Do I need rim tape?

[mattobrien]

I have a set of Mavic Ksyrium Elites on their way. From my understanding the outer part of the rim isn't drilled for the spokes, only the inner rim, so I wanted to ask if I still need rim tape for these wheels?

They are due to arrive tomorrow, so If I do I guess I will be paying a visit to my LBS.

Thanks in advance for any help, thoughts or opinions.

Matt

 

[bobones]

My Aksiums came with tape factory fitted so I'd assume yours will too if they need it.

 

[smokeysmoo]

FWIW I have Ksyrium SL's on my CAAD and they don't use rim tape.

 

[l4dva]

No need, my elites came with out them, I have been using them rim tape less ever since

 

[mattobrien]

Thank you all for the very swift response, that'll be saving me a fiver then. Now I have to spend the rest of the evening trying to work out what to spend the saved £5 on

 

[l4dva]

Zinger tower meal at KFC!!

 

[mattobrien]

Well that's lunch sorted tomorrow then!

 

[ColinJ]

My Aksiums came with tape factory fitted so I'd assume yours will too if they need it.

Yes, if they were Aksiums, and as an Aksium owner I can confirm that they do indeed need rim tapes ... unfortunately, Matt was asking about Ksyriums!

 

[bobones]

Colin, my point was that Mavic wheels will come with factory fitted rim tape if they need it.

 

[ColinJ]

Colin, my point was that Mavic wheels will come with factory fitted rim tape if they need it.

Oops - apologies - that's what comes of speed-reading!

Yes, every wheel that I've bought new has had rim tape supplied with it, but wheel manufactures clearly wouldn't supply tape if a particular wheel design did not require it!

As for used wheels ... I was on a ride with Calum a couple of years ago and he started to get puncture after puncture. It turned out that the person he bought his bike from had not put rim tape on the bike's wheels. He'd used the cheaper option of electrical insulating tape. Quite a lot of people do this and it can work for a long time, but in Calum's case, the tape suddenly gave way and effectively terminated his ride.

We spent over an hour trying to improvise a temporary replacement rim tape but everything we tried failed. It was only when I got home that I realised that maybe we could have ripped the valve out of the damaged original tube and used what was left as a thick rubber rim tape! (I'd given Calum my spare tube, and that got wrecked as well, but we had a puncture kit so we could have repaired it.)

 

[mattobrien]

Interestingly I asked the same question on the Evans website (prior to posting on here) and their answer differs from general opinion

http://www.evanscycles.com/products...l-set-ec025776?featurequestion=499640#answers (sorry not figured out how to post links yet)

Any thoughts?

I have a feeling who's opinion I will be trusting

 

[2Loose]

Yes, they do need tape, but do they come with any? That is the real question...

 

[mattobrien]

Having now got them and looked, they don't have any rim tape, but they instructions suggest that some should be fitted.

Now do I risk it without or is a trip to my LBS in order?

 

[VamP]

My elites have a smooth rim inside. No tape needed!

How do your rims look? If smooth on the inside, why would you fit tape?

 

[accountantpete]

The Elites have have a smooth rim so no tape is needed - saves you £££'s but more importantly makes tyre replacement a whole lot easier.