off? Don't know why I seem to be drawn to these, I'm a sucker for marketing

 

[deksawyer]

Muc off works for me. Sealed thorn holes well, so far.

 

[p3eps]

Good topic for me today...
I went out for a ride this evening, and had a 25mile route planned in my Garmin. At approx 8 miles from my house, I realised my rear tyre was flat. I have Stans racing sealant in my tyres.

Using my mini pump, I got it up to about 1.5bar (tiny awkward gauge on it!) and spun the wheel to let the sealant spread. Within about 20 seconds, the tyre was almost flat.

I had a few goes as this, and discovered the puncture was coming from a slit about 1cm long right in the middle of the tyre. I gave up, and started walking for the nearest road. Thankfully I got a family member to come collect me and bundled the bike in the car.
There was plenty sealant inside, as it leaked all over the car park I stood waiting at, the boot of the car, and then my garage floor when I got home!!

Once home, I attached my Joe Blow Booster pump, and let it rip with 16bar. The beads had given in with pushing the bike for over a mile with a totally flat tyre, but it popped straight back on and sealed straight away.

What do I need to carry with me in future to prevent being stuck or calling for help? I have spare inner tubes, but they’re heavy and would practically fill my little backpack. I’ve seen the Stans Dart before - so that might be an option. Am I better with C02 cartridges than a pump. The pump did inflate the tyre, but I think the slit was just too big?

I guess it’s time to order a new tyre, and some more sealant!

 

[simonk]

Good topic for me today...
I went out for a ride this evening, and had a 25mile route planned in my Garmin. At approx 8 miles from my house, I realised my rear tyre was flat. I have Stans racing sealant in my tyres.

Using my mini pump, I got it up to about 1.5bar (tiny awkward gauge on it!) and spun the wheel to let the sealant spread. Within about 20 seconds, the tyre was almost flat.

I had a few goes as this, and discovered the puncture was coming from a slit about 1cm long right in the middle of the tyre. I gave up, and started walking for the nearest road. Thankfully I got a family member to come collect me and bundled the bike in the car.
There was plenty sealant inside, as it leaked all over the car park I stood waiting at, the boot of the car, and then my garage floor when I got home!!

Once home, I attached my Joe Blow Booster pump, and let it rip with 16bar. The beads had given in with pushing the bike for over a mile with a totally flat tyre, but it popped straight back on and sealed straight away.

What do I need to carry with me in future to prevent being stuck or calling for help? I have spare inner tubes, but they’re heavy and would practically fill my little backpack. I’ve seen the Stans Dart before - so that might be an option. Am I better with C02 cartridges than a pump. The pump did inflate the tyre, but I think the slit was just too big?

I guess it’s time to order a new tyre, and some more sealant!

A Stans Dart would have almost certainly got you home, if not sealed it for good.

 

[Wheelie_King]

I had a bad experience with Muc-Off sealant struggling with a small puncture. I know I’ve had one thorn/puncture with Orange Seal and it handled it no probs.

 

[wepn]

A Stans Dart would have almost certainly got you home, if not sealed it for good.

Most likely even for large punctures by using 2 darts. Sidewall tears are another story. I carry a Park Tool TB-2 Tire boot as a last line of defence. Haven't needed to use one but the documentation states a tube is required so likely useless without one. So I carry a tube on long, more remote rides.

 

[Frankieboy]

Good topic for me today...
I went out for a ride this evening, and had a 25mile route planned in my Garmin. At approx 8 miles from my house, I realised my rear tyre was flat. I have Stans racing sealant in my tyres.

Using my mini pump, I got it up to about 1.5bar (tiny awkward gauge on it!) and spun the wheel to let the sealant spread. Within about 20 seconds, the tyre was almost flat.

I had a few goes as this, and discovered the puncture was coming from a slit about 1cm long right in the middle of the tyre. I gave up, and started walking for the nearest road. Thankfully I got a family member to come collect me and bundled the bike in the car.
There was plenty sealant inside, as it leaked all over the car park I stood waiting at, the boot of the car, and then my garage floor when I got home!!

Once home, I attached my Joe Blow Booster pump, and let it rip with 16bar. The beads had given in with pushing the bike for over a mile with a totally flat tyre, but it popped straight back on and sealed straight away.

What do I need to carry with me in future to prevent being stuck or calling for help? I have spare inner tubes, but they’re heavy and would practically fill my little backpack. I’ve seen the Stans Dart before - so that might be an option. Am I better with C02 cartridges than a pump. The pump did inflate the tyre, but I think the slit was just too big?

I guess it’s time to order a new tyre, and some more sealant!

Carry a spare tube is the easiest option from my perspective, almost guaranteed to get you home.

 

[Wheelie_King]

Carry a spare tube is the easiest option from my perspective, almost guaranteed to get you home.

I like the look of the Stans Dart for convenience, but will always carry a tube

 

[Dan63]

Orange endurance has worked well for me, it's also lasted well even in our hot weather. Recently closed up a 5mm cut where I had pulled a sharp length of wood from the tyre.

