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review

Muc-Off BAM! Inflate & Repair

7
£14.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Pricey way to fix a puncture but works well and offers peace of mind for tubular users
Simple to use and effective
Pricey
Latex can spray everywhere if can not aligned correctly
Weight: 
125g
Contact: 

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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BAM! Inflate & Repair is Muc-Off's solution to fixing punctures quickly at the side of the road. A tubeless solution for the tubed, if you like. It works well in most situations and gets plenty of air into your tyre too, although you need to make sure the nozzle is on the valve tightly before you let it rip. It's a pricey solution though.

For most of us, getting a puncture out on a ride isn't a massive deal, especially if you are running tubeless – and if you are using a tube it's not that much of a pain to swap things over or fix it with a patch at the roadside.

> Find your nearest dealer here

However, if you're a commuter with time restraints, a racer, or you're riding on tubulars then BAM! (Bottled Air Magic) could be a bit of a lifesaver.

In the 125ml aerosol can is a mixture of latex foam and compressed air, which, when you push the pink cap of the tin against your valve (Presta or Schrader), will be injected into your tube/tyre. It contains no ammonia so should be compatible with most tubeless sealants.

First, you need to inspect the tyre and remove what caused the puncture in the first place, which can be a little tricky if it's gone right through the tyre tread, but if you often inspect your tyres before you ride then new cuts and holes are often easy to spot.

If I do puncture it tends to be a thorn or piece of glass and I can normally just pull out the offending item.

With that done, all you need to do is stop the wheel with the valve in the 12 o'clock position, give the BAM! a good shake, and then offer it up to the valve.

You need to make sure the tin is pushed firmly onto the valve and keep it straight – if you don't, you're going to end up looking like you've been to a foam party. The stuff comes out pretty lively and if it escapes it goes everywhere!

If it all goes smoothly, the tyre inflates quickly (I achieved 90psi easily in a 25mm tyre) and I had no issues with the puncture holes sealing.

> road.cc tips: How to avoid a puncture

Muc-Off says that it'll work on holes up to 3-4mm and I'll go along with that, although the BAM! did struggle when the pressures got higher – at road pressures I'd say the Muc-Off works best on holes between 1mm and 2mm. The lower pressures of about 35-40psi on gravel tyres were no problem.

Unlike some, such as Zefal Repair Spray for one, BAM! is a permanent solution so you don't need to get home and replace or repair the tube. The punctured tube I used has been running fine for over three weeks with no major loss of pressure other than the norm.

I still ride tubulars on one of my bikes, and with the kind of get-out-of-jail solution the Muc-Off provides for most small punctures I have invested in a can to keep in my rucksack, even though it is quite pricey at £14.99.

The Zefal I mentiond above is just £5.99 for 100ml. It doesn't provide as much inflation as the Muc-Off, though, and as I said, it's only designed as a get-you-home solution.

BAM! is the same price as the GUP Kwiki Sealant and Inflator, which is also 125ml and sounds to be a very similar type of solution.

Conclusion

On the whole, I reckon BAM! is an expensive way of fixing a puncture but if you are running short on time or are using tubulars then it's worth the investment.

Verdict

Pricey way to fix a puncture but works well and offers peace of mind for tubular users

road.cc test report

Make and model: Muc-Off BAM! Inflate & Repair

Size tested: 125ml

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?

Muc-Off says, "B.A.M quickly inflates and repairs punctures at the same time by injecting latex foam and air into a tyre or tube. B.A.M is the perfect emergency backup that can be strapped to a bike frame using the new Muc-Off B.A.M Utility Belt (sold separately) or carried in a ride pack."

Works well on the majority of punctures and gives peace of mind to those who struggle with fixing punctures at the side of the road.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Muc-Off lists:

Compatible with road, cx/gravel and MTB wheels as well as most tubeless sealants.

Will inflate a 29' MTB tyre in under a minute.

Capable of sealing holes 3-4mm.

DANGER: Extremely flammable aerosol. Pressurised container. May burst if heated. May cause drowsiness or dizziness. Repeated exposure may cause skin dryness or cracking. Keep out of reach of children.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Sealed the majority of holes easily.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Impressive sealing properties.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Foam can go everywhere if you don't keep the can on the valve straight.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

The Zefal Repair Spray is a lot cheaper but not as effective a solution, while the GUP Kwiki comes in at exactly the same price.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

There are cheaper ways to sort out a flat but I found the BAM! to do a good job of sealing the majority of punctures and can't really fault its ability.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 41  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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2 comments

Avatar
check12 | 4 years ago
1 like

Amention of it's dimensions would be good or "it's the same size as....." I have a 125mm can of insect repellant (deet) from boots, is it the same as that? 15cm x 4.5cm cylinder

Avatar
captain_slog | 4 years ago
0 likes

Love the pop art styling.

But you don't mention whether it has the nice fruity smell of other Muc-Off products.

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