What would you recommend to guarantee success for alloy rims with spoke holes and a sleeved joint? Not gorilla tape thanks!
I've tried bodge solutions in the past. Clear gorilla tape was absolutely useless. The tyre gripped it like a dogs favourite chew toy and ragged it off the rim with ease, even though it was stuck down well and the rim bed had been cleaned with alcohol. Thinking logically! I thought a gloss finished tape would be best, but as it turns out I have found tyre beads slip around best on tapes/strips with a robust fibre layer and what feels like a slick PTFE finish.
So in my mind a fibre based tape seems like the best option but I am prepared to accept people have had success with all manner of different tapes!
are you sanding the surface to give it a key for tape to stick to? that does help
Yes I did then cleaned it up with alcohol to get rid of any dust or residue.
I’ve tried various tapes and DT Swiss or Schwalbe are my go to now. People will be along to say TESA but IMO it’s rubbish and doesn’t stick and leaks despite doing all the heating of it with a hairdryer, leaving a tube in overnight etc. DT Swiss (esp at road pressure) has never failed me.
Tesa 4289 or 4288 have been my go to for years. Its very similar to the tape marketed for tubeless rims in my experience.
Why did you use clear Gorilla tape? I've never tried that one before.
I have found tyre beads slip around best on tapes/strips with a robust fibre layer and what feels like a slick PTFE finish.So in my mind a fibre based tape seems like the best option
You just described regular black Gorilla tape.
There's a reason world cup mechanics have this in their tool kits rather than tubeless tape or Tesa stuff.
When you need something to work first time, every time, it's the best option.
Just please put insulation tape underneath it or you'll never get the glue off your rim.
Why did you use clear Gorilla tape?
I had some left over and going back to ghetto tubeless days some people claimed it worked. In my case it leaked out around the spokes and at the rim joint, so the air was getting into the cavity.
I know standard gorilla tape is the accepted best bodge. But it comes with it's own problems/downsides.
I've got a wheel taped with one23 rim tape (can't get it any more) that has a textured finish but is nice and slippy and an RSP rim strip that feels similar and again is nice and slippy but it's a bit small, so tight tyre beads pull it around the rim bed!
As above, Tesa 4289. It is marketed as Tubeless tape. £10ish for 66 metres, so remarkably cheap.
Also, for frame protection, Gorilla Clear repair tape, £7 for 8 metres. Just as good as the pre-cut type of stickers that sell for £30.
Also, for frame protection, Gorilla Clear repair tape, £7 for 8 metres.
I think that's all it will be getting used for in the future it made shite rim tape.
TESA 4288 (black )is slightly thinner than 4289 (yellow) so makes it easier to install the tyre, esp if you have done 2 layers. It might be OK for wider MTB rims but I’m not ever using it on anything. The shite MUC-OFf stuff with it’s tendency to give way at the spoke holes is better (marginally) .
Just please put insulation tape underneath it or you'll never get the glue off your rim.
WD40 grease remover works wonders.
never get the glue off your rim.
WD40 grease remover works wonders
Always used a chemical for that job. Think it's a non-ionic surfactant or something like that. Anyway it works!
I always just used GR85 to get the sticky residue off rims. And always use either electrical tape or Gorilla/Duct tape on my rims. It work better than anything else I’ve found.
I buy big rolls of blue Tesa tape from Aliexpress. Have had no issues with it whatsoever. It leaves no residue so no time wasted cleaning up and no need for insulation tape. One wrap with an overlap and it lasts for multiple tyres.
I found Gorilla tape too thick so it would peel at the edges when removing tyres and then need completely removing and rewrapping.
Another happy Tesa 4289 user here.
I've always used Tesa or Stans, deliberately avoiding logo printed tape as I use Silca sealant v2
What rim is it? I gave up with my aluminium DCR rim as the internal profile of the rim was a nightmare to tape and every tape I used ended up migrating into the central channel, exposing spoke holes, leaking, etc.
If I'd wanted to persevere I might have tried Giant rim tape as it had a good reputation for flexibility and adhesion.
Peaty's was the worst I tried.
I replaced the rim with a Kinlin which has a much smoother internal profile and it has been entirely trouble free, although the DT Swiss tape I'm using now hasn't been ideal, it doesn't seem to like having any tension applied as mine split at the valve hole! In future I'll just go Tesa black which I think is the same as Vittoria and Pacenti amongst others.
