seypat

I need to ask. Do any of you put something under your various tube clamps to save the paint underneath? Maybe something like a piece of paper or latex from a glove(maybe even a love glove) shaped like the clamp?

nlerner

I use a piece of foam pipe insulation.

Neal

mikeyb1

A clean rag works for me.

Low

Same here I used foam pipe insulation for $3.00 I picked some up from home depot. Or you could always wrap some inner tube it around if you have a scrap piece laying around.

rekmeyata

Whenever I put any sort of clamp on my bikes, which are all painted steel, I use a thin piece of rubber the same size as the clamp. Usually this rubber is provided by the product you bought that has a clamp to install their product. I have plenty of old strips of rubber I just reuse from previous clamped products that I use whenever a clamp didn't come with it's own. If you don't have any of those laying around then a piece of latex is great, paper is too thin;; you could also use electrical tape, problem with that is if you decide to remove the clamp and the tape the tape will leave a residue behind and using a solvent could damage the paint so simply take a blow dryer and heat the residue then use a wet warm soapy wash cloth and firmly wipe the crud off.

foam pipe insulation is too thick for clamping stuff to a frame, must clamps won't expand that large. Inner tube cut up works great too.

raverson

Back when, we used to save the ends from leftover cloth bar wrap and use them for clamping protection. Kept things color coordinated too.

I do use adhesive backed thin foam tape for the repair clamp jaws, to soften the grip a little.

iab

I use bar tape.

seypat

Thanks for the replies.

raverson

Hey, why didn't I think of that?

auchencrow

( I believe we are talking about the old screw-on clamps for DT Shifters/cable guides/etc - not repair stand clamps. )

I just ensure that the clamp is free of rust/burrs, and then I screw it onto the frame...
That's what manufacturers did back then, and from what I have seen, it has worked out OK.

embankmentlb

That seems just a bit over the top for me. Are you really worried about scratching the paint on that bike?

beech333

I checked out a bike a while back that had bar tape under the clamps. I asked to have it removed before I would buy the bike and it turned out to have quite a bit of rust underneath.

The seller assured me that he wasn't trying to cover it up and I believed him, but I think it held in moisture. Too bad.

I've also seen a few with what I assume to be wax paper. It did a reasonable job. The clamps were rusted to hell, but the paint was good.

Every little bit counts.

SteveSGP

Try automotive clear stonegaurd tape, it's very strong and sticks to anything.

In fact if you do it right you can apply the tape to the clamp and trim it so it's nearly invisible and that way you aren't sticking the adhesive side to your paint.

If the paint is old/well curd and there's no fear of the tape pulling the paint off you can apply the tape directly to the painted surface.

Capecodder

If infact we are talking about cable guides and such the answer is no. If you are talking about repair stands the answer is no, cause you should NEVER clamp a tube with that clamp....... that's what the seat post is for.

rekmeyata

very true!

rekmeyata

Yes, but it may stick too much for fragile bike paint. Far better to use this: https://www.coloradocyclist.com/product/item/BKSVGY4K

20grit

My Stumpjumper had cloth tape wrapped around the chain stay to prevent chainslap. The rust from the moisture it held I'm certain is far worse that any damage the chainslap could have done. If you're really worried about it, I'd give Teflon pipe tape a try. I can't say that it would work as I've never actually tried it. It does seem like a decent idea, reducing some of the friction if rubbing occurs and wouldn't hold moisture like cloth.

iab

Yes.

You don't belive in preserving vintage bikes? Why are you in C&V then?

southpawboston

I'd be concerned about the cotton tape trapping moisture underneath the clamp. I'd use something like rubber if I were to do this sort of thing (which I don't).

auchencrow

I worry that plastics/tape actually retain more moisture than chrome on paint.

iab

Rubber is non-permeable and will trap moisture against the metal causing oxidation. Cloth allows any moisture to evaporate.

You don't think I leave that bike out in the rain? Do you?

mickey85

I cut up old tubes. They work well, are stretchy, and work well.

southpawboston

Rubber only traps moisture if the rubber isn't sealed against the tube to begin with. No water should be getting between the rubber and the tube. What small amount of water touches the edges of the rubber can evaporate readily.

While the cloth does allow water to evaporate, the rate of evaporation will be slow underneath the clamp, while the rate of water wicking inside there is rapid. Water goes in quickly, but comes out slowly. Otherwise, we wouldn't have to hang clothes to dry. We could fold them and put them into drawers and they'd dry just fine. But that doesn't happen.

old_dreams

I stripped a bike recently that had been in a shed for 27 years. Protected against rain but not against moisture. Frame badly rusted in a few parts. Cotton bar tape was used underneath all clamps. Paint was nearly perfect underneath & the tape came off cleanly.

Amesja

I will use rubber from an inner tube only if the clamp isn't quite able to do the work on its own and needs more grip or a shim. I'm afraid that anything will trap and hold moisture inside and be worse than just bare chromed steel or aluminum. But I guess if you are worried about making a mark in super-thick glossy and clear-coated paint it's going to protect that a little bit. There seems to be a lot of differing opinions on the practice.