Rant: rim strips

[us56456712]

Duct tape occasionally starts to wear through at the spoke nipple ends, at least for me. I save old rim strips, shorten them up from longer ones and attach the ends with Sho Goo. I sometimes make my own from old inner tubes and Sho Goo. The best are the fabric rim strips but I only use those on my road bikes. They are too expensive for all my bikes. I went fabric after duct tape wore through. For Christmas I want Gorilla tape, Sho Goo and zip ties.

 

[hamqqea]

I've been using filament tape for high pressure tires/double wall rims. Works fabulously and doesn't take up space.
The roll I have is about 30 years old!

 

[bunnyman666]

The LBS who built my first set of antifreeze Box rims likely used some super expensive rim strips. I think they were red. I hope I don’t see them for awhile!

 

[us56456712]

I've been using filament tape for high pressure tires/double wall rims. Works fabulously and doesn't take up space.
The roll I have is about 30 years old!
View attachment 147171

That doesn’t wear through at the nipples? I know this stuff is tough. It was fairly new in the 1960s and at that time it could be used as a substitute for metal banding on military shipping. In the army sometimes I had to inspect boxes and if the contract called for steel banding it would pass if it had fiberglass’s reinforced tape. Once a delivery semi wouldn’t start at the dock and we helped bump start it with something like six bands of the stuff. I used to take it backpacking. Once on the Appalachian Trail I fixed a broken pack frame for someone who was broke down on the trail. My repair with this tape was stronger than the original construction. I’m thinking this stuff could work for a tubeless set up.
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[hamqqea]

That doesn’t wear through at the nipples? I know this stuff is tough. It was fairly new in the 1960s and at that time it could be used as a substitute for metal banding on military shipping. In the army sometimes I had to inspect boxes and if the contract called for steel banding it would pass if it had fiberglass’s reinforced tape. Once a delivery semi wouldn’t start at the dock and we helped bump start it with something like six bands of the stuff. I used to take it backpacking. Once on the Appalachian Trail I fixed a broken pack frame for someone who was broke down on the trail. My repair with this tape was stronger than the original construction. I’m thinking this stuff could work for a tubeless set up.
.

Used it several times with steel rims without any punctures. Haven't tried truing rims though. I typically file and sand nipple heads before installing rim tapes for good measure. The tape is thin and I could see perhaps a protruding edge getting through with just a single wrap. The tape is ideal for narrow double wall rims where space is extremely limited.
Filament tape tears the long way. I once applied a 2nd layer in pieces to create a crosshatch, not necessary. My roll was made in the good ol' days... can't say for sure how the new stuff works. It's worth using if you already have the tape.

 

[us56456712]

Used it several times with steel rims without any punctures. Haven't tried truing rims though. I typically file and sand nipple heads before installing rim tapes for good measure. The tape is thin and I could see perhaps a protruding edge getting through with just a single wrap. The tape is ideal for narrow double wall rims where space is extremely limited.
Filament tape tears the long way. I once applied a 2nd layer in pieces to create a crosshatch, not necessary. My roll was made in the good ol' days... can't say for sure how the new stuff works. It's worth using if you already have the tape.

I have the tape and will look to use it on rims.