• This topic has 27 replies, 26 voices, and was last updated 8 years ago by tang.
Viewing 28 posts - 1 through 28 (of 28 total)
  • going tubeless on carbons…hell
  • preraphalite
    Free Member

    Hi All,
    My Whyte and I have been trying to install tubeless rim tape. on and off for about a year, the rims are Whyte’s own brand carbon, very nice but I really think their surface would be better marketed to the tekkies at Tefal non-stick. the issue is that no matter how much rubbing down with wire wool, scotch paper and 1200 grit wet&dry and then cleaning with alcohol the surface of the carbon refuses to allow tubeless tape to stick. I tried café latex tape, (I’m sure they got a job lot of old vhs tape and wound it onto little rolls), the stuff has next to no adhesion to the touch so I was immediately sceptical about it sticking under the stresses of my stretching it to make a non conforming tape conform to my rim profile… it didn’t. at all! I also tried Stans yellow tape, apparently more sticky, but not against carbon. same end result. – its in the bin.
    Any tips? Anyone succeeded?

    thanks in advance!

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    Impact adhesive?

    preraphalite
    Free Member

    good thought, but impact adhesive (contact adhesive) needs to be applied to both materials to be mated, so would be a evil job sticking it to a 29er’s worth f rim tape without dropping it on the floor and getting it dusty.
    Meditate on this I will.

    twohats
    Free Member

    Duct/gaffer tape.

    howsyourdad1
    Free Member

    What about specilized 2bliss tape, the stretchy stuff that doesn’t stick, it’s elastic so it holds on that way?

    http://www.bike24.com/p298963.html

    wiggles
    Free Member

    +1 duct tape, super sticky

    ndthornton
    Free Member

    Gorilla tape

    AlasdairMc
    Full Member

    Gorilla tape. If it’s any help, I have gorilla tape on my Enve fork protecting it from cable rub, and it sticks perfectly.

    uselesshippy
    Free Member

    I’ve done two sets of carbon rims with gorrila/duct/gaffer tape. Works a treat, right up until you want to take it off.

    pigyn
    Free Member

    Stans tape, hold it really tight as you pull the first layer around, but don’t let go of the first bit. You need three hands. Overlap by half or a full wrap depending on your tyre tightness, the tape sticks to itself and the first layer is tight, so works a treat. Easier to remove than a bit of gorrilla tape, but that also works great

    njee20
    Free Member

    Uselesshippy +1, Gorilla tape is excellent, but a bitch to remove.

    tailsmtb
    Free Member

    +1 gorilla tape

    Just removed some SS tubeless tape as the tyre was going down and I damaged it removing the tyre to have a look. Gorilla tape went on very easy and sealed straight away.

    RobHilton
    Free Member

    Rimstrip?

    preraphalite
    Free Member

    thanks everyone, Gorilla tape is on todays shopping list to try.
    Stans tape was tried last night, I agree it will stick to itself, but you have to get the first layer to remain conformed without holding on to it in order to do a wrap.
    additional issue is that since it isn’t actually stuck, where you cut the valve hole, you get a weak point where the tape is about 1mm wide either side of the cut, the tension seems to snap the tape at this point and creates a potential leak to the nearest spoke holes.
    fingers crossed for some Friday evening gorilla action!

    Wally
    Full Member

    I use reinforced glass fibre packaging tape from Ebay.

    Adam_Buckland
    Free Member

    Mine came with a Whyte branded rim strip fitted, get you dealer to give ATB a shout for a set.

    gee
    Free Member

    I just use 3 wraps of insulation tape. Never had a problem.

    jimoiseau
    Free Member
    kimbers
    Full Member

    I used some wtb tubeless tape from crc on my light bicycle rims, 1 layer and its been fine for 18months

    superfli
    Free Member

    I found the SS tape very sticky – unusually so for rim tape. Did my LB rims fine, but I suppose not all rims are the same inside.

    shortcut
    Full Member

    If you can get it to stick try a layer of insulation tape then stars tape on top.

    downhilldave
    Full Member

    Why bother with tape if it’s such a problem ➡
    http://www.justridingalong.com/veloplugs.html

    noahhowes
    Free Member

    Stan’s with about a foot of overlap. You don’t have to worry about the air leaking under the valve if you don’t cut a full hole. Just get a scalpel or craft knife and make a cross shape once the tape is fitted, shove the valve through that and do it up tight.

    everyone
    Free Member

    Do those veloplugs work fine in a tubeless setup? Could be interesting if they do.

    nach
    Free Member

    I had a problem like this with some powder coated rims. Cleaning with IPA and keying the surface both did nothing to help tape stick adequately over the whole rim bed. What worked for me was a layer of electrical tape pulled tight over the spoke holes, then duct tape over the top of that.

    brassneck
    Full Member

    You don’t want to hear this, but I’ve just taken delivery on my shiny new 29-CS.

    Got a slow puncture so decided to have a crack at tubelessing it.

    Stock tyre (Ikon) came off with fingers only, and back on fingers only and it inflated without sealant and with a track pump. I re fitted with sealant and a blob of glue around the valve seat and it’s been golden ever since.

    Maybe you could try getting the new rimstrip it ships with? Think the advertising changed to the wheels being tubeless ready this year.

    tang
    Free Member

    My ENVE m60 come with gorilla tape, works a treat.

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