bhchdh 

Still available. https://www.homedepot.com/webapp/cata...gry=Search+All

woodcraft

Friction tape is readily available. Maybe cheaper than rim tape, but don't see any advantage otherwise.

Packing tape will end with similar sticky mess to electrical tape- I avoid that stuff.

How about Tyvek with spray adhesive?

dabac

On MTBs, well, on anything with decently wide tires, I've used two layers of electrical tape with no issues whatsoever.
Since there's been no issues, gunk removal isn't much of a concern. Compared to the time I'm likely to spend on the root cause that prompted tape removal in the first place it pretty much becomes a non-issue.
Thin tires/ higher pressures, you need better stuff.

But all electrical tapes aren't created equal, there may well be some that perform poorer than others. Not that I've met any that's been critically poor for bicycle use.

I have used the filament-reinforced stuff too. It tends to wrinkle a bit, but it's as strong as you may ever wish for.

The current favourite is a monofilament banding tape from stokvis called MOPP or something like that. Thin and slippery, can be stretched into the middle channel w/o drama. Use two layers. Haven't been on long enough for me to be able to say anything about removal. Works with tubeless setups.

Haven't had any problem with Velox, but I can't really see its greatness either.
Previous favourite was a Park-blue textile unbranded tape. Thinner than Velox, which is an advantage, and otherwise just as good.

ksisler

OP: Best advice is no; not even close. If you don't have an LBS, get on www.amazon.com and go to the outdoor sports and search for Velox rim tape (PM if you need assist with that). Runs about $3USD per roll. You need one roll per rim. For the width, measure the width of the flat channel at the bottom of the rim. Get the width that will lay flat on the bottom of the channel, rounding upward by a mm or two at most. Don't go wider than that nor narrower. Put it on tight and rub it down well. Will save you a lot of follow up posts for odd/inexplicable flats, tire damage, etc.

ksisler

bhc; It has generally become hard to find because too many folks needing exactly that product pick up a $0.99 cent roll of crappy plastic electical tape instead, assuming it might be just as good and hoping to save $2 instead of simply doing the job right... Now that sounds familiar to the OP's post doesn't it?

Ex Pres 

+1
Medical tape has been my go-to when the bike-specific tape is not at hand.

TromboneAl

On a related note: I try to get white or light-colored rim tape, since that makes it easier to check that the tube isn't where it shouldn't be after fixing a flat.

cderalow

FYI best source for 'friction' or grip tape is hockey or lacrosse stores. frequently used to wrap sticks (i've probably got 15 rolls of the stuff in my garage ranging in size from 1/4" to 2" width

Kimmo

I posit that two layers of electrical tape is not only perfectly reliable, but even superior to the hallowed Velox, simply because it's much thinner and thus doesn't get in the way of the bead during un/mounting.

The trick is to use a name-brand tape like Nitto or 3M , and apply pre-stretch to prevent it blowing into the nipple holes. General tip: to minimise the creeping of stretched tape, finish with a few inches unstretched... but this is under a pressurised tube, and you put three layers (doubled up the ends) around the valve, right? I cut a little x for the valve hole. I've put up to 160psi (seating a stubborn tyre) up against it.

This works because if you have decent tape it'll stretch until it's about 70% of its original width, and then suddenly get a lot less stretchy, but still retain much of its strength. The cheap stuff will stretch a lot more and break too easily, not to mention having crappy adhesive that allows the tape to creep sideways into the holes. The adhesive on the better tape generally leaves little residue too.

prathmann

Agreed. The first time I used electrical tape it was for expediency since I wanted to finish the wheel build and go for a ride and the bike shops weren't open. But I found that the thinner electrical tape made tire changing much easier and it held up fine for the life of the wheel with up to 120 psi in the tires. Since then when I've had wheels where the tire was hard to change I remove the Velox or similar rim tape and replace it with electrical tape to make subsequent changes easier.

Kimmo

Probably lighter than almost anything else too.

Also, that fibreglass-reinforced stuff is a real mongrel to remove when it gets old.

Disclaimer: obviously, it's no good for single-walled rims.

Lazarus Short

I've used everything from nylon-reinforced packing tape (works well) to 16mm movie film (also works well). Currently I'm trying three layers of ordinary 3M transparent tape on one MTB rim, and duct tape on the other. Around here, thorns and goat-heads are a bigger worry.

chvid

Gorilla tape is excellent - (super duper duct tape)...you can tear it very accurately linearly to get a strip of exactly the right width. The width is retained throughout the lengthwise tear. It is also very tough.

Chombi

Don't be a cheapskate and just forget all the other stuff and go get proper rim tape from your LBS! Just not worth doing so with a wheelset that you might ride everyday.
Otherwise we'll tell you to use the paper you take off the sticky strips on envelopes or the freebe paper measuring tape from IKEA or use the left over propellant in spray cans to air up your tires next....

Chombi

rowebr

Some of these ideas are great! Yeah I ordered the Continental Easy Tape that was suggested earlier.

riderlife

Has anyone ever tried using the tape hockey players use to wrap their sticks?

pierce

no, but I wrapped a hammer handle with old school french sticky black bar tape. worked great.

Pepper Grinder

Seconding gorilla tape.