On Wed, 13 Apr 2005 00:35:26 GMT, Scott Thomas
wrote:


I've got a Cypress Giant DX that had the "SLIME" logo on the side of
the tires and the sealant pre-loaded into them when I bought it. Great
idea, I thought at the time, although I've had nothing but trouble with
the valve stem and core on the rear tire since then - multiple times had
the valve stop working (either not opening to allow air, or not closing
and deflating the tire). Both times, of course, if I get the valve core
out I find it loaded with the sealant's fibers.

Yup.

Figured I couldn't be the only person to have this problem,

You certainly aren't.

so a Google
search showed someone (back in 1996) complaining of the same thing. The
advice he got was counter to what the shop had told me, regarding the
valve position - I was told to put the valve at 12 o'clock and let it
sit there for a while (to drain), but at least one poster told that
Aussie fellow to put the valve at 5 or 7. Which is correct?

The one that works for *you*. In my limited experience, having the
valve vertical at 12 position tends to ensure that some Slime and
fibers will have drained into the valve stem, where they may or may
not then be expelled by the incoming air stream...and will tend to
foul the valve if all that's being done is a pressure check. At 5/7,
the theory is that the junk will drain from the stem. From
experience, however, I'll note that theory and practice in this case
are, as usual, not identical.

For the short period that I put up with a Slimed tube, I found that
always breaking the seal on the valve by adding air with the
compressor tended to keep the valve from getting fouled. I had to be
careful to bleed pressure off *slowly*, however, or fibers still would
creep in and produce a slow leak.

Also, other than removing the tire from the wheel, is there any easy
way to get that junk out if I don't want it?

If the tires are tubeless, no. If the tires have tubes, take the
tubes out and replace them with ones that have not been Slimed.
You'll still have to remove the wheel from the bike, and partially
dismount the tire, but you shouldn't have to completely remove it from
the rim.

I do almost all my riding
on paved trails and such, so I'm not really worried about flats. (Only
time I've had them is from the valve sticking open.) Thoughts?

Your experience is not unusual. Flat frequency rates vary with local
conditions, riding habits and equipment. Dealing with Slime's side
effects can be more bothersome than fixing flats. For me, this has
been the case most of the time. For many, the reverse is true. If I
lived where puncture vine was a persistent menace, I'd probably have a
higher opinion of Slime and a greater tolerance for its drawbacks.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
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