TESA 4289 is excellent if you can get it to stick, otherwise useless.
I couldn't be bothered with the faff any more so my go to is now a couple of wraps of insulation tape to seal off the spoke holes then a couple of wraps of 25mm black gorilla tape. Yes, there can be a bit of residue, but to be honest I've just started taping over it. It is fine.
As above, Tesa 4289. It is marketed as Tubeless tape. £10ish for 66 metres, so remarkably cheap.
Also, for frame protection, Gorilla Clear repair tape, £7 for 8 metres. Just as good as the pre-cut type of stickers that sell for £30.
2nd all of this.
I only recently stumbled across the Gorilla Clear repair tape after experimenting with lesser options, I love it for frame protection. Not quite as good as helicopter tape as it doesn't come on backing paper - but it is a LOT cheaper.
FWIW the Gorilla Clear Repair Tape also works very well as a rim tape - it doesn't get affected by the sealant and come unstuck over time, I've had some on a pair of wheels for over 10 years.
I'm looking for some 39/40 mm tape for my mate's bike.
I've seen wtb for a better price than Stans, not seen any Tesa in that size.
It's for this wheel so assuming that's the size I need. Any help appreciated ta.
I've always used tesa tape. Full prep, roughen, clean, heat, tyre and tube, never had any bother. Always find tape 2 or 3 mm wider than inner width
Mucoff tape is pretty good. Has a little stretch to it so conforms to the rim well.
40mm Tesa tape from where, I've not seen any?
Cheers
Seeing how the muckofff tape has come unstuck on my mates wheel I don't want to get any more of that tape plus it didn't seem wide enough.
Amazon does a 50mm. I'd be tempted to seat it with a tyre and tube. After a day, just run a scalpel under the bead of the rim to trim it down
Best tape i have used is kranX. Think it is tesa black. Really easy to put on as conforms to rim well, sticks great and comes in lots of sizes and tenner a roll. This review is spot on. Use it on mtb and gravel bike.
TESA 4289 for me. Still on the same roll that I bought almost 10 years ago perfect every time IME despite what an early poster said. No leaks.
There's 40mm Tesa4289 on AliExpress, whether it's genuine or not I don't know. Have bought unbranded rim tape from a couple of sellers there though and it seems fine.
I've had such shit luck with tubeless recently that I'm not gonna recommend anything.
I just wanted to moan that there really should be a better way of doing it by now.
I use Tesa tape as well and I only tape over the spoke holes, never had an issue. I've also managed to cut sections out to replace spokes when they've snapped at the nipple and stuck a single bit back over the hole without issues.
That is a good idea, didn't think about trimming it down.
Yes I had a look on there yesterday and ordered some 40mm Tesla, well I hope it is!
Will clean up wheel fit tape and fit tube in new tyre overnight then try the Stans.
I've had such shit luck with tubeless recently that I'm not gonna recommend anything.
I just wanted to moan that there really should be a better way of doing it by now.
Do you have the option of getting wheels that don't have internal spoke holes. Although this doesn't help with getting the tyres seated - sometimes ai find getting the right number of rim tape wraps for the tyre is the only way to do this.
I picked up some MucOff tape as I needed some and it was all i could get that day, been in for 2 years now, no issues
MucOff tape is ok but there are much better options. I've found the ends of it have a habit of coming loose and the sticker they supply to cover the end is useless.
Tesa 4289 32mm width 66m length (needed 33mm to be exact) ordered. Ooof that's some reassuringly expensive tape! I'll report back when it shows up.
By the looks of it people have had success with thicker than average (not standard poly packing tape) Polypropylene packing tapes like Tesa 4289 and 4288. Polyethylene coated cotton cloth tapes like Gorilla/duct tapes. Polyester tapes from 3M. PVC/Electrical tapes and as mentioned Gorilla Clear which is a Co-Polymer.
For the PVC enthusiasts! Has anyone tried the thicker tapes (thicker than insulation tape) used for line marking floors?
Do you have the option of getting wheels that don't have internal spoke holes.
I did stick with Mavic for some years for this reason, but I'm a DT Swiss devotee now so tape is a necessary evil, unfortunately.
Currently 3 of my 7 or 8 wheels have leaks that I need to fix, possibly with a full re-tape 😬
I'm still new to tubeless, but recently had to re tape my rear rim after replacing a spoke.
Tried two different widths of rim tape and found it a complete pain to fit.
