The Challenge Smart Tubeless Tyre Sealant works well on a whole range of tyres, from high-pressure road hoops to big, low-pressure gravel rubber, and seals cuts big and small. It doesn’t seem affected by temperature changes either.
Challenge has developed its Smart Sealant to work with both vulcanised and handmade tubeless tyres, and I tested it on both with no setup issues. With a pair of Challenge’s handmade gravel open clinchers I had to ride a few miles to get the sealant to completely coat the tyre and fully seal, and while that’s due to the construction of the sidewall, it does demonstrate that the sealant works.
Have a stab at it
Challenge claims it can seal cuts up to 6mm, which I’d say is realistic. As is often the way I didn’t puncture naturally, so instead I used a knife to cut the tyre with slits of various sizes. I found the sealant worked quickly, even on road tyres running pressures up around 70psi.
Some sealants can struggle at anything above 50psi, but there were no issues here.
Challenge doesn’t go into detail about what is actually in this stuff (although they do say want isn’t – like ammonia), but by the looks of it there are small particles in there too, which most likely join together to seal larger gaps.
I’ve used Challenge’s Smart Sealant before so I can vouch for its longevity. They say six months and I’d say that’s about right. Obviously it depends somewhat on the ambient temperature, and I was using it during the record temperatures of summer 2022, which meant it did dry out a bit quicker than expected.
You can top it up through the valve though, which you can with sealants featuring large particles for sealing holes.
Value
A 250ml bottle costs £15, which works out at 6p per millilitre. That’s cheaper than the Pirelli Cinturato Sealant, and Challenge doesn’t stain everything yellow when you spill it, either.
The Finish Line FibreLink Tubeless sealant is similarly priced at 5.4p per millimetre, and Steve was impressed overall with its performance.
Overall
Smart Sealant does exactly what it claims to, offering good sealing against punctures and a good service life too.
Verdict
Works on a range of tyres and pressures, while lasting for months at a time
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Challenge Smart Tubeless Sealant
Size tested: 250 ml
Tell us what the product is for and who it’s aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Challenge says, “High performance tubeless systems deserve high-performance tubeless sealants. The SMART Sealant was designed to work with both vulcanized and handmade TLR and Tubeless tires. This non-allergenic, ammonia-free formula can seal up to 6mm cuts, remains liquid in the tire for up to 6 months, doesn’t coagulate with Co2 use, and doesn’t damage rims or tires with extended use. Installation is straightforward using the application tip and there is no need to shake the bottle. Available in a 250ml/8.5oz bottle.”
It works efficiently and is reasonably priced.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Seals up to 6mm cuts
Doesn’t damage rims or tires
No need to shake
Remains liquid in the tire for ~ 6 months
Keep adding as needed through the valve
Doesn’t coagulate with Co2 use
Non-allergenic
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It sealed a range of hole sizes, at varying pressures.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Works at higher pressures, unlike some.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing really stands out.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
It sits somewhere in the mid-range when compared to others we’ve reviewed.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
It works effectively and achieves the claims on the bottle, for a decent price.
About the tester
Age: 44
I usually ride: This month’s test bike My best bike is: B’Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components
I’ve been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,
1 thought on “Challenge Smart Tubeless Sealant”
I had to go to Challenge to
I had to go to Challenge to find out whether it was Latex or non Latex and it’s a Latex job. I had a customer come in for wheel bearings and asked me to change the sealant. The customer had been using a so called “Top brand” latex based sealant and the tyre was a mess inside, the sealant had damaged the tyre inside and it had absorbed sealant like a sponge, so much so the side walls stuck as if it was rubber solution glue at the tacky stage. I cleaned it and filled with another brand of Latex sealant and advised new tyres and showed and explained the tyre issue. On my bikes I use non latex Joe’s Eco Sealant, never dries out, it just works and your tyres are clean inside. Another customer came by yesterday he’d been using a non latex but it would not seal a new tyre on the rim, he’d put extra sealant in and still no go. He stayed while I cleaned up what he’d had in and checked all the valve etc, he’d marked the rim area where the sealant wasn’t working as it bubbled there. Lon story short, refitted tyre sans sealant….. and it was leaking where he said, a Dose of Joe’s Eco…and sealed perfectly.
The Main take really from the Tubeless debate is some sealants are much better than others, I have done “real world” testing on my own bikes and after various brands…. Joe’s Eco is my go to…for me and when fresh build for customers…..as it works and doesn’t dry out.
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