Bicycle Mechanics - did I buy the wrong rim tape?

I got myself a pair of Velox Narrow 10mm rim strip today thinking 16mm will be too thick for my rim. Came home and found out its only wide enough to cover the spokes only while the rest of the rim lays uncovered. Does anybody else do this? Will I be able to get away with it?

Most road and newer mtb rims take 17mm tape. Very few rims I've seen use 10mm. You might get away with it for now if you're careful and cover the holes completely, but you'd be better off with 17mm, because once you get a flat because the 10mm is off, you're gonna keep getting flats.

What kind of rims do you have?

Almost surely the 10mm is too narrow. If you have double wall rims the rim tape has to completely cover every sliver of spoke hole. If it doesn't, air pressure will force your innertuve against the spoke hole and you'll get repeated flats.

I think you should use the 17mm if it fits snuggly in the bottom of the rim, that's what you want. Maybe you can return the 10mm for an exchange. Actually I've never seen 10mm rim tape.

Al

I think 10mm rim strips are for single-wall, double-hollow rim with a narrow center section where the spoke nipples sit, and need to be covered directly (as opposed to with a double-wall rim, where there are holes or ferrules and the spoke nipples sit down below the plane of the wall).

I've used 10mm Velox on some of my wheels. It will work fine if you're careful to make sure it covers the spoke holes, and as it's sticky it will tend to stay put and not creep. Make sure there's no swarf on the edges of the holes… …but I'm sure you've done that already, right?

Using the wider 17mm sometimes makes for an even tougher job when fitting a particularly tight tyre. I always use the 17mm on MTB (26") wheels.

- Wil

Make sure there's no swarf on the edges of the holes

What is swarf?

Does anybody else do this? Will I be able to get away with it?

Nope. Only going to cause headaches later when you flat. And you will not be able to fix this on the road either.

Rim tape should sit edge to edge. 10mm is almost useless these days.

What is swarf?

Swarf (or turnings) is the debris or waste resulting from metalworking operations. It consists of shavings and chippings of metal. If the holes drilled in the rims have not been "de-burred" sufficiently, swarf can be left on the edge of the holes.

- Wil

I went w/ 11mm rim tape because that is about the width of the deepest trough of my rims:

http://www.mavic.com/e_img/chapitres/visu_produit_xc717.jpg

I was afraid of getting bubbles under the tape, or something, when the tape went out over the ridges at the edges of the rim channel.

That was a mistake. I replaced one rim tape last night w/ 17mm. I should probaby replace the other before I get a flat, but I might not. Anyway, it was interesting to see how far off the 11mm tape had moved all the way around the wheel, not just in one spot here or there, exposing at least a quarter if not more of all the spoke holes.

Swarf (or turnings) is the debris or waste resulting from metalworking operations. It consists of shavings and chippings of metal. If the holes drilled in the rims have not been "de-burred" sufficiently, swarf can be left on the edge of the holes.

- Wil

I have some Velocity rims that have some small rough spots/gouges around the seam where the rim was joined. I originally was using Veloplugs with these rims, which cover the spoke holes very nicely. But the rough spots actually wore a hole in one of my tubes, so I replaced the Veloplugs with 17mm Velox. So far it has been working.

So the moral is to make sure all rough spots are covered, not just the spoke holes, or else de-burr them manually.

I have some Velocity rims that have some small rough spots/gouges around the seam where the rim was joined. I originally was using Veloplugs with these rims, which cover the spoke holes very nicely. But the rough spots actually wore a hole in one of my tubes, so I replaced the Veloplugs with 17mm Velox. So far it has been working.

So the moral is to make sure all rough spots are covered, not just the spoke holes, or else de-burr them manually.

A little off-topic note:

I blew three tubes (all presta) right around the valve when I first got my bike. Then I found out that the valve hole is razor sharp with alot of burrs. I filed them carefully and put some electrical tape around the hole.