Flat Attack Tire Sealant
By Jon Sharp

"I HATE flats." I believe that the cycling world as a collective voice would completely agree with this statement. In fact, I'm certain that you could accurately attribute this quote to every mountain biker you know. In the last few years, I made the switch from standard tubes and tires, to tubeless tires. This has eliminated practically all of my pinch flat problems. However, I do still have the occasional puncture flat ruin my ride. There are a myriad of different tire sealants on the market, but even with this deluge of products Flat Attack manages to stand up and be heard.

At first look, Flat Attack seems like a Slime copy. It is green and gooey. There are, however, a few notable differences. Firstly, the antifreeze agent is propylene glycol. This is food-based antifreeze. This makes Flat Attack very safe to use, and very safe on the environment. Even if your pet eats it, he/she won't die. (Caution: You still shouldn't eat it to experiment.) Secondly, the particles in Flat Attack that actually do the clotting and sealing of the hole have roughly the same mass as the liquid itself. In other words, the fibers never settle, so they don't clot up together inside the tire while it is spinning. In the end, punctures seal faster because Flat Attack is always mixed well and ready to seal a hole. Thirdly, Flat Attack lasts a long time. It doesn't seem to be affected by heat or cold. I've had Flat Attack in my tires for 8 months or so, and it is still liquid--ready to seal any hole (up to 1/8"). Another benefit is that Flat Attack leaves no oily residue. It washes clean with just a little water.

I had the opportunity to perform a real-life test of Flat Attack's puncture sealing capabilities while riding recently. I'm so skilled at flatting out, that I somehow managed to get two punctures at once. One hole was in the tread of the tire--no problem for most any sealant--and the other right near the rim in the sidewall of the tire. This presented a problem at first. With two holes, the amount of air escaping each one was reduced. I stopped and pumped up my tire to help it out, and the hole in the tread of the tire sealed itself after riding a little further in the trail. Unfortunately, the tire was still loosing air. I realized that as the tire spun, all the Flat Attack was working its way away from the sidewall and the second hole. I decided to take matters into my own hands. I pumped some more air into the tire, and laid the bike down on its side so the Flat Attack would settle in the right place. Eureka! The hole sealed and I was on my way.

Summary: Although my flat was unconventional, it still sealed. As far as I'm concerned, Flat Attack works as designed. It doesn't dry up inside the tire, but seals holes quickly and easily. It is safe to use, and easy to clean up. Anyone who hates flats should take a close look at Flat Attack. Two thumbs up, five stars--whatever you want. Go buy some.

jon Sharp is a contributing editor for GearReview.com specializing in mountain biking and getting flats.

For more information, contact:
Flat Attack
1-800-748-4670
E-mail: bigsteve@flatattack.com
www.flatattack.com