masi61

Woodcraft supply sells a product called Thick Strips. These are rolls of adhesive backed UHMW material that is either 3/4" wide or 3" wide. It looks like helicopter tape that is used on chainstays to prevent chainslap from damaging your paint.

It got me thinking - has any one tried this product as a tubeless rim tape? 3/4" width is about 19 mm which would fit perfectly into many of todays medium wide tubeless road rims. My Velocity A23 rims were running great with Vittoria latex inner tubes with inexpensive "Kapton" tubeless rim tape. But the Kapton tape is quite thin and seemed to require 2 layers for full coverage. It got damaged a little due to changing out a tight fitting Challenge Criterium open tubular tire with a tight bead so I had to use the light blue 3M tape that is similar to Velocity's own "Velotape". That tape was a little thicker and appears it will hold up better with just one layer.

But then I was looking at Woodcraft Supply on-line site and saw the Woodriver Thick strips on sale. It looks like it could be a win-win. A nice, durable slick, self adhesive material that is clear and could stay in place for a very long time. Just thought I would share, and possibly elicit views from others on their tubeless rim tape preferences for tubed or tubeless clincher applications.

SethAZ 

Haven't tried the Thick Strips before, but I switched to the clear yellow Kapton tape (nobody's brand of "rim tape," just normal yellow Kapton) a while back and while I do put two layers on, the stuff is so thin that it probably only adds up to one layer of pretty much anything else. I've tried road tubeless a couple times but for now I'm back to tubes, primarily because where I live in Arizona it's so hot during the summer that I have to put way too much sealant in (original amount plus regularly new additions) as it evaporates fairly quickly. Then, when taking the tire off for whatever reason, it's just a nightmare mess of partially concealed and dried sealant everywhere inside both the tire and rim. With the Kapton tape I just put the two layers on, ran a tube for a week or so at normal pressure, then mounted the tubeless tire. The tube was to physically press the tape on the rim so it was all smoothed out and firmly attached everywhere. Given how the tube-pressed Kapton sticks, is very light and thin (so it doesn't take up room and make mounting tight tires that little bit more difficult) it's hard to imagine any kind of rim tape being an improvement. So I guess the question is: what benefit do you think going with these Thick Strips will give you over the proper width application of Kapton tape? Is it just the durability? In that case, the only problem I've ever had with the Kapton tape is mounting a tire the first time after applying it, before it's been pressed onto the rim at 80-90psi by the inner tube. If the tape is a good width and has been ridden with a tube, it's just about perfect.

Darth Lefty 

Try it and add it to the list
https://forums.mtbr.com/wheels-tires...ad-926021.html

Ogsarg

I have no experience with UHMW on bikes but have worked with it in industrial applications. Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene is commonly used in high wear applications where metal can't be used. It is very slick like teflon but with far superior wear characteristics. I've seen it used it for bushings on automation parts that are used where highly corrosive chemicals and fumes are present that would destroy any common metal. It is also used often in food processing equipment.

It is a very dense material and I would guess it would be very effective as rim tape. I would imagine much stronger than kapton for a given thickness. I would also imagine it's heavier as well.

RGMN

I have some of the 3/4" WoodRiver Slick Strip (not Thick Strip) that I use as cheap/temporary glides for various purposes. I wouldn't think it would work too well as a rim tape, it would be much too thick and too stiff to be a rim strip IMHO. Thick strip may be different but I couldn't find it on Woodcraft's website.

I use Kapton tape on my tubeless mtn bike rims. It's cheap, readily available, strong and stays in place. Not to mention that 2 wraps add virtually no thickness to the rim inner depth nor significant weight.

masi61

Just wanted to do an addendum about the UHMW tape for bike uses. I plan to do an experiment if small pieces of it can be placed at the spoke crossings of my rear road wheel built with DT Swiss Revolution spokes. I have take the custom built wheel back to have the spoke tension upped x3 in hopes of quieting some pinging noises I am getting. Unfortunately the noises persist. The wheel is true and the spoke tension on the 28 spoke DT Swiss (3 cross) wheel is quite a bit tighter than before now (but the noises are not gone when the wheel is “cold” or when under climbing torque).
The thick UHMW tape might not stay in place though. I can report back on my results….

WhyFi

I've used this stuff for various purposes, too, and there's no way the stuff I've used would be suitable for rim tape - way too thick, way too stiff, wouldn't come close to conforming to the rim bed, wouldn't adhere to the rim bed.

masi61

I also notice it is rather inflexible. For my spoke crossing protector idea I may fold a tiny sliver of the stuff over try to hold it in place by stapling it.

I have purchased “CrankSkins” to protect my cranks & whatever this 3M film is - I would say it is quite durable. Maybe I will play around with little bits of trim pieces to act as sound isolators at the spoke crossings.