Originally Posted by
sweeks
On my folding bike with 20" wheels, I occasionally break a spoke. The rim tape has to come off to replace the nipple, so I wind up replacing the tape. On a normal wheel under normal conditions (all my other bikes, for example!) the tape lasts the life of the rim.
I haven't found that to be a problem. You don't need to completely remove the tape to replace a nipple; just lift it enough to slide the old one out, maybe a couple centimeters on either side of the spoke hole. And there's enough residual adhesive to hold it in place after you're replaced the tire.