Went down the insulation tape and gorilla tape route and was much easier.
Held pressure for a week in the shed now and a ride in the Peak - that was after wrestling a Kryptotal DH on that I've documented in another thread
the sticker they supply to cover the end is useless.
I've used muc-off tape, the sticker is useless as you say , so used gorilla tape to tape over the ends - credit to BCR UK on YouTube for that particular tip!! In fact, he's done a video on cheap tubeless tapes too.
I just wanted to moan that there really should be a better way of doing it by now.
There is! Trek/ Bontrager do pre-formed plastic strips which stretch over the rim and snap into place. Tyres mount instantly and hold pressure almost permanently once sealed etc.
Major drawbacks are price (I think £50 for a set of strips, don't quote me) but also presumably they require a specific shape of rim, i.e. I wouldn't want to risk mounting a Bontrager tape to e.g. a Kinlin rim. Perhaps if someone really clever used a relatively stiff polymer that could still conform to minor differences in rim shape and width you would be on to a winner. The Caffelatex/ Espresso latex strips were nothing like as good.
After previously saying I liked Schwalbe tape I have now changed my mind. Tape installed a year ago has failed at the spoke holes. Replaced it with DT Swiss tape which I think is that gold transparent stuff but with a black layer for printing the branding on.
I will never put gorilla tape on a bike again, getting it off again is the worst maintenance job in cycling. I scrubbed it off with a scotchbrite pad and petrol last time.
Does anyone know what tape Raceface use? It's really good, but expensive because you can only get it in an overpriced kit.
The big question is, how wide is your rim, and is it welded? Because if it's wide, and it's welded, then you maybe don't have to tape the whole thing. Asymetric drilling can screw this up mind you.
Basically the hope is that you can just tape the centre of the rim, the well- the bit that the tyre goes in when you're fitting. If you can do this, you can use pretty much any waterproof tape, I use electric tape. The trick is that the tyre doesn't sit on it, or touch it when you're removing a tyre, which is the number one cause of damage to the tape, and the only reason you normally want it to be really sticky. With the tape out of the way, that's no problem.
If you can do this, you can use pretty much any waterproof tape, I use electric tape
As an electrician, not all electrical/insulation tapes are made equal.
3M Scotch tape is the best tape known to man. It's got a nice stretch to it and is really easy to get a good finish with
the well- the bit that the tyre goes in when you're fitting.
The trick is that the tyre doesn't sit on it, or touch it when you're removing a tyre,
So the tyre needs to go in to the well for fitting but you can somehow remove the tyre without it going into the well.
Do you just cut it off. 😉
Personally I've never had any success with taping just the center of the rim or electrical tape.
Taping the center it always just lifts on the edges and I prefer a very tight fit of the bead on the rim anyway. Taping the edge helps with this.
Electrical tape seems to stretch into the spoke holes and tear under the air pressure of impacts.
Tried all sorts but keep going back to the big rolls of Tesa tape off Ebay.
Where is the best place to get Tesa tape, pricewise?
I've been using Peatys for the past 2 years and have found it absolute ass to work with, once on and sealed it's a game of don't do anything to aggravate it like removing a tyre or fiddling with the valves in fear it will fail and become a 2hr job to sort out
Tried all sorts but keep going back to the big rolls of Tesa tape off Ebay.
Cos at those prices it's OK if it fails or if you need to redo it.
EBay is the best place for TESA . I’ve not tried 4288 (black) but it’s thinner than 4289 (yellow) which is too thick to conform to the rim bed even after heating it. It doesn’t poke through the spoke holes but comes unstuck way before that, especially if you change tyres… Not sure if 4288 is noticeably thinner but I’d try that before 4289…
I’ve not tried 4288 (black)
I have after a recommendation on here.
I didn't have much luck with it. It came unstuck after two rides.
Went back to the yellow Tesa as it just works for me.
Even changing multiple Conti DH tyres that folks on here moan about being a tight fit it stays on the rim...
So the tyre needs to go in to the well for fitting but you can somehow remove the tyre without it going into the well.
Do you just cut it off. 😉
Ah ok fair dos, it doesn't touch it under any tension. So yes it touches but it puts no meaningful force on, it just contacts it. Whereas if you tape to the bead it gets the tyre under full stretch and gets much more pressure on it.
Bottom line is the tyre can't stick to or push off tape that doesn't exist.