[FMOAB]

Does anyone have any experience with the various sealants out there on the market?

I recently fitted a set of Vittoria corsa tubs and want to prepare, “just in case”. It needs to be a sealant that can pass through a normal presta valve, because Vittoria have one of the daftest systems of detachable stem I’ve ever seen. I’ve done a bit of homework and know that I can’t mix synthetic and natural latex sealants. Reviews of Vittoria’s Pitstop seem to be mixed at best, Effetto Caffélatex seems to be fairly well regarded, and Continental’s Revo seems to work best with butyl tubes (the corsa tubs are latex).

I have no experience in this field, so would appreciate any feedback/experience with these or anything similar like Decathlon’s sealant/ Hutchison’s etc in fixing a small puncture on a latex tub.

I know the day will come when I have to strip it off and go through the horrors of putting a new one on, I’m just looking to defer that day for as long as possible.

Topic

[Scrufftie]

Having just read ‘Geronimo’
Having just read ‘Geronimo’ by Tim Moore, it sounds like Stan’s No Tubes is worth a try.

[step-hent]

Same here, also used caffe
Same here, also used caffe latex quite successfully, without removing a valve core. It won’t cure all puncture ills, but it seems as good as anything out there.

[earth]

I’ve used caffe latex on two
I’ve used caffe latex on two punctures and it worked both times. Luckily on both occasions the tire did not flat immediately so it was after the ride when I used it.

[Markus]

I used caffelatex when I was
I used caffelatex when I was on tubulars. It looked like it did seal some holes. The cheap Conti tubs I was using did not have removable valve cores, but Effetto has an applicator that you can put the stuff into the tubes through the valve. Worked.
As for gluing the tubs to the rim, I used Velox Jantex tape. A bit of water on the applied and exposed tape allows adjustment of the tyre, obviously it then needs to dry before use. But neater than using layer upon layer of glue.
There was something on the internet about Jantex not being as secure as Tufo or glue, so either of those might be a better option for riding in the Alps and such. I _think_ it was something about heat build-up in the rims from braking.

[Flying Scot]

I use caffelatex, it does
I use caffelatex, it does work.

Get the wee bottle of ZOT for your pocket as well, it allows curing in bigger holes.

Saved my ass a few times, though I do keep an old tub and glue in my pocket too in case I egr a carcass split.

[Nick T]

But yeah, the red vittoria
But yeah, the red vittoria stems, while looking cool, are pretty pony. They’ve gone back to brass stems with nickel cores for my last few.

I think the reasoning was that in this age of deep section rims, most people are using extenders anyway so might as well provide a cheap POS stem and let the customer put the length of their choice in it’s place. I don’t think the idea went down too well.

[Nick T]

I just replaced the valves
I just replaced the valves with a pair of Maxxis valves, cost a tenner. Any valve extender will fit in it’s place. I’ve got one tyre still going with a Maxxis MVS stem in action, I’ve put Tufo through it no problems. The other stem is waiting in the big box of bits for when Vittoria deign to send another rubbish valve.

[FMOAB]

As far as I can make out, the
As far as I can make out, the tyres I have use a valve stem solution which Vittoria has now ditched because it was so unpopular. It has a red 42mm stem with a non removable core, but which can be removed at the base where it meets the tyre. This of course makes it totally inaccessible once the tyre is glued on.

I think the accountants in the company must have loved the idea of people being tied to using their replacement stems at £20 a shot, what they seemed to forget is that there are other folk making tyres out there that people can go to.

All of which is a very long winded way of saying if it can’t go through a presta valve, I can’t use it.

[Nick T]

I use Tufo Extreme with good
I use Tufo Extreme with good results on Vittoria Corsa tubs. It’s always gotten me home at the very least, with one currently in use tyre sealed and still running months after fixing. I don’t even bother with a spare tyre much of the time now unless I’m heading out into the wilderness.

Check your Vittoria tyres, they didn’t have removable stems a while ago and you had to fit aftermarket stems in their place. The last 6 or so tyres I’ve bought (CX Evo II & III) have all had removable valve cores though.

[FMOAB]

I thought Stans needed a
I thought Stans needed a removable valve core?

[therevokid]

What about “Stans” ??
+1 the
What about “Stans” ??

+1 the pre-glued spare though 🙂

[700c]

On the two occasions I’ve
On the two occasions I’ve used sealants (vittoria pit stop) they’ve not worked to fix a puncture.

If you are taking the precautionary approach of using sealant before you puncture, then perhaps that might be more successful, though it’s not easy to know whether it’s worked or you’ve just been lucky!

For reference, I’ve only ever punctured clinchers, where vittoria pit stop hasn’t worked. Tubs I’ve never punctured and I suspect they’re a bit more hardy. Carry a pre glued spare tyre and pump and you should be ok, and replace then before they wear thin..

[Scrufftie]

I used Tufo sealant for a
I used Tufo sealant for a long time (and a long time ago) and it was pretty effective. Sealants may be better now and I’m looking into this, myself, for tub use again. It didn’t always works and I did manage to get a stripe of sprayed sealant down my back on at least one occasion, which ruins your clothing.

[Author]

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