Looking for someone to apply some heli tape to my wife’s (low spec Spesh hybrid) bike - would rather not do it myself as it will look shit (given that I have as much talent for anything DIY as a pig has for roller skating).
Used to be something the LBS could do, but all the options seem to involve £200 laser cut wrapping, where really all I want is the top tube/down tube/chainstays/seatstays having a bit of neat tape on.
Anyone have any recs?
Theres Shak Wrap in Bury but I've no idea what the pricing is like.
Its easy enough to do yourself with the judicious use of a hairdyer
There are quite a few generic frame protection kits now, which fall between DIY heli-taping and the full Invisiframe treatment.
One of my bikes came with an "All Mountain Style" one already fitted, and it's decent enough. DYED are the other big name I think.
Should be tidier than the home-cut helitape (that I fit badly to my bikes).
Ridewrap also sell generic kits and come with everything you need to put them on. Open a beer and get cracking, be done in 6 hours 😉
See that 6hrs isnt worth 200 quid...
A universal kit from invisframe is about 65 quid.
So its 140 quid extra for a bespoke kit fitted...
Sounds like you're after the moon on a stick
For my Camino, I bought some protection tape from wolf-moon-uk on ebay.
It seems to be decent quality stuff - nice & thick & went on well.
I measured the frame, transferred the measurements to the tape & cut the pieces out. I then just added radiused corners, to prevent them snagging.
I heated the frame & the tape using a hair dryer, then used a sprayer with a very very dilute mix of shampoo & water which means you can shuffle the tape around a bit if you don't lay it quite right.
You can then squeegee it in place with an old credit card and your thumb. If the edges are a bit reluctant to stick, you just need to keep applying a bit of heat & pressing it down - once all the water has been evaporated it will stick nicely.
It's definitely a job to take a bit of time over, but it's not difficult and quite enjoyable over an evening with a beer.
EDIT - It cost me £11.49 for 2mx50mm wide. They do several different length & width options.
Sounds like you’re after the moon on a stick
Yes and no. What I'm definitely not after is a full laser cut vinyl wrap, which is what that £200 gets.
All I want is someone to apply some off the shelf heli tape to a frame… Last time I paid someone else to do this (granted a couple years ago) it was £50, which even if it's gone up a bit seems fine.
If it's a cheap bike. Or ask invisframe to send you a blank square and do it yourself.
Or my only other idea see if any local car wrapping place's do it