Removing gorilla tape residue

I’ve used Muc Off Glue and Sealant remover to get gorilla tape residue off of a pair of rims, worked really easily.

Trick with Stans/Tesa/Roval and similiar is tension, and lots of it. You need to be really stretching it out along the length of the tape as it goes on, which is awkward as you’re pulling at 90 degrees to the radius of the wheel and it wants to turn. Grip with feet and knees, pull with arm, is the best way ime, work in fairly short stretches (easier if you have about 12 inches of tape “pulled”, but only stick about 6, then pull another 6 off the role, the extra bit that’s loose helps with the stretching on/tensioning)

If you get enough tension on it like this then it’ll naturally pull into the recess as that’s the shortest route around the wheel. It’s not very stretchy so if you don’t get it on like this it’s really hard to make it conform to the wheel.

That said, I’ve pretty much stopped using it, it’s fine I guess especially with a narrower rim or a pinned unsealed rim where you can’t do the partial taping.

BadlyWiredDog
Full Member

In true, contrary STW spirit, could I just unhelpfully suggest Mavic UST rims that don’t need tape at all?

Aye, if you want to substitute tape with “far harder to build wheels and weighs way more, enough that Mavic lie about the weights for the entire range, so you end up with a narrower or weaker wheel for the same weight” then they’re great.

@northwind

Thanks!

I’ve finally got round to removing all the residue. The garage was absolutely reaking of petrol by the end.

The 28mm tape was too narrow for the rim, so I’ve ordered some 32mm Tessa tape. Best part of £30 including delivery so at 66m hopefully I’ll use that on other wheels.

In the meantime I’ve put the narrow Tessa tape in the middle of the rim and pumped up the tire. It’s gone up no problem, I’ll see how it goes overnight before adding sealant.

I had Mavic ust 26″ wheels for ages. They were great until I tried to buy a spoke- £15 for one, plus driving 1h round trip to the only shop I could find that could/ would order some.

Then some nipples exploded due to age and being retrued. They had to be drilled out. The wheels were 7 years old at this point and Mavic had stopped doing soares. It was cheaper to buy an entire 2nd hand wheel set with some damaged spokes than trying and get any spokes.

Put me right off fancy factory wheel sets.

I’ve still got two functional fronts in the garage. They are being horded until my kids need 26″ wheels. I have a 26″ fork to go with it. The rear jammed a couple of times and I couldn’t work out why. Possibly that will be useful, possibly not!

In addition to tension, I think that pressure matters, esp with that stiff tape; shove an inner tube in overnight just to pat it down nicely  when you put your last layer on