Hi everyone,

I'm looking for advice about whether electrical tape is a reliable substitute for cotton rim tape. I installed new tires for a friend yesteday, but the fit was so extremely tight that I was initially unable to mount the tires. So I removed the cotton rim tape and replaced it with electrical tape, dusted the rim with talcum powder, and was then able to mount the tire with only a minor struggle.

Is this a reliable solution? If not, what else should I try instead?

Here are all the details of the parts involved: The rims are 700C Campy Omegas, the new tires are 28mm Pasela Tourguards with wire beads. The tires I replaced were 23mm Continental Gatorskins with wire beads. The front rim had Velox rim tape, and the old gatorskin tire was so incredibly tight fitting that I had to cut the beads to remove it. The rear rim had a thin rubber rim strip, and I was able to remove the old rear tire with some difficulty. I don't have a bead jack, and would prefer not to have to use one to mount my friend's tires because we do long rides and get pretty far from home.

Thanks in advance for your advice.