Just taping some rims up (ARC27’s) to go tubeless. But the yellow tape is pants just doesn’t stick at all? Is that normal, rims are new and have been well cleaned.

They are taken now with tubes and tyres on to push the tape Home but it’s not terribly secure really.

Any suggestions?

New tape? I had to chuck some old tape away the other day as it’d lost its stickiness. Even new stuff seems to only be just about sticky enough for the job.

Brand spanking mate…opened it today.

Overpriced shite. Gorilla tape everytime.

Most recent, an OE Stans rim pretaped. Wouldn’t inflate. Took that off, put Gorilla tape on, bang, straight up.

Tesa 4289 for genuine replacement.

Is rim clean and dry? Are you pulling properly taut when applying?

I’ve never had an issue with it not being sticky enough.

Always sticks like glue for me. Roughing up the rim surface helps and is recommended by Stans. Thoroughly clean after and finish with a wipe over with isopropoyl alcohol.

Are the rims shot-peened or bead blast? If so that can stop the tape sticking initially.

Make sure the rim is super clean (use IPA) and then lightly key it with a pan scrub pad or similar. Put the wheel in a stand or in the frame so you can turn it easily, then really press down hard on the first section, keep the tension high, and once it’s wrapped round a decent span of the rim (about 1/4) it will stick well enough. Put a tyre on, bung a tube in and pump up to max pressure, leave for a few hours. I have rims done this way that are still going strong five years after I put the tape on.

Tesa 4289

*takes notes* Cheers. 🙂

OE Stans rim pretaped. Wouldn’t inflate.

Probably not the tape’s fault, that, more likely a Friday afternoon job in the wheel-taping factory…

Cleaned the rims with a clean rag and isopropyl ?

Yes isopropyl mega clean cloth, it’s an anodised rim, maybe that’s it…..pulled dead tight but when moving my tape and rim holding hand, it slips. Bleeping infuriating!!!!

Stan’s suggest keying the rim with a wee bit of wire wool or similar.

I used the tesa tape

I have to say that I didn’t use alcohol or anything similar. I just brushed it all clean with my hands and put the tape on

Went on fine, did 2 wraps

I second Gorilla tape.

Had some Superstar tape but got fed up trying to get it to stick properly despite cleaning using wire wool etc

I warmed up the tape/wheel rim with a hairdryer* when applying.
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*obviously not mine

I use 3 wraps of electrical tape from Toolstation. I’ve not had any of it fail on any bike over the last 4 years, Stans, Mavic and DT Swiss rims of various widths and diameter.
If the tyre is a bit baggy I just stick another wrap on.
I got given some Stans tape by my lbs when they built my last set of wheels and it was tonk.

Well got both elect tape, and gorilla tape here so will try to inflate and the see…. 😕

You have to pull it really tight when applying.

You have to pull it really tight when applying.

This – like cut the circulation off in your fingers tight. Then it sticks/works great. As above, I use the Tesa 4289 tape which is a lot cheaper than Stans.

Bloody hell – the eBay lot are making a huge profit on that Tesa tape 😯

As above, 25mm gorilla tape works perfectly. A couple of quid from B&Q and you get a good few wheels done.

Might consider some actually – £7.50 a roll to you lot…. 😉

Always seems crap whenever I buy some and I resort to 1 inch wide electrical tape

It’s not sticky like, say, gorilla tape but it doesn’t have to be- it sticks moderately to the rim and well to itself so once it’s wrapped on it’s fine. Basically if you’re relying on it being very sticky you’re doing it wrong.

Gorilla tape goes on easier but it’s not much fun to remove.

Tesa 4289 here too. Same as Stans but a fraction of the cost….gotta pull tight tho.
De-grease too!

found stans tape to be crap, gorrilla tape on all wheels.

I used to work for the old Stans distributor.

the yellow Stans tape is just repackaged 3M tape, nothing special

I started using the blue Roval tape Specialized use to distribute, brilliant stuff, much sticker than Stans and wider too! super cheap also in comparison to stans…