noglider 

I'd seen some mentions of Gorilla Tape here, so I decided to try it.

I took a long strip and cut it into thirds lengthwise and made a rim strip out of it. So far, I think it's holding. If this works, I think I found a good cheap source for rim tape. Of course, it's more labor intensive. Another disadvantage would be if it leaves a sticky residue.

I made a boot for a tire whose sidewall has some punctures. I just taped it onto the inside of the tire. The tire is now at 100 psi. Let's see if it holds, too.

Scheherezade 

I've used duct tape to patch up spots in ripped rim tape before, and it's always held (never 120 PSI, Probably 100 at the most).

The bottom line is, if it works, it works.

I probably wouldn't want to tour through the US on duct taped rims, but they work fine for every day toolin' around.

neil0502

I CANNOT hear you over the clicking and clacking of your cleats

jco1385

i thought about using electrical tape for rim tape, but they're only $2 so i just bought them. i'm sure it'd work if that's what i had though.

cbchess

I've used Strapping tape with the threads in it - works great and hold up for years. It does leave a sticky residue after you peel it off after a few years but that comes off in about 10 minutes after you wipe it with goo-gone.

Much lighter than thick cloth tape.
DISCLAIMER ALERT!
I do make sure that all my spoke holes and valve holes have been smoothed of any sharp edges with some emery cloth *BEFORE* I install the strapping tape.

fuzz2050

Gorilla tape is pretty awesome stuff. I say try and just try and make a whole tire out of it, skip the boot.

turtlewoman

Neil0502--You are just bad all over!! Couldn't help yourself, could you? I laughed till I fell out of the chair!

Scheherezade 

Well, that's how loud they clack.

Panthers007

While you all experiment in Creative Ways to Pop a Tube 101 - I'll stick with the Velox. To each their own.

noglider 

Where can I get it for $2?

rekmeyata

I tried using Gorilla Tape Black to repair a tube puncture, it held for a week and let go, but I didn't prepare the tube like I usually so I tried again this time with preparing the tube like I do when I use glueless patches, a week later it let go again. I would not use this stuff for patches.

While the tape could be used to repair a hole in a tire the tape material is far to easy to penetrate to be of any good use for that. Park Boot patch is far stronger and more suited for tire repairs.

However, I did try it as rim tape and so far so good after 2 weeks. If this tape fails sooner than Velox that I usually use I'll post. Just to be safe I'm carrying a roll of Velox in my saddle bag, but a professional wheel builder did tell me that the Gorilla tape works great and he uses it on all his builds.

RISKDR1

I have used G tape for many applications that you would use duck tape for. The stuff is bullet proof and has incredible adhesive. When I was hiking i used it to tape my heals against blisters. It worke3d well but was hard to remove. When appliied to painted surfaces it leaves a residue that is VERY difficult to remove.

wphamilton

I have used electrician's tape, worked well enough but little bulges similar to the rubber rim strips. Intuitively Gorilla tape would work better, and I'd use it if I had nothing else but even as cheap as I am it's worth it to use a decent rim tape.

Retro Grouch 

It's been a long time (1970's) but I once tried using strapping tape in lieu of rim tape. It worked just fine until I had to remove it for some reason. It came off in tiny bits and took a LONG time to clean my rim.

noglider 

I would not expect gorilla tape to work to patch tubes!

It works fine as rim tape, but it takes a lot of trouble to cut. In the process of cutting it, the tape folds and sticks to itself. I'm back to preferring Velox tape. Gorilla Tape is good as rim tape if you want to save money and don't mind the extra trouble.

Strapping tape isn't so great as rim tape. You need several layers for it to work, and it doesn't prevent punctures as well as it should, and as @Retro Grouch says, removing it takes too much trouble. I disrecommend it for this application.

noglider 

My favorite way to patch tubes is with old fashioned patches that use glue. It's still the best way as far as I know.

Eric S.

I've been using Gorilla Tape for various things for quite some time. I keep some pieces on the Rema patch kit in my tool bag. I once used it as a glueless patch, and the tire stayed at over 100psi for about 4 days.

rekmeyata

So far after 2 weeks I don't have bulges using G Tape like rubber stips, in fact I just checked the tape today.

Ball Bearing

Works fine a rim tape. I have also used it to convert a wheelset to tubeless (double layers) with no problems. It is a chore to get the residue off - nothing a bit of solvent and a kitchen scrubber can't fix.

Duo

I agree. And thanks for starting a thread on alternative ways of doing things, please keeeeeeeeep them coming. In a pinch we all tend to do things like this, better than walking our bikes for help.

dsaul

Gorilla tape works great as a tubeless rim tape. It also comes in a 1" width that works great on MTB rims with no cutting.

himespau 

I've used 1 mil Kapton tape as rim tape. Went twice around the rim to make sure. 3/4" was the perfect width (no cutting), nice and thin, and the 30 yards I got for $7 shipped from eBay made it pretty economical. Not quite as cheap as the gorilla tape, but no cutting, plus it's translucent so I could easily see the valve hole when I needed to open it up.

easyupbug 

+1, but can not confirm the long term viability as compared to Velox. I wanted to get away from the thick cloth tape on certain rims w/o making a new maintenance issue.

Willbird

I built a wheel using a BHS XC-279, got the veloplugs when I bought spokes, nipples, washers, rim. First ten miles ok, put bike in living room, wife says "something BLEW out here"....tire flat. Velo plug had moved when I was putting tire on. So I did some google, read about strapping tape, ran to hardware and got a roll, internet weight weenies said use 2 wraps, I used 3 wraps, has worked great so far. The 1/2" width was perfect. Some folks put a wrap OVER veloplugs, I left the plugs totally out.

I pumped up to 125, deflated and had a look, tape was still perfect, so with the pressure on that small area the strapping tape is apparently very strong.

Hardware store did not even have 3M it was some random brand for $2.25 a roll, need to get 3M maybe and redo.

Bill

2_i 

Saddles in our household invariably end up with their outer layer out of the Gorilla tape