I’ve just built up a set of i35/i29 rims which are 35mm and 29mm internally – what tubeless tape are people using to tape these up? I’ve got a massive roll of 25mm tape – could I just overlap and double this up (that is what nemesis recommended on another thread, but I wonder if anyone has any real world experience)?

cheers,

Ian

I bought a 60m roll of 20mm tesa tape off ebay for £10 and then wrap once in the centre, and then to the bead edge on both sides.

You can get 30mm wide tesa(stans) tape.

I just used two wraps of 25mm tape side by side with a little overlap on my 65mm fat bike rims as it had offset holes. Didn’t worry about going to the edge of the rim – as long as there was decent coverage on the spoke holes.

Just do the spoke holes. A decent rim and tyre combo will sort itself out, tape to bulk up only needed with sloppy fitting tyres.

Whilst scruff may be right for initial installation (single pass over the spokeholes), I’ve found that if you do this on a wide rim then the edges of the tape tend to get caught when mounting/demounting tyres and lift over time eventually compromising the seal at the spoke holes.

I’ve done my 35mm and 40mm rims with 3 passes of 25mm Tesa, spoke bed; then tight to one bead hook; then tight to the other.

Electrical tape works well enough on MTB wheels (not so great at 100psi on the road bike). A couple of layers is usually enough.

You can get it in wider rolls too, just google PVC tape.

I just used gaffer tape ripped to fit in my Dually’s, been brilliant and the easiest tubeless set up I’ve ever done.

We use a thinner TESA tape on wide rims. Same range as stans but half the thickness. One lap round the middle, once either side, and one over the middle again. That gives you a double layer equivalent to stans round the middle (good for sealing up) and also gives edge to edge cover to stop sealant getting under the tape.

Thanks all – I’ll just overlap the 25mm tape I have.

Cheers,

Ian

Which tesa tape?

Or will gorilla tape work fine? (I’m only going to be taping up a Mavic 319 rim)

DT Swiss do dedicated tubeless tape in widths up to 42mm, it’s not cheap but it’s tough, seals well and it’s really nice to work with. Quite a few of the DH World cup guys were using it in the pits at Fort Bill this year.

Or just use Gorilla tape for the budget option.

TESA 4289 25mm is the same as Stans

Gorilla tape isn’t really upto the job, I think it’s used because some people used the clear gorilla tape (which is more like helicopter tape) which works so they told people they used gorilla tape, but the normal stuff is just duck tape but thicker/stronger. So it lets air and sealant through, the glue dissolves and it eventually peals off.

It works, but it’s no better than 99p duck/gaffa/duct tape (someone did once explain the difference, it’s to do with waterproofing, electrical and heat resistance, one doesn’t melt if you use it on stage lighting etc)