Silca Ultimate Tubeless Sealant

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scottydonald
Posts: 256
Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2021 5:06 pm
Location: Scotland now.

by scottydonald

Nereth wrote:
Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:48 am
... The silca tubeless sealant? Is there more than one type?
how have you been using it for 2 years????

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Maddie
Posts: 1531
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2017 5:44 am

by Maddie

Nereth wrote:I've used this sealant about two years I'd say, maybe 50,000ks, and it didn't damage the tubeless rim tape. Went about 6 months on Enve tape and maybe another year on Stans (both seem to be the recommended TPP material). Enve tape was replaced for unrelated reasons.

Did you guys have issues with those brands?

I've just set up a new pair of wheels with this sealant because it's never given me any drama. And with that, I've finished my first bottle. Hopefully the second bottle is still good.
Interesting that you used it for two years when it was introduced last March

MrRolandos
Posts: 251
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2021 8:19 pm

by MrRolandos

There is :
- ULTIMATE TUBELESS SEALANT W/FIBERFOAM
- ULTIMATE TUBELESS SEALANT REPLENISHER

I guess its different, don't know. Orange seal is available in store locally here. I get the workshop edition, 946ml for €47,99. Not too bad. Silca is 946ml for $42. Bit cheaper I guess. Never had any issues with orange seal in about 2 years of tubeless. But you never know if it can be better/cheaper.

Nereth
Posts: 250
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2023 10:18 am

by Nereth

scottydonald wrote:
Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:56 am
Nereth wrote:
Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:48 am
... The silca tubeless sealant? Is there more than one type?
how have you been using it for 2 years????
I am very wrong - it's only been about a year. Felt like I had been through two winters with it but I guess not. So more line 25,000ks, not 50 then.

Still, everyone else seems to blow through their rim tape fast, and I've seen no effect with those tapes. I do recall changing my dt swiss tape over on one wheel within a week of the announcement of issues. The logos looked worn but that didn't twig to me as an issue yet.
MrRolandos wrote:
Fri Mar 31, 2023 10:50 am
There is :
- ULTIMATE TUBELESS SEALANT W/FIBERFOAM
- ULTIMATE TUBELESS SEALANT REPLENISHER

I guess its different, don't know. Orange seal is available in store locally here. I get the workshop edition, 946ml for €47,99. Not too bad. Silca is 946ml for $42. Bit cheaper I guess. Never had any issues with orange seal in about 2 years of tubeless. But you never know if it can be better/cheaper.
Using the one with fibre, topping up the front wheel per the instructions with the replenisher. Rear wheel gets a tyre change at close to three month intervals so less topups there, just full refresh.

whataboutEee
Posts: 117
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2021 8:55 pm

by whataboutEee

TobinHatesYou wrote:
Fri Mar 31, 2023 7:53 am
What happened to the blog post? I was going to point MrRolandos to it so he could read about the issues from the source...

https://silca.cc/blogs/silca/sealant-update (404)
That is unfortunate. This sealant fiasco has definitely shaken my faith in Silca. I at least gave them props for acknowledging the problem, but now they are hiding that as well. I have asked them repetatively for a list of tape they guarantee the sealant won't destroy and they have never gotten back to me.

cat4forlife
Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2020 7:42 pm

by cat4forlife

whataboutEee wrote:
Fri Mar 31, 2023 3:04 pm
TobinHatesYou wrote:
Fri Mar 31, 2023 7:53 am
What happened to the blog post? I was going to point MrRolandos to it so he could read about the issues from the source...

https://silca.cc/blogs/silca/sealant-update (404)
That is unfortunate. This sealant fiasco has definitely shaken my faith in Silca. I at least gave them props for acknowledging the problem, but now they are hiding that as well. I have asked them repetatively for a list of tape they guarantee the sealant won't destroy and they have never gotten back to me.
I asked about the blog post and was told it's being updated since the batch issue update is no longer needed.

