Scotch 8898 Non-Filament Strapping Tape as Rim Tape?
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Scotch 8898 Non-Filament Strapping Tape as Rim Tape?
I was browsing E-Bay today... yeah, I know that is bad.
But, I noticed someone selling Scotch 8898 non-filament strapping tape as rim tape, for apparently a pretty hefty markup.
Scotch® Strapping Tape 8898
Has anybody tried it as rim tape?
But, I noticed someone selling Scotch 8898 non-filament strapping tape as rim tape, for apparently a pretty hefty markup.
Scotch® Strapping Tape 8898
Has anybody tried it as rim tape?
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1 mil Kapton is thinner (a quarter Velox, half Rox or Stans) so tight tire + rim combinations mount easily (ones which have you cussing tools with Velox go on by hand), weighs less, and costs less.
(Velox is .020", Rox and other thin stripes .010, two wraps of Stans .011, and two wraps of 1 mil Kapton .005" with .002" Kapton film and the other .003" adhesive)
It comes in various widths, where 5/8" / 16mm (historic) and 3/4" / 19mm (more contemporary road) are most relevant.
The adhesive is light and easily removed which is unlike packing tape.
(Velox is .020", Rox and other thin stripes .010, two wraps of Stans .011, and two wraps of 1 mil Kapton .005" with .002" Kapton film and the other .003" adhesive)
It comes in various widths, where 5/8" / 16mm (historic) and 3/4" / 19mm (more contemporary road) are most relevant.
The adhesive is light and easily removed which is unlike packing tape.
Last edited by Drew Eckhardt; 10-19-17 at 02:12 AM.
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I've used 8898 and it works fine as tubeless tape. In my opinion, its not quite as sticky as Stans and I've found some spots where sealant has made its way under the top layer of tape. It never caused a problem and I only noticed it when changing tires. I removed the offending section of tape and added another layer.
#5
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This tape is designed for appliance makers to strap their products together during shipping such as taping a microwave door shut or fridge vegetable drawers in place but if you search for this tape on Amazon and read all the 30+ reviews, pretty much every review is for using it as tubeless rim tape and all give it the thumbs up. I guess 3M designed it to be strong, non stretching and easy to remove which suits rim tape as well.
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Thanks for the comments.
trailangel , yes, I can buy bicycle rim tape. But, sometimes one finds one is short, and I saw the tape as an option which would be dirt cheap, overall.
Actually, I have veloplugs covered by electrical tape on one bike which seems to be holding well.
I believe the cloth Velox tape is way too thick, so I've been hunting for alternatives.
Drew Eckhardt , Thanks for the suggestion of the Kapton. That appears to be hot stuff. It does come in a couple of thicknesses. If only it was also clear.
dsaul, Thanks for your actual performance eval. How dented do the spoke holes appear when you remove your tires? Obviously tubeless and tubed both share some needs, as well as being different.
I suppose this all brings up one other issue. Not all glues are the same. I tried packing tape as a frame protector. It seems to work ok, but I can tell peeling it off will be a bear. It looks like the 8898 uses an acrylic glue, and the Kapton uses a silicone based glue.
Any preferences for tape glues?
I did bump into this stuff yesterday:
https://www.amazon.com/CS-Hyde-Optic.../dp/B000REI90W
It appears to be a clear teflon with a silicone glue. Perhaps I'll it in some wear spots.
trailangel , yes, I can buy bicycle rim tape. But, sometimes one finds one is short, and I saw the tape as an option which would be dirt cheap, overall.
Actually, I have veloplugs covered by electrical tape on one bike which seems to be holding well.
I believe the cloth Velox tape is way too thick, so I've been hunting for alternatives.
Drew Eckhardt , Thanks for the suggestion of the Kapton. That appears to be hot stuff. It does come in a couple of thicknesses. If only it was also clear.
dsaul, Thanks for your actual performance eval. How dented do the spoke holes appear when you remove your tires? Obviously tubeless and tubed both share some needs, as well as being different.
I suppose this all brings up one other issue. Not all glues are the same. I tried packing tape as a frame protector. It seems to work ok, but I can tell peeling it off will be a bear. It looks like the 8898 uses an acrylic glue, and the Kapton uses a silicone based glue.
Any preferences for tape glues?
I did bump into this stuff yesterday:
https://www.amazon.com/CS-Hyde-Optic.../dp/B000REI90W
It appears to be a clear teflon with a silicone glue. Perhaps I'll it in some wear spots.
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I have thought that dimpling at the spoke holes can weaken tubes as it creates a localized stretching. Still, perhaps not a problem as long as one doesn't actually get a flat.
#10
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Do It, then revue it..
my yellow fused loop Michelin rim strip has been OK for 30 years ..
the bright color is practical so you can easily see if the innertube is between the tire beads , not poking out under , anywhere..
my yellow fused loop Michelin rim strip has been OK for 30 years ..
the bright color is practical so you can easily see if the innertube is between the tire beads , not poking out under , anywhere..
