Kenda’s quick seal are a sound choice for commuter, mountain, training and utility steeds that need puncture-resisting dependability without a big weight penalty. In contrast to their bulky thorn resistant cousins, the Kwik Seal is a conventional butyl tube containing a sealant designed to seal holes up to an eighth of an inch wide.Over the test period, they’ve proven very reliable but don’t be tempted to leave the spare tube, pump and patch kit at home.
Upon discovering you’ve some glass, a thorn or similar debris through the tyre, stop and remove it before spinning the wheel to send the sealant coursing round the tube and filling the affected area. Generally speaking, there’s a loss of around three to ten psi dependant upon how quickly you reach the foreign object.
Temperature doesn’t overly effect their efficiency, although as an experiment I left one in the freezer overnight and paired it with a particularly puncture prone tyre. The repair took a few seconds longer and a loss of 25psi before healing over. These aren’t a cure-all for the dreaded hiss but seem basically reliable and considerably nicer compared with others I’ve fitted in the past. My experience suggests these are very effective in the short to medium term but sooner or later the nail with your name on it will burst the tube resulting in a gloopy mess, and you'll need your spare.
Combined with Kevlar belted tyres, they might prove a particularly good option for hub braked and geared city bikes with more involved wheel removal.
Verdict
Not a cure all but a good option on hub geared and braked city bikes where wheel removal is more involved.
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Kenda Kwik Seal inner tube
Size tested: 26X1.5-2.1
Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Kwik Seals are aimed at a wealth of riders from those running 20mm road rubber through to BMX and folding bikes.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Butyl tube impregnated with a liquid sealant that cures upon air contact. Available in a wide range of sizes including 700X18-25,25-32 and 35-43c, 26x1.5-2.1, 24x1.5-2.1 an 20x1.75-2.1 in either presta or schrader valves.
Reasonable given the sealant.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Works well, sealing holes fairly swiftly but I would advise against leaving the house without a pump and spare tube.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Reasonable weight and supple construction means they feel little different to a traditional tube.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing but have reservations about the longevity/shelf life of the sealant. My experience of the breed suggests they can burst on contact with very sharp objects leaving a very sticky mess.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Possibly
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Possibly
About the tester
Age: 35 Height: 1m 81 Weight: 70 kilos
I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,
Shaun Audane is a freelance writer/product tester with over twenty-eight years riding experience, the last twelve (120,000 miles) spent putting bikes and kit through their paces for a variety of publications. Previous generations of his family worked at manufacturing's sharp end, thus Shaun can weld, has a sound understanding of frame building practice and a preference for steel or titanium framesets.
Citing Richard Ballantine and an Au pair as his earliest cycling influences, he is presently writing a cycling book with particular focus upon women, families and disabled audiences (Having been a registered care manager and coached children at Herne Hill Velodrome in earlier careers)