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tubeless conversion - tape question

Old 03-13-21, 05:32 AM
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CrowSeph
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tubeless conversion - tape question

I'm planning a tubeless conversion , actually i'am still running classical tyre with inner tubes.

Any of you guys have used one of those tapes instead of the normal rim tape?
and which are the pros and cons of every tape listed below?
  • gorilla tape
  • electrical tape
  • other cloth tape
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Old 03-13-21, 08:42 AM
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trailangel
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Do yourself a favor and buy the right product. Are the rims tubeless compatible, or are you trying to see if you can get non-tubeless rims to work?
Calvin Jones looks like he is using Gorilla tape:
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Old 03-13-21, 09:49 AM
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I’m not too fond of using electrical tape. It’s soft enough to need double layers and the adhesive seems to smear fairly soon.
On some TL-ready rims I’ve used bundling tape with good results.
If rims aren’t TL-ready, you usually need to build up the trough some - or a lot - to get it to work. A thick pipe insulation tape tend to work better/faster than multiple layers of regular tape.
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Old 03-13-21, 04:45 PM
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Gorilla Tape works great. At least as well as the real thing in my experience. I recall reading instructions from some high end wheel manufacturer that specifically recommends it (I forget which one).

But there is a caveat: If you need to remove it, it is a real b!t#h to get all the glue off.
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Old 03-21-21, 12:57 PM
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I'll echo Kapusta- Gorilla tape is NOT fun to remove. Leaves tons of residue that needs to be completely cleaned for new tape to stick. I also think it's more porous that dedicated tubeless tape and tends to soak up sealant.

I've had good luck with Orange Seal tape- it seems to stretch and stick a bit better than Stan's in my experience. I'd recommend using a dedicated tubeless tape.
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Old 03-21-21, 01:08 PM
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Yes, Clear Gorilla Tape. Works great, but as others have mention, a real PITA to remove and clean up residue.
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Old 03-21-21, 02:19 PM
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Gorilla Pros:
Rips to proper width easily
Goes on ez pz
Sticks and Seals
Cheap
Gorilla Cons:
Tire mounting can be harder, since the thicker tape fills up the center bed.
Residue after removal

Electrical Pros:
Cheaper
Electrical Cons:
Too Stretchy
Will probably require multiple layers to go from bead to bead

I don't think cloth tape is in the ballpark. Porous and thick.
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Old 03-27-21, 10:51 AM
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News: i decided due to the cons of the gorilla tape to use a specific tape but i had to admit i fall for the cheapest one on internet (brand ztto or zitto). Let's see how it works.
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Old 03-27-21, 07:04 PM
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It's a false economy to use make-do tape for tubeless. I would try the Scotch 8896. 3M-Scotch makes good adhesives and tape. Tubeless setup can be a pain in the ass. You have to get the details right. When it works as it should it's far far better than tubes, but when it fails it's a colossal mess.
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