I also asked about the tubeless rim tapes Silca recommends and these are the "Tensilized Polypropylene" tape they suggested:

https://www.eis-inc.com/product/strappi ... m8898x18mm

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/product ... ZUQAvD_BwE

https://planetcyclery.com/stans-notubes ... PkQAvD_BwE

https://www.performancebike.com/enve-ro ... woQAvD_BwE

https://tokenproducts.us/products/tk338 ... gwQAvD_BwE

whataboutEee
Posts: 117
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2021 8:55 pm

by whataboutEee

cat4forlife wrote:
Fri Mar 31, 2023 8:11 pm
whataboutEee wrote:
Fri Mar 31, 2023 3:04 pm
TobinHatesYou wrote:
Fri Mar 31, 2023 7:53 am
What happened to the blog post? I was going to point MrRolandos to it so he could read about the issues from the source...

https://silca.cc/blogs/silca/sealant-update (404)
That is unfortunate. This sealant fiasco has definitely shaken my faith in Silca. I at least gave them props for acknowledging the problem, but now they are hiding that as well. I have asked them repetatively for a list of tape they guarantee the sealant won't destroy and they have never gotten back to me.
I asked about the blog post and was told it's being updated since the batch issue update is no longer needed.

I also asked about the tubeless rim tapes Silca recommends and these are the "Tensilized Polypropylene" tape they suggested:

https://www.eis-inc.com/product/strappi ... m8898x18mm

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/product ... ZUQAvD_BwE

https://planetcyclery.com/stans-notubes ... PkQAvD_BwE

https://www.performancebike.com/enve-ro ... woQAvD_BwE

https://tokenproducts.us/products/tk338 ... gwQAvD_BwE
Thanks for the list of tapes. I'm too lazy to look, but haven't a couple people in this thread have stans tape fail with silca?

MikeD
Posts: 1000
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2014 9:55 pm

by MikeD

All the tapes that Silca recommends don't have writing on them. They said that tapes with lettering are the ones to avoid.

TobinHatesYou
Posts: 12455
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:02 pm

by TobinHatesYou

whataboutEee wrote:
Sat Apr 01, 2023 2:48 pm

Thanks for the list of tapes. I'm too lazy to look, but haven't a couple people in this thread have stans tape fail with silca?
Yes, and ENVE red tape too.

cat4forlife
Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2020 7:42 pm

by cat4forlife

FWIW, the Enve tape in my wheel was not eaten by the Silca sealant.

windscreen
Posts: 31
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2021 1:35 am

by windscreen

Same reply I posted in the "best sealant for road" thread:
I've been using Silca since spring of 2023 in my GP5000 S-TR, and now TT-TR, but haven't had a puncture (knock on wood) to comment on how well it works. I will say that I followed the replinishment schedule to the letter, and when I swapped my S-TR for TT-TR late last October, there were no mobile carbon fibers left inside the tire. They had 100% been bonded down to the latex skin formed inside the tire, mostly carbon balls.

As an experiment, (on the TT-TR) I'm now checking the sealant level monthly, via a dipstick down the valve stem hole, and using replinisher to top it back up the the original fill level. Maybe this will provide enough liquid to keep the carbon fibers mobile. In April or May I will pull the tires off to clean out the old sealer and check the fiber condition. If they are glued down again, I'll probably go back to regular Orange Seal. It's hard to imagine that Silca keeps any large hole sealing ability if the carbon fibers are no longer in play.

-Steve

naavt
Posts: 529
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2018 6:58 pm

by naavt

A little off-topic (or not at all), but let me advise all my fellow riders here about the crap that Silca sealant is:

Beyond being a more effective puncture sealant - or not - than OS, Stans and others (since it all depends on the puncture itself, riding conditions, weather and a bunch of other variables), I MUST WARN all of you that once that sealant hits your bibs, shoes and other stuff... it remains there, forever!

I've bought Silca's own sealant remover and no way that it worked!

For you to know, I have a brand new Lake CX238 that was once white, and they're now... white/horrible!

A Sportful Bib which I now only use on my trainer, and a balcony on my house spotted brown for months now, no matter what I throw at it to try and clean it.

