log in
register

What is the tape made of to make spoked rims airtight?

  • Creator
    Topic
  • July 13, 2018 at 1:00 pm #28720
    bigoldboy

    Will someone explain what the tape is made of and how it works/seals a spoked rim to be airtight….

    …..if it can work on cycle wheels I guess I could also use it on my motorcycle rims?….

    …..can you buy rolls of it or is it manufacturer fit only……..

    …….I’ve only been away from the sport for 40 years and ‘suddenly’ there is all this new technology to get my head around!!!

    cheers,

    bigoldboy

  • Creator
    Topic
Viewing 10 replies - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)
  • Author
    Replies
  • July 25, 2018 at 8:26 am #923439
    0
    SteveAustin

    Just saying, but duct/

    Just saying, but duct//gorilla tape is a lot thicker/heavier than needs be to seal a rim. it will work fine, but if you have splashed a lot of money on a set of lightweight wheels/tyres and gone to the effort of setting it up tubeless might as well use a lightweight specific rim tape …

    Electrical tape isnt really sticky enough ime

    stans tape works really well 

    July 13, 2018 at 8:32 pm #923437
    0
    tincaman

    TESA 4289 tape can be had for

    TESA 4289 tape can be had for about £12 for 66m. Same or very similar to branded Stan’s tubeless tape

    July 13, 2018 at 6:15 pm #923435
    0
    hawkinspeter

    You can buy rolls of specific

    You can buy rolls of specific tubeless rim tape if you want to. Don’t go for ordinary rim tape as that won’t be airtight.

    The proper stuff is probably lighter weight than Gorilla/Duck tape but is more expensive and often more fragile. I’ve made the mistake of damaging the rim tape when getting difficult tubeless tyres onto the rim which then made them impossible to seat, so I prefer to have something a bit tougher.

    July 13, 2018 at 5:48 pm #923433
    0
    StraelGuy

    Yeah, it has to be air-tight.

    Yeah, it has to be air-tight. The only stick on rim tape I’ve ever used is fabric with sticky stuff on one side that would never hold pressurised air.

    July 13, 2018 at 5:37 pm #923431
    0
    bigoldboy

    Thank you all for the

    Thank you all for the feedback, I imagined that it would be some super duper specific tape to make a spoked rim airtight so a tyre could be run ‘tubeless’…..

    ….or are you all using insulating tape or Gorilla tape instead of a standard rim tape?

    …..perhaps I was not clear enough in my original question

     

    cheers,

    bigoldboy

    July 13, 2018 at 5:16 pm #923429
    0
    Ratfink
    bechdan wrote:
    I tried gorrilla tape on one wheel and it didnt stick as well as electrical tape – thankfully it failed the night after a ride rather than during, might have just been bad luck but ive not had pvc tape fail on me before.

    I have but Gorrila tape is holding strong.

     

    July 13, 2018 at 4:03 pm #923427
    0
    Anonymous

    I tried gorrilla tape on one

    I tried gorrilla tape on one wheel and it didnt stick as well as electrical tape – thankfully it failed the night after a ride rather than during, might have just been bad luck but ive not had pvc tape fail on me before.

    July 13, 2018 at 3:09 pm #923425
    0
    Jimthebikeguy.com

    25mm gorilla tape. End of.
    25mm gorilla tape. End of.

    July 13, 2018 at 1:27 pm #923423
    0
    hawkinspeter

    You can also use Duck/Gorilla

    You can also use Duck/Gorilla tape. There are thinner rolls that work really well for bicycle rims, but you may want to use the standard size for motorbike wheels. The best thing about Duck Tape (or similar products) is that you can tear it accurately to the right size width for your needs – just start the rip with some scissors and you should be able to just rip it in a straight line.

     

    July 13, 2018 at 1:21 pm #923421
    0
    Anonymous

    personally I use black

    personally I use black electrical tape, so PVC, its the right width and cheap so one £1 roll does about 4 layers on a 650b wheel easily. Ive used it up to 60psi although I dont see why it wouldnt go higher. What is the size of the spoke holes in a motorbike wheel? Ive no idea, although there may be a legal requirement for these if used on road – sorry cant be of any more help. 

  • Author
    Replies
Viewing 10 replies - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.