True Goo Products
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True Goo Tire Sealant
New Technology to keep the air in your tires.
WriteUps and Relatables: 7. UNCLE AL Goop That Stops (Some) Flats What's the most aggravating and common thing that plagues us riders? It's not the wise-guy mechanic at the LBS. It's not your significant other saying, "You're not spending more money on your bike, are you?" No, it's that effing flat tire! Ever notice that a tire never goes flat at an opportune time? Not in the garage when you have all day to fix it, but when you're pedaling to the group ride or to work and you're already 3 minutes late. There is a solution. Well, sort of. Several companies put weird goop inside tubes that will automatically "patch" punctures up to 1/8 inch (3 mm). Because most punctures are caused by tiny glass cuts or thorns, that's a huge boost to your odds of getting where you're going on time. All sealants work similarly -- the stuff plugs small holes the instant a puncture takes place, hopefully. This is done by strange hairy fibers or little platelets contained in the liquid inside the tube. As the goo tries to seep through a hole, the solids jam like the unlucky people fleeing a burning nightclub. In most cases you'll never know you just punctured. If the tube does go soft before the air leak stops, find the culprit in the tire tread, pull it out and reinflate. If that doesn't give you a hard tire, the hole is too big for the sealant to work. Nothing is perfect. The downside of sealants is weight right where you don't want it -- out there in that spin zone where the faster you go, the heavier it gets. If you've spent a thousand bucks for lightweight wonderwheels, you'll probably prefer to fix flats. But if you tend to flat a lot or can't afford delays -- say, because you ride to your job, school or appointments -- tubes with a sealant might be worth the extra rotating weight. The same goes if you dread fixing flats on the roadside for safety reasons or because you find the job dirty or difficult. Maybe you don't even ride alone for fear of puncturing. I won't pass judgment on that, but I will pass along the following info about companies that produce sealant tubes with presta valves (the thin type with the little screw cap) that are found on almost all better road bikes. True offers 700x20-28 tubes with valve lengths of 36, 48 and 60 mm and weights between 176 and 183 grams. Plus, there is an extralight version -- 145g with a 48-mm stem (add 3g for a 60 mm). The company's 700x28-38 tube comes only with a 48-mm valve and weighs 250g. True Goo is the sealant my shop uses for our customers, literally by the gallon. It's the best we've found and we have tried them all. Tubes range in price from $8 to $12 and can be bought through the website at http://truegoo.com. For those who use Schrader valves and feel jilted by this article, I apologize. The cool thing is, you can buy these same sealants, unscrew the valve cores, pump in 4 oz. and off you go -- flat free and clam happy. Sealant also can be added through presta valves, but it's a pain and messes with your mind and the floor. Trust me on that. Remember two things: Sitting by the side of the road patching a flat does nothing to improve your timeliness or your mood. And I'm not recommending sealant tubes for racing, where weight does matter. But do consider using them for training, recreational riding and, for sure, on your commuter bike. Oh, one more thing: Forget the stuff in the aerosol can you get at places like Wally World. It's toxic as hell and doesn't work for bicycles, period. (Click feedback@roadbikerider.com to tell us a mechanical matter you'd like the Unc to write about. To read more from Alan Ardizone, owner of award-winning Cascade Bicycles in Montrose, Colorado, click here.) ______________________________________
This article was written by Alan Ardizone, owner of award-winning Cascade
Bicycles in Montrose, Colorado, The article is from the November 6, 2008 issue
of the highly respected roadbikerider.com