Sent an email to Silca with pictures about all this and their reply was simply: "we sell a sealant remover", which - as I told you - I've bought and applied to no effect, only to damage even more my Lake shoes.

Before Silca I've tried many things (as everyone here). My fair number of flats on tubeless lead me to Silca trying to find something that really worked, all with big disappointment.

I've now got "back" (or should I say forward), to tubes again... and very pleased with that decision.

Tpduke112
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2023 4:42 am

by Tpduke112

I've had two punctures in the last 48 hours (bad luck) that covered me in Silca Sealant. Both of them sealed in seconds, didn't even need to get out my pump to top off, finished the ride, checked the tires, wiped down my bike, washed my kit, good as new.

I guess everyone has their own experience but the horror stories are a little wild to me.
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cat4forlife
Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2020 7:42 pm

by cat4forlife

naavt wrote:
Sat Feb 03, 2024 10:47 am
Beyond being a more effective puncture sealant - or not - than OS, Stans and others (since it all depends on the puncture itself, riding conditions, weather and a bunch of other variables), I MUST WARN all of you that once that sealant hits your bibs, shoes and other stuff... it remains there, forever!

I've bought Silca's own sealant remover and no way that it worked!

For you to know, I have a brand new Lake CX238 that was once white, and they're now... white/horrible!

A Sportful Bib which I now only use on my trainer, and a balcony on my house spotted brown for months now, no matter what I throw at it to try and clean it.

Sent an email to Silca with pictures about all this and their reply was simply: "we sell a sealant remover", which - as I told you - I've bought and applied to no effect, only to damage even more my Lake shoes.
I feel you. I had a decent size real puncture that sprayed sealant all over, including my new team bibshorts early last year. Within about two hours, i tried Silca's sealant remover, following the exact instructions. After spending a fair amount of elbow grease trying to scrub the sealant stain on the bibshorts with a toothbrush, most, if not all, of the stain still remained. They are still on that pair of bibshorts today. I have better luck scrubbing the sealant stain off my white S-Works 7 shoes with the sealant remover. It takes a bit of time and you need a rather stiff brush (toothbrush, recommended by Silca, in my opinion, is not stiff enough).

And let's talk about Silca's sealant remover. Has anyone else tried Motsenbocker's Lift Off latex paint remover? I bought a bottle last year after having trouble using Silca's to remove sealant stain. Upon reading the instructions, taking a sniff of the content, and then pouring both of them out in a transparent cup for comparison, i am 99% sure they are the same thing. The caution message on the labels are exactly the same, other than the emergency toll-free phone number. The directions for use are near identical. But Silca's sealant remover costs more than twice that of Motsenbocker's (USD $20 for a 16-oz versus USD $11.99 for a 22-oz bottle). I asked Silca if their sealant remover is just a rebranded Motsenbocker, and all they would admit was they are "pretty similar" but Silca's sealant remover "is not that [Motsenbocker's Lift Off latex paint remover]".

https://liftoffinc.com/products/motsenb ... d077&_ss=r

I did a somewhat unrealistic test to see if another sealant - Orange Seal Endurance - stain would be easier to remove than Silca's. I say "unrealistic" because the rather high amount of sealant i dripped onto an old Castelli bibshorts was not what one would ever get in real life. I dripped Silca's sealant on one side of the bibshorts and Orange Seal Endurance on the other side. I waited overnight and then attempted to scrub them off, after spraying the stained area with the Silca sealant remover. There was no visible difference before and after. Then, after spraying the stained area with the sealant remover, i tried to hose the bibshorts with my pressure washer (this suggestion was on the Motsenbocker's label but not Silca's). Again, it did not appear to be effective. Had i tried with the suggested pressure (1200 PSI), perhaps the outcome would be different.
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by Weenie


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xiyuwang
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Feb 03, 2024 2:21 pm

by xiyuwang

Used for half a year now on my 404 with 28c gp5k. It dries quite fast tbh. And it almost manage to seal the puncture of my rear wheel where I eventually decide to change. The seal is not that strong. And, yes, it eats through zipp's tape.

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