cvcman

do most use the rim tape on hybrid wheels ?? It seems as though that rubber band is cheesy and the tape would be better ?? where is the best place to purchase

bradtx

cvcman, I prefer Velox rim tape, more so if the spoke nipples are in a deep well. The rubber rim tape can work very satisfactorly with some wheels so it isn't exactly a throw away item.

Brad

fietsbob

buy stuff at your brick and mortar bike shop, they

What kind of rim do you have ? single wall [spoke nipple head,it sits on the surface],

or double wall spoke nipple head sits below, in a hole drilled in the outer of 2 levels of the extrusion.

rubber fine on single wall for a while, double wall, the rim tape has to be rather strong
to resist inflation pressure.

I like Schwalbe, Michelin or Herrmann's elastomer tape loops
and some Nylon fused loops on double wall , and other stiff plastic bands ..

there are also the rim plugs , from Velocity, then the plug covers each hole,
and a spoke replacement only requires dealing with un corking that plug..

Mr IGH

Tape holds H2O vapor and causes corrosion over many years time. I only use rubber strips now....

xenologer

If you have a single walled rim, then the rubber band is fine.

If its a double walled rim (where the spokes are in recessed holes) then you need to use velox tape; rubber band might work temporarially or if you underinflate, but over time strethches and dimples itself into the spoke holes till your tube pops through them.

rydabent

Rubber strips have a habit of moving around when the tube is inflated. IMHO the tape is far better. BTW I powder the tire and rub some on the tape also. That allows the tube to slip into the position it wants to when inflated.

goatalope

I use tape on my good wheels and the rubbers on my crappy wheels.

cyccommute 

It's Friday! Tell us another one

A bicycle wheel is hardly air tight. Any moisture that got in there would get out just as easily independent of what you were using as a rim strip. The fabric might absorb a small amount of moisture but with the pressure of the tube/tire pressing on it, anything it could absorb would be minimal. If you are using a double wall rim, the amount of moisture that the empty space is going to be far greater than what a fabric tape could hold, too.

And, finally, most rims are made of aluminum which doesn't corrode in the presence of water all that easily. A little salt in the water would increase the corrosion but the type of rim tape isn't going to have any influence on that at all.

cvcman: Fabric tape. Velox. Purchase it at your local bike shop. It's cheap and can even be reused. The cheap rubber strip that comes with most bikes degrades over time and, as rydabent and xenologer say, it can be pushed down into the spoke holes and lead to flats . Don't go changing the rim strip to just be changing, however. Change it when you get a flat or when you change tires. There's no need to rush out and change it right now.

fietsbob

I do find rust spots in cotton Velox tape.after a while..

sonatageek

I think tape is far better, but on the other hand I just purchased a dozen or so new rubber rim strips for some flip bikes. I figure that a really cheap bike, that came with a rubber strip, should be fine with a new rubber strip.

cyccommute 

I find dirt...from infiltration around the spoke nipple. If there is rust, it's from salt corrosion of the spoke and has nothing to do with the make up of the rim tape. In other words, the tape isn't causing the problem but only letting you see a problem. It would be there on a rubber strip too but since the rubber is black you probably won't notice it.

Al1943

Several years ago I was riding first generation MAVIC Cosmic Carbone wheels on a daily basis (bad idea). I got the wheels soaking wet in a couple of heavy rains. The Velox did have rust stains where it was in contact with the steel recessed eyelets. Eventually one eyelet broke and MAVIC was unable (they said) to repair the wheel.

I still use Velox on all of my wheels and quit riding Carbones. As much as I like Velox it can become saturated with water and cause rusting in some wheels, especially eyelets. I avoid water as much as possible and a few times have removed tires, tubes, and Velox to let the wheels dry out.