[Closed] on one 456 carbon + helicopter tape

Nahhh, mine's bare carbon, so I just used bits of black duct tape. Works a treat! 😀

Think I bought a metre at 10cm wide.

This did a strip down the down tube, down to the bb shell for rock strikes and scrapes; and also a strip along the top tube for when I sit on the top tube waiting for people to catch up.

With the curved tubes it was difficult to get it perfect and on other bikes I've used a wet method of positioning which works better (i.e. lots of soapy water so you can slide it around, get rid of bubbles without it sticking in the wrong place).

I had a little bit left for the usual cable rub patches round the headtube.

Sine then I've also added a patch on the non-drive side chainstay for heel rub and also down the seat stay near the rear mech for cable rub.

I went a bit OTT as I have one of the matte black ones which are harder to protect.

I sourced some matte 100mm wide tape but also used some proper 0.5mm thick matte black 3M stuff used on rotor blade leading edges.

I did:

Top and sides of top tube - 100mm
top/outside of seatstays - 50mm (100 cut in half)
Sides of down tube - 50mm
Non-drive chainstay outside and top/bottom - 100mm cut to taper

I also used a strip of the proper blade stuff long the base of the down tube and under the BB shell and in cable rub positions.

For the driveside chainstay I just used some cut up inner tube and cable ties. I need to stick it down with some double sided foam.

After messing with loads of ideas for chainsuck protection I ended up using a row of about 6/7 large cable ties with the clips at the bottom sticking out towards the chainring. Cheapest and best solution tbh!

Looking back I wish I had just done the bottom of down tube protection and when it got tatty rubbed the clear coat down and grabbed some Plastikote satin polyurethane and re-lacquered the frame with PU (tougher).

EDIT: I used a total of 2m of 100mm wide with some left over. Oh and I am glad I did the proper thick stuff on the down tube as I've had a lot of big rocks thrown up.

PS I used the hair-drier method to let me stretch it round the corners and I cleaned the frame with vodka (didn't have any IPA wipes to hand)

Interesting stuff guys, i shall be getting my sparkly new C456 frame next week (hopefully) and i hadn't thought about protection, other than chain slap.

I will have to get some tape me thinks 🙂

how do you put it on properly? ive tried doing it before but i goes all bubbly! especially on funny shaped frames....

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not really visible ont his but the whole of the 'bow' on the down tube is helitaped+under the bottom bracket - you need to cut a couple of darts to allow for the curve of the frame but it looks fine. I've also done a bit round the head tube where the rear hose goes past and also on the non-drive side chain stay to protect from heel rub.

I've since added a large Endura chainstay protecter which I've zip tied on (pronlem is that the stay is very tapered so tricky to get the protector to fit well just with the velcro.

If I ran gears I'd get one of these;

[url= http://www.wiggle.co.uk/k-edge-dirt-acs-chain-device/ ]http://www.wiggle.co.uk/k-edge-dirt-acs-chain-device/[/url]

+1 for andyl's anti chain suck zip ties, i did this on my steel 456 which was infamous for suffering the affects of chain suck.

Covered anywhere the cables might rub and on the stays for chain and my left heel rubbing. Also fitted a custom chain stay protector as I'd had problems with chainsuck with the middleburn rings.

[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5305/5598097792_20663d9233_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5305/5598097792_20663d9233_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/66452821@N00/5598097792/ ]Custom Chainstay Protector[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/66452821@N00/ ]ritcheyp20[/url], on Flickr

Used paragon tape from eBay btw

how does that ACS device work then?

www.HeliTape.co.uk 😛

good article here;

[url= http://www.bikerumor.com/2010/09/03/tomac-k-edge-release-most-technogically-advanced-anti-chainsuck-device-ever/ ]http://www.bikerumor.com/2010/09/03/tomac-k-edge-release-most-technogically-advanced-anti-chainsuck-device-ever/[/url]

basically, catches the chain before it can wrap around the chain ring and also stops it falling off

Best thing to do with Badger beer IMHO.

There are no address or phone details on the helitape site, which are pre-requisites for me ordering online, email is not enough - has anyone dealt with them before?

P20 - I had a beer can with double sided foam solution too but a chain will cut straight through it (did twice to me).

I have now gone the cable tie route. Tempted to get a K-edge but £30 is a bit steep! Although I guess I can use it on any bike in future that has an external BB.

I got my tape from paragon tapes. Give them a try.