 

[Mikerb]

I use Stans ( not the race stuff) and having to do local bridleway/farmtrack/XC type riding now for weeks I have lost count of the number of thorns I have pulled from my tyres. Stans sealed all of them within seconds. It sounds like your Stan was either not mixed ( shake the bottle) or way past its sale by date and had separated. It must be the most popular/most used sealant so I doubt your experience is typical or representative, more likely the stuff you used was beyond its shelf life.

 

[Jeff McD]

Stan's/Orange Seal don't seal real well in my very hot, humid Hawaii climate, evaporate in just 1 mo. cause it's so hot where I live, & don't do well with CO2's for trailside repairs. Always been curious if Aussies have same experience in their heat. Slime STR lasts the life of the tire and still works fine after using CO2 so that's best for me.
However, I've learned to stick a plug in immediately, hit it with a short blast of CO2 and be on my way in 5 min. instead of standing around for 15 min to see if it will seal. Plus I've had them seal initially and then blow out 15 min later on a fast descent, yikes!
I carry 3 sizes of plugs in a small ziplock baggie, pre-fitted to installation tools: skinny mtb ones/truck tire fat plugs/truck plugs cut in half lengthwise for intermediate ones, and have never had a fail.You do have to examine the hole carefully to see which size to use. So quick when they are pre-fitted beforehand, sitting down in the comfort of your garage.
I really watch for rocks that can put a long rip in the sidewall tho and carry spare tube in case.
The one negative with Slime is that it is pretty sticky stuff so you learn to go slow and not spill much.

 

[p3eps]

I use Stans ( not the race stuff) and having to do local bridleway/farmtrack/XC type riding now for weeks I have lost count of the number of thorns I have pulled from my tyres. Stans sealed all of them within seconds. It sounds like your Stan was either not mixed ( shake the bottle) or way past its sale by date and had separated. It must be the most popular/most used sealant so I doubt your experience is typical or representative, more likely the stuff you used was beyond its shelf life.

Thorns aren’t a slit though! When I took the tyre off, I could put my finger right through it. I don’t think any sealant on its own would have sealed that - hence why I’ve purchased the dart.
Out of curiousity, what is the shelf life of a bottle of Stan’s? The stuff in my tyres was about 2 months old.

 

[StuE]

I am using the cheap sealant from Plant X, been tubeless for 10+ years and have tried most of the big brands and this works just as well (Conti Revo has been the best but is a lot more expensive)

 

[KennyB]

Out of curiousity, what is the shelf life of a bottle of Stan’s? The stuff in my tyres was about 2 months old.

Don't know shelf life but I haven't renewed the sealant in my analogue bike for years, just keep checking it and topping up. Even on a tyre change I used the old sealant. Milkit system makes this really easy. By the way the DART only works with latex sealant like Stan's.

 

[Mikerb]

Shelf life will depend on storage conditions and exposure to air. No sealant will repair large splits which is why I always carry an inner tube strapped to the frame. Sidewall splits are also difficult for sealant to repair because that is where the tyre flexes. Increasing the tyre pressure can help but only as a get home measure...it needs a patch repair after that.

 

[Gareth Bowen]

Top up STANS EVERY 6 WEEKS!
Never had issues.
ALSO CARRY SPARE TUBE FILLED WITH STANS
GAR

 

[p3eps]

I was more interested in the shelf like of the bottle. The one I have is almost 1ltr, and I’ve had it for about 18 months. I check and top up my tyres about every 6-8 weeks... but they generally don’t need much. The bottle is finished now after I’ve re-fitted my Spesh Eliminator tyre until my Michelin Wild’s come - but would an 18 month old bottle kept in a garage be ok?
It’s usually around 15-20deg C out there.

The Stan’s Race Sealant is latex, so should work with the Dart.

 

[Mikerb]

I was more interested in the shelf like of the bottle. The one I have is almost 1ltr, and I’ve had it for about 18 months. I check and top up my tyres about every 6-8 weeks... but they generally don’t need much. The bottle is finished now after I’ve re-fitted my Spesh Eliminator tyre until my Michelin Wild’s come - but would an 18 month old bottle kept in a garage be ok?
It’s usually around 15-20deg C out there.

The Stan’s Race Sealant is latex, so should work with the Dart.

Maybe not. I would store it somewhere cool. Also if the bottle is nearly empty there is a lot of air for it to interact with so I would decant small amounts to a smaller container. The small Stans bottles are ideal.

 

[daju]

Top up STANS EVERY 6 WEEKS!
Never had issues.
ALSO CARRY SPARE TUBE FILLED WITH STANS
GAR

Like that idea of putting Stans in the spare tube. Never thought of it-makes sense: belt and suspenders

 

[KennyB]

Tried putting Stan's in a tube once, all that happened after a puncture is that fluid speed out out between tube and the and never set. Seems that it is the spray of sealant contacting the air that "sets".

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

Better still, I like the idea of a sealant-less tubeless MTB tyre like our cars have. Wonder why they haven’t come up with something like that yet...