Number one thing to do when buying a new bike!!!!!!!
 

Ok every bike I have bought has come with that stupid rubber rem tape ( not really a tape)............ And every time I forget to check to see if it came with that stupid rubber rim tape.....

So from now on I will change the rim tape before I set up the bike or grease it, or adjust the cables, or put the GPS on it, or change the seat, or add rack and bags.....

It never fails; I get a rim flat within 100 miles (at least 25 miles) of buying a new bike. Do those bike makers get a kick out of it when you get that 1st rim flat? Or are they that stupid to put that crap in the rim in the 1st place. Know I know why you guys think that all cheap end bikes are crap. It's not the bikes fault it's the makers that give you that impression. At least on the Schwinn it lasted a lot long before the rim flat. I have 976 miles on it and flatted on the way home last night. So there I was at 1:15am on a back road about 15 miles from Columbus in the dark trying to fix a flat. Man I was pissed at myself for not changing the rim tape.

Anyways I fell better after venting, sorry for that but it had to be said.

#1 is check the price to make sure it is within the budget.

We do not use any kind of rim strip . . .
We use Veloplugs.

I'm probably tempting fate here, but I've put close to 3,000 miles on my current bike (Trek 7.3 FX) with stock tyres/tubes/rim tape and I haven't had a single flat...

Just got back from the LSB (Roll) with new rem tape and a new tube repaire kit. Got the tape installed and all should be good to go.

zonatandem: I'll have to get some of the VCeloplugs. Looks better then the rim tape.

I was on the way home from Work. I work from 4:30pm to 1am Monday to thursday and 3:30pm to Midnight on friday at Honda car plant. it's a 33.2 mile commute.

So what should be used or done? I've never heard anyone say "Replace the rim tape when you buy a new bike."

Replace pedals, add computer, lights, add rack, fenders.
Might have been a bad install of the tape or strip if you got a snake bite rim flat.

To be honest with you, I can't say that I have ever had a problem with rim straps vs. rim tape, but it could just be a QA/QC issue. Since you brought it up though, the #1 thing I recommend to do with a new bike unless you are 100% sure of who assembled & prepped your new ride, is to go over ever it with a fine tooth comb, checking fasteners, brake pad alignment, bearing play, etc. (Some shops bring to mind the motorcycle seizure repair story told in Robert Pirsig's in ZAMM).

It is a cheap way for the manufactures to price cut.... and you cant see it when you buy the bike just like a lot of other componets like bottom brackets. Its one of the things I change out first thing.

So what do you put in the rim after buying a new bike? It makes all the sense in the world to go thought the rim meticulously when you buy a new bike and frankly, I never thought of doing this but what is the right material/product to use to replace the OEM rim tape? Would Trek cheap out on a 2.1? Other than centering the tape I've never given the rim tape any thought. Next week I am installing Gatorskins. I may as well do a full inspection and put in the most appropriate liner while I'm at it.

I buy a computer when I buy a new bike.

I did have a rim tape problem with a New Giant, the tape wasnt centered, got a flat.

The tape on the rear wheel of my Surly LHT was a bit off center at one point, I pushed it across and it stayed there, and is now good.

z

Definitely not #1 on my "to do" list when buying a new bike, unless I'm changing out the wheel set. I have no idea what type of rim tape my summer commuter bike has, since it still has the OE tires, and with almost 3000 miles on it with no flat tires during that time.

I have never had a problem with the stock rim tape.

Me either. Think I'll just clean the rim, check for burs and make sure the liner is centered.

Test it out before you buy it.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=252737

To be fair, you get what you pay for. A Denali runs 159 USD online (wal-mart.com). You can't expect decent rim tape for 159 USD.

Granted, I don't think it's a bad bike, at all. And per USD, it's a great value.

You just need to work through all of the BS with the cheap bike, that you may not have to with a more expensive bike.

Personally, I still think 159 is a helluva deal and less than some guys spend on their sunglasses for the ride.

also, for the record, I spent roughly 900€ on an MTB and had a flat after 96km

:(

Hey CigTech, do you still have that Wallie-world road bike?
I have to say, I got a kick out of the apoplectic reaction from "real" riders riding "real" bikes.

I just read some reviews of this bike on the Target.com web site. Great reviews for such an inexpensive bike. If I wanted a spare emergency bike, I'd actually consider it.

No this is not on a Denali, My Denali is put away back in MO. I have the Schwinn Empire XL now. Yes it's from Wal-Mart. But it is 100.00 uSD more then the denali. All in all the Denali is faster but the Schwinn has better components on it. Don't like the shifters on the Schwinn too much. I'll be sending for the Denali soon I hope.

I guess my #1 thing to do when buying a new bike is

drumroll please......

Ride it!

I haven't had any trouble with the stock rim tape that comes with my bikes, either. (Granted, I've only purchased two bikes since 2004, first a $75 used hard-tail MTB, and my current bike, an LHT that I bought new in 2008. At the current rate of decay, I'll still be riding the LHT when I'm 80.)

When I bought the new bike, the first thing I changed was the saddle. Then I worked on fenders, a rack and pedals.

IMO, the number one thing to do is to ensure the bike fits the rider.


My bike came with plastic tape of some sort in the rims. It has some kind of mesh inside. It resembles duct tape almost, but it is stiffer than duct tape.

Make sure you like the bike.