milKit road and gravel sealant preview
milKit have brought out a road and gravel specific sealant.
Not all sealants are created equal, and I’m not just talking quality. Swiss brand milKit have developed a sealant that they say is designed to cope with the higher pressures experienced in road and gravel set-ups. I reviewed the milKit system back in 2016 (link) and was impressed with how it worked. Back then they didn’t have their own sealant, but they went on to produce one not long after.
milKit realised that while their sealant worked fine in Mtb tyres, it suffered when used in road tyres. Road tyres have a smaller volumes and hence, higher pressures. This makes it harder for the sealant to form a proper seal. The high pressure air can blow the sealant out before it has a chance to form a proper seal. This new sealant has a new particle composition that “improves the sealing performance, especially at high pressures.” milKit say their new product will seal holes up to 6mm, which is impressive if it can do this with road tyres.
I have found some punctures take a while to seal properly on road and gravel bikes. Some will seal initially, but hit a bump and they open again, eventually I’ll stop and insert a worm. If milKit’s new product can work under high pressure and prevent, then that’s a win for me.
Sealant features
The sealant has other features that are worth mentioning. The new formulation remains homogenous in the bottle, so no need to shake it up before use. It also has an impressive five year shelf life, even after the bottle is opened. The last isn’t an issue for me, I’m changing tyres so often that a bottle never lasts long. milKit say this long-lasting feature also means that the sealant won’t dry up, leaving rubbery residue in the tyre.
| milKit TUBELESS SEALANT | milKit ROAD AND GRAVEL SEALANT | |
|---|---|---|
| +++ | Sealing performance: Low pressures (< 2.5 bar) | +++ |
| ++ | Sealing performance: High pressures (> 2.5 bar) | +++ |
| +++ | Ease of use | ++ |
| ++ | Durability in the tire | +++ |
| +++ | Shelf life | +++ |
| +++ | CO2 compatibility | +++ |
| +++ | Homogeneity | ++ |
| +++ | Sustainability | +++ |
| -20 to +50° C / -4 – 122° F | Temperature Range | -20 to +50° C / -4 – 122° F |
| Yes | Non-allergenic, non-hazardous & washable | Yes |
The synthetic latex used contains no ammonia or chemically aggressive ingredients in the recipe. Using synthetic latex means you can forget about that horrible smell a lot of sealants have. Removing these chemicals also makes for a safer product that won’t damage tyres or rims, is non-allergenic and it’s washable with water. The road and gravel sealant also works with CO2 canisters, a bonus for racers.
I’ll be trying out milKit’s new sealant on the roads and trails around my Sussex home. I’m hoping I won’t have anything to report, but that would make for a dull review!
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