Bicycle Mechanics - Rim Tape

So, in the struggle to discover what was causing my chronic flat, I pulled my rim tape loose. This was factory-issue rim tape and I've never replaced it before. What do you use? Are there articles around the house that could be used?

Velox cloth rim tape. About $2/roll (wheel). Make sure you get the right size for your wheel: narrower for modern 700c road wheels.

Some advocate electrical tape, but I've never tried it, and don't particularly think it's a great idea. I think most on this forum would advise against that.

I perfer Schwalbe plastic rim strips. They last a long time and are very good for high pressure applications.

Got Schwalbe plastic ones for my new bike. Horrible cyan colour, but fortunately they're not visible when the tyre is mounted! :D They work great though. You sort of press them into place, and they fill the entire rim "valley".

Electrical tape works for low pressures, but it takes several layers to resist the pressure.

Velox is what I use and feel that it works great.

Jason

Another vote for Velox.

Velox or a generic version of it. After switching to it, I have never used anything else. I even take new wheels and replace whatever they came with immediately.

Velocity Veloplugs, of course.
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/reviews/velocity/veloplugs/
http://www.velocityusa.com/default.asp?contentID=555

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/reviews/velocity/veloplugs/03x250.jpghttp://www.fixedgeargallery.com/reviews/velocity/veloplugs/04x250.jpghttp://www.velocityusa.com/img/access_Velo-plugs_red.jpg

Velox

Velox on my paved-road bikes; those thick PVC rim strips from Nashbar on the non-paved road bikes.
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Velox. Just go to your LBS and say you need some rim tape, they'll ask you what size wheels you have, and they'll give you the appropriate version.

i put yellow pedros tape on my rims to match my yellow frame. but velox for my retro / vintage builds. don't trust the elctrical tape, if you run high pressure it ends up being the cause of the chronic flat.

I use Velox white cloth rim tape on my 110 psi Maxxis Hookworms.

I found out the hard way that the rubber rim tape that comes with the bike, does NOT hold up at 121 psi.
(that's the pressure I was running when the tire blew out through the spoke-hole in the rim.)

Velox.

Another Velox vote. Every shop has them, and I've never had a spoke puncture flat on any of the bikes I run them on. Pretty much all of the adhesive cloth types have been good to me come to think of it. I even have them on my old Schwinn heavy duty.:),,,,BD

Velocity Veloplugs, of course.
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/reviews/velocity/veloplugs/
http://www.velocityusa.com/default.asp?contentID=555

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/reviews/velocity/veloplugs/03x250.jpghttp://www.fixedgeargallery.com/reviews/velocity/veloplugs/04x250.jpghttp://www.velocityusa.com/img/access_Velo-plugs_red.jpg
Only if you've got double wall rims of course. As for me Velox or Zefal, whichever I can get my hands on.

I use electrical tape on low-pressure and single wall. Even multiple layers of electrical tape will bulge out if the rim is double wall and there is a hole over the spoke end.

On high pressure/double wall rims I use fiberglass tape. I think Zinn recommends this. I have not had trouble with it.

Velox is so expensive for what it is. But more problematically, I never seem to have an extra roll sitting around when I want it. I have used it, and it is great, though.

jim

I like the idea of the fiberglass tape or reinforced packing tape. I've just never used it.