Anyone tried glass reinforced packing tape as rim tape?

[Martyn Aldis]

I'm having a problem with rim tape for my Velocity Aero rims and tight
fitting covers. The rims have a very shallow well.

I've tried two fabric tapes:

Schwalbe - it slides around and I end up with punctures on the edges of
the hole. It dips into each hole and looks close to being cut through
around the hole edge.

Zefal - is strong, thick and has sharp edges. The thickness makes it
even harder to fit or remove the 28-451 Stelvios.

How about cross weave glass reinforced packing tape as it is thin,
strong and cheaper than rim tape. Has anyone got any experience of using
it as rim tape?

The link below shows only over wide for my purpose, others have 12mm
width, but this one shows the material better:

http://www.seton.co.uk/perl/product.pl?productid=1574

There is a (probably superior) 3M product (8959).
--

Martyn Aldis, e-mail [email protected]
==============================================================================

 

[D'ohBoy]

Yes to your Subject-line query. DAGS on RBT.

D'ohBoy

 

[Matt]

Yup, I have one bike that has had (the same) filament tape rim strip
for ~15 years. No problems. You don't need fancy 'cross weave' Plain
old filament tape. If the tape is too wide, the filaments make great
cutting guides for a box knife.

Matt.

 

[landotter]

Martyn Aldis wrote:
> I'm having a problem with rim tape for my Velocity Aero rims and tight
> fitting covers. The rims have a very shallow well.
>
> I've tried two fabric tapes:
>
> Schwalbe - it slides around and I end up with punctures on the edges of
> the hole. It dips into each hole and looks close to being cut through
> around the hole edge.
>
> Zefal - is strong, thick and has sharp edges. The thickness makes it
> even harder to fit or remove the 28-451 Stelvios.
>
> How about cross weave glass reinforced packing tape as it is thin,
> strong and cheaper than rim tape. Has anyone got any experience of using
> it as rim tape?
>
> The link below shows only over wide for my purpose, others have 12mm
> width, but this one shows the material better:
>
> http://www.seton.co.uk/perl/product.pl?productid=1574
>
> There is a (probably superior) 3M product (8959).

>

That'll work fine. Heck, I've used several layers of electrical tape
and even some Tom Ridge endorsed duct tape, cut down to size. Ready
made stuff is neater, that's for sure, but I've ridden years and years
on electrical taped wheels with no problems. Shhh, don't tell anybody.

The cheap plastic tape that the online marts sell is pretty nice as
well, It's stretchy, so you an use a 26" set on a 700c rim with a
little coersion.

 

[Ken]

Martyn Aldis <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> How about cross weave glass reinforced packing tape as it is thin,
> strong and cheaper than rim tape. Has anyone got any experience of using
> it as rim tape?

Turns into a gooey mess after a few months on your rim.

 

[Sorni]

Ken wrote:
> Martyn Aldis <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>> How about cross weave glass reinforced packing tape as it is thin,
>> strong and cheaper than rim tape. Has anyone got any experience of
>> using it as rim tape?
>
> Turns into a gooey mess after a few months on your rim.

Try the sticky side DOWN next time.

<eg>

 

[Martyn Aldis]

In message <[email protected]>,
D'ohBoy <[email protected]> writes
>Yes to your Subject-line query. DAGS on RBT.
>
>D'ohBoy
>
Is that Dags the plural of Dag in AUSSIE:

http://www.anu.edu.au/andc/ozwords/Oct 2000/TailDag.html

As that puts us in the PODES could the other one be?:

http://www.rbt.treasury.gov.au/
--

Martyn Aldis, e-mail [email protected]
==============================================================================

 

[[email protected]]

Martyn Aldis wrote:
> I'm having a problem with rim tape for my Velocity Aero rims and tight
> fitting covers. The rims have a very shallow well.
>
> I've tried two fabric tapes:
>
> Schwalbe - it slides around and I end up with punctures on the edges of
> the hole. It dips into each hole and looks close to being cut through
> around the hole edge.
>
> Zefal - is strong, thick and has sharp edges. The thickness makes it
> even harder to fit or remove the 28-451 Stelvios.
>
> How about cross weave glass reinforced packing tape as it is thin,
> strong and cheaper than rim tape. Has anyone got any experience of using
> it as rim tape?
>
> The link below shows only over wide for my purpose, others have 12mm
> width, but this one shows the material better:
>
> http://www.seton.co.uk/perl/product.pl?productid=1574
>
> There is a (probably superior) 3M product (8959).
> --
>
> Martyn Aldis, e-mail [email protected]
> ==============================================================================


