Polish bike blogger endorses OKO Puncture Free
It is always great when a totally independent expert tests your product and then gives it a rave review. That is what has happened here. We were approached by a leading blogger and tester of bike products in Poland, ‘Endurorider’, we sent him some product at his request, and the rest you can see below… (No inducement or connection exists – this is what he has written, translated into English).
Needless to say, our Polish bike product distributor, Bikershop, will be happy to sell you some directly, if you are a bike dealer, or direct you to your nearest shop, if you are a rider).
Polish ‘Endurorider’ Blog
OKO Puncture Free
Most people are still using tubes that are not protected against punctures. Why the needless risk,since there is a product that dramatically reduces the risk of sudden loss of air?
The name OKO sounds very familiar– you might associate it with Taiwan or Japan.It turns out that it is aBritish company which was established in 1978 and has continuously produced sealants for both tube and tubeless tyres. More than thirty years on the market approves it. It is worth mentioning that the production still takes place in the UK.
To me there is nothing better than ghetto tubeless conversions (http://endurorider.pl/2011/07/ghetto-tubeless-manual/),
but I have to admit that the tubes tend to have their own advantages. When frequently changing tyres the necessity of using a lot of sealant becomes inconvenient. In such situations the classic solution turns out to be more pleasant – but what about the risk of a puncture? As we all know pinch flats happen on the day when we do not have spare tubes with us. That’s how it goes in life. Can anything be done about it? Yes! Just buy OKO Puncture Free.
The manufacturer describes this version as the primary one for everyday use, which can cope with holes to a diameter of 4mm. Sounds pretty good.
One bottle contains 250ml and the dosage is as follows:
• 16-18″- 50 ml per wheel
• 20-24″- 80 ml per wheel
• 26 “& 27.5” (650B) – 100ml per wheel
• 700C – 100 ml per wheel
• 29 “- 120 ml per wheel
As you can see one bottle is quite enough for a set of wheels in any size.
Application
Application to the inner tube with Schrader valve is simple! First set the wheel at 4 or 8 o’clock. Now unscrew the tip of the valve core using the tool attached (see photo) to the bottle cap. Next put the feeder on the valve and push the right amount of sealant into the inner tube.
If you don’t how much is enough don’t worry because the bottle label has a graduation on the back. Clever isn’t it 🙂 Then we take the pump and clean the air valve and then screw in the core. Now pump the wheel to the correct pressure and you can ride all you want. I really can’t imagine what could be easier to do, especially since you don’t even need to disassemble the wheels! If you have Presta valves without removable cores – visit your dealer to buy a box of patches. Alternatively, you can repent and ream the rim to start using Schrader valves.
The manufacturer declares that the sealant lasts longer than the tires, so I had to check it out. Below is a video of the test to see if there is dry sealant in the inner tube.
After cutting the tube everything is just fine. The sealant is wet and smooth – so the manufacturer does not lie.
Puncture Free in practice
I have used the tube secured with OKO Puncture Free for a few months now. I went in the Beskidy Mountains, and nothing bad happened. Pressure does not drop. The wheel is still round and if I had some micro-punctures I haven’t even noticed them. The OKO product is completely maintenance-free.
The only thing I want to do before complete deflation is set the valve at the top of the wheel (12 o’clock), blow it, and then remove the core.Similarly,after the first application, first blow and then assemble valve together.
How does it work?
It works by centrifugal force and the escaping air pressure. During the penetration the air pushes it out to seal the hole.
Effectiveness
And what about the issue of sealing holes? Let’s see.
As you can see the sealant really works! Easily coped with three holes including one with a diameter of 3.5 mm. I was using the amount recommended by the manufacturer.
OKO promises that Puncture Free will patch up 4mm, but I could not find a suitably thick nail. It is worth noting that in real life such spectacular holes are very rare because usually the problem turns out to be acacia thorns etc.
I applied sealant a few months ago and since then rode daily and did nothing with it.
Because I wasn’t satisfied with my first movie I punctured the tube twice in a row so there was 6 holes in it and despite this the loss of air was very small.
When WON’T it work?
Puncture Free works by centrifugal force and air pressure so it can’t patch holes made on the inside of the inner tube by unprotected nipples. That’s why you always need to have a rim strip.