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This came out of Mom's Motobecane (after my niece getting a double front/rear flat, and riding on gravel on the vintage bare rims )
That stuff just crumbled when it was touched.
I still have been looking for alternatives to the Velox.
#12
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I suppose this all brings up one other issue. Not all glues are the same. I tried packing tape as a frame protector. It seems to work ok, but I can tell peeling it off will be a bear. It looks like the 8898 uses an acrylic glue, and the Kapton uses a silicone based glue.
Any preferences for tape glues?
Any preferences for tape glues?
Source: Personal experience working in aerospace & electronics.
#14
Hello
I use filament tape exclusively for rim tape. Its performance is on par with bicycle specific rim tapes. In addition it can be used to tape cables to handle bars before wrapping bar tape. Of course its major selling point is that its ALOT cheaper than rim tape.
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Fiber reinforced packing tape was my go-to rim tape in the 70s and 80s. It has all the qualities that one could want: thin, strong, long lasting. This month I was finishing up the restoration of my 1974 Raleigh Competition and turned my attention to the wheels, which were in storage since the late 80s (and hadn't been in use for 10 years prior). Took the tires off and found the fiber tape to be in great shape, so I just left it and mounted new tires.
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The original mountain bike "tubeless conversion kits" from Stan's NoTubes included filament tape that was used to make the spoke holes air tight, the rubber rim strips with valve stems went on top of that. If you needed to install an inner tube, you just removed the rubber rim strip/valve stem and installed an inner tube, the filament tape served as the rim strip very well. If you ever wanted or needed to remove the filament tape, that was kind of a PITA. I much prefer the plastic tubeless rim tape that's popular these days, and it's available in a multitude of widths to perfectly fit most any rim.
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I've used 8896 which is the blue version and comes in skinnier widths. 2 wraps for road wheels, only one needed for low psi mtb tires. Stretch it as hard as you can when applying, make sure there are no bubbles as it goes on. Good stuff.
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Back-in-the-day, early weight weenies using clinchers used 1/2" filament tape as a rim strip. Worked well, but tough to remove after a while. Haven't used 8898 or 8896, but looks interesting.
Cheers,
Cheers,
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I've had good luck with 8898 thus far. Seems like that's what Reynolds wheels ship with.
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Took Drew's advice years ago and am slowly switching the fleet over, all his good points are true in my experience and with some difficult tires to mount, horrible to mount tubeless ready rims, and arthritis in my hands that 0.005 difference is important.
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Two things to keep in mind when experimenting with other tapes...
1) some polymers have extremely low stretch in short-term tests, but tend to creep or weaken drastically over time under a constant load.
2) some polymers are damn near impossible to tear, but once you start a small cut, they tear very easily from that point. So you'd probably want to round-off and polish the edges of the spoke holes shiny smooth before taping.
1) some polymers have extremely low stretch in short-term tests, but tend to creep or weaken drastically over time under a constant load.
2) some polymers are damn near impossible to tear, but once you start a small cut, they tear very easily from that point. So you'd probably want to round-off and polish the edges of the spoke holes shiny smooth before taping.
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Just want to check back in on this. I have been using this tape for several years. It's my standard tape for rims, tubeless or not. Two things to keep in mind:
1. It seems to be thinner than Stan's tape, so 2-3 wraps is necessary.
2. If you are a haphazard wheelbuilder (like me) and tend to ding up the edges of your spoke holes, you probably want to make sure to hit them with sandpaper when done building. The only issue I've ever had with the tape is a burred spoke hole puncturing the tape and my tube.
I have ordered the 72mm version for the new tires on my fatbike rims (currently running fatty strippers). I'll report back on success or lack thereof.
1. It seems to be thinner than Stan's tape, so 2-3 wraps is necessary.
2. If you are a haphazard wheelbuilder (like me) and tend to ding up the edges of your spoke holes, you probably want to make sure to hit them with sandpaper when done building. The only issue I've ever had with the tape is a burred spoke hole puncturing the tape and my tube.
I have ordered the 72mm version for the new tires on my fatbike rims (currently running fatty strippers). I'll report back on success or lack thereof.
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Yes, good rim tape will last a very long time. And, some of the "factory tape" like Shimano sells with their rims fits very well.
This came out of Mom's Motobecane (after my niece getting a double front/rear flat, and riding on gravel on the vintage bare rims )
That stuff just crumbled when it was touched.
I still have been looking for alternatives to the Velox.
This came out of Mom's Motobecane (after my niece getting a double front/rear flat, and riding on gravel on the vintage bare rims )
That stuff just crumbled when it was touched.
I still have been looking for alternatives to the Velox.