I have some Campagnolo Vento wheels that are exceptionally difficult to
mount tires on. Extra large rim? Too shallow center? The supplied
green plastic Michelin strip worked sort of OK for a couple years.
Still needed two tire levers to get the tire off and one to get it back
on. But it eventually cracked over the spoke holes and caused
punctures. The spoke holes are extra large on the Vento wheels to fit
the 5.5mm socket needed for the nuts/nipples inside the rim. Velox
cloth tape does not allow the tire to be mounted at all. Cloth tape is
too thick. Recently started using 3M packing tape bought at Home
Depot. It comes in a variety of widths. 18mm is what fits my wheels.
I put 3 layers of short 1" pieces of tape over each large spoke hole.
Criss crossing them to get the weave effect. Then 1 layer around the
whole rim. Might not need the strip around the entire rim and could
just go with 4 layers over the spoke holes only. With only 16 holes
per rim, its not too labor intensive. I replace the tape every 2 years
just for insurance. Can now get by with just one tire lever to get the
tire off and none to get it back on. Still a chore though. I also
deflate the tires when the bike is not being ridden. This might be the
key to keeping the tape from getting pushed too far into the large
spoke holes. It is an inconvenience to inflate the tires before every
ride, but at least I am 100% sure the tires are fully inflated and
almost no chance of pinch flats.

 

[Werehatrack]

Yes. On double-wall rims, it works until it splits, and then the tube
blows out through the spoke hole. On single-wall rims, it works OK
most of the time, but is still widely regarded as not a good idea if
you have something better available.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

 

[D'ohBoy]

<snip Martyn's impertinence ;-) >

DAGS = (D)o (A) (G)oogle (S)earch.

D'ohBoy

 

[Mark Janeba]

Martyn Aldis wrote:
> How about cross weave glass reinforced packing tape as it is thin,
> strong and cheaper than rim tape. Has anyone got any experience of using
> it as rim tape?

Yup. Goes on really nice. Comes off really ugly. That is, you'll like
it until it fails or you have to take it off.

I saw packing tape failures on double-walled rims with rough edges on
the inside spoke holes, though that was after many miles. Some work
with a file might have averted the failure, but maybe not; the tape
doesn't age well.

When it comes time to take the tape off, especially if it's been a long
time, the tape and fibers separate. The tape comes right off, and
you're left with a layer of sticky fibers on your rim that are a RPITA
to get off.

The last time I remember this coming up on RBT, someone suggested vinyl
electrical tape first, then packing tape over it. Might be worth a try.

Good luck,

Mark

 

[Martyn Aldis]

In message <[email protected]>,
[email protected] writes
>Martyn Aldis wrote:
>> I'm having a problem with rim tape for my Velocity Aero rims and tight
>> fitting covers. The rims have a very shallow well.

snip)
> Velox
>cloth tape does not allow the tire to be mounted at all. Cloth tape is
>too thick.

Yes, that is exactly the question. If it did the job, I'd rather use
something biodegradable and support the venerable French tape weaving
trade.

>Recently started using 3M packing tape bought at Home
>Depot. It comes in a variety of widths. 18mm is what fits my wheels.
>I put 3 layers of short 1" pieces of tape over each large spoke hole.
>Criss crossing them to get the weave effect. Then 1 layer around the
>whole rim. Might not need the strip around the entire rim and could
>just go with 4 layers over the spoke holes only.
>
snip)

Thanks for this. It addresses the problem and thanks for the other
responses with positive and negative experiences. The clean up problem
could be really serious for a bike shop but as I am a hobby cyclist I am
prepared to mess about finding a solvent that works. Acetone nearly
always does although it's horrible stuff to use every day.

D'ohBoy wrote:

>DAGS = (D)o (A) (G)oogle (S)earch.

I guess this means D'ohBoy thinks I should not have posted the question
because it has been discussed before. Maybe he thinks something else.
TTTT (Too terse to tell). Agreed the risk that repeated statement of
entrenched views and futile antler clashing takes over from technical
content is never far away.

There is the suggestion, both now and in the 2003 thread, that the
backing plastic can disintegrate fast. Polypropylene normally lasts a
long time away from the light so perhaps some cheaper tapes are
cellulose based or something volatile from the tube degrades the
polyprop. I've had problems in the past using the rubber stretch into
place bands with high pressure and hollow rims. That's why I went for
cloth tape.

If I turn up anything new I'll post again.
--

Martyn Aldis, e-mail [email protected]
==============================================================================

 

[[email protected]]

How about trying Velo Plugs:- http://tinyurl.com/hh8s4

Lewis.

*******

 

[John Forrest Tomlinson]

On Thu, 04 May 2006 14:42:15 -0700, Mark Janeba
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Martyn Aldis wrote:
>> How about cross weave glass reinforced packing tape as it is thin,
>> strong and cheaper than rim tape. Has anyone got any experience of using
>> it as rim tape?
>
>Yup. Goes on really nice. Comes off really ugly. That is, you'll like
>it until it fails or you have to take it off.

Same for me. I don't love it, but it works in a pinch. But I wasn't
using cross-weave, just normal stuff.

JT

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[John Thompson]

On 2006-05-04, Martyn Aldis <[email protected]> wrote:

> Anyone tried glass reinforced packing tape as rim tape?

Yeah. Trek used it for all their wheels in the early 80s.y


--

John ([email protected])

 

[landotter]

[email protected] wrote:
> How about trying Velo Plugs:- http://tinyurl.com/hh8s4
>

Yeah, that's a no brainer of a product. Rims should just come with such
plugs.

 

[[email protected]]

Martyn Aldis wrote:
>
> How about cross weave glass reinforced packing tape as it is thin,
> strong and cheaper than rim tape. Has anyone got any experience of using
> it as rim tape?

I used it once. I prefer ordinary medical adhesive tape. Cheap,
widely available, and the 1/2" width works perfectly with my rims.

In fact, on our family's coast-to-coast tour, my daughter's front wheel
on her new bike got three flats in two days when the rim tape began
failing. We stopped at a pharmacy, I put on two layers of medical
adhesive tape, and it's lasted at least 4000 miles so far.

- Frank Krygowski

 

[[email protected]]

Martyn Aldis wrote:

> Thanks for this. It addresses the problem and thanks for the other
> responses with positive and negative experiences. The clean up problem
> could be really serious for a bike shop but as I am a hobby cyclist I am
> prepared to mess about finding a solvent that works. Acetone nearly
> always does although it's horrible stuff to use every day.

The clean-up for me after the tape was on for several years was
sufficient to throw the rims away, not my usual parsimonious,
skin-flint style. But, my free time is worth something.

Doesn't look like anyone else mentioned "tires".

Maybe the best thing would be to go to a tire that fits looser, and
then you could use whatever tape you wanted. Costs maybe a little more
money, but then the last time I looked at strapping tape it came close
to two "real" rim strips from the FLBS, and there was a bunch left
over. Economy?

I've only replaced a few cloth rim strips. Very easy, quick. I got rid
of the few tires (freebies) that were a PITA to change, too. Life is
short...

Wondering what model "Velocity Aero" rims you have as my Aeroheads are
fine with the Michelin and Vredestein tires I've used so far. Tool-less
take-off after install. --D-y

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

Martyn Aldis wrote:
> I'm having a problem with rim tape for my Velocity Aero rims and tight
> fitting covers. The rims have a very shallow well.
>
> I've tried two fabric tapes:
>
> Schwalbe - it slides around and I end up with punctures on the edges of
> the hole. It dips into each hole and looks close to being cut through
> around the hole edge.
>
> Zefal - is strong, thick and has sharp edges. The thickness makes it
> even harder to fit or remove the 28-451 Stelvios.
>
> How about cross weave glass reinforced packing tape as it is thin,
> strong and cheaper than rim tape. Has anyone got any experience of using
> it as rim tape?
>
> The link below shows only over wide for my purpose, others have 12mm
> width, but this one shows the material better:
>
> http://www.seton.co.uk/perl/product.pl?productid=1574
>
> There is a (probably superior) 3M product (8959).
> --
>
> Martyn Aldis, e-mail [email protected]


Get some sticky cloth rim tape, like Velox..it doesn't move, isn't
sharp..
> ==============================================================================

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

[email protected] wrote:
> How about trying Velo Plugs:- http://tinyurl.com/hh8s4
>
> Lewis.
>
> *******

And when ya get a flat, and some fall out into the grass next to the
road and.....plugs are not a good thing.