Do I need rim tape?

[Fab Foodie]

The easy way to save £5 on rim tape is to use regular electrical insulating tape instead (if required).
Save money on expensive fancy bike-grease by using Vaseline instead.

30 years cycling experience says the above is true.

 

[mattobrien]

Went to my LBS and they had run out of rim tape, so I took the learned wisdom of CC and have fitted without.

Just looking forward to seeing what difference they will make!!

Many thanks to one and all

Matt

 

[ColinJ]

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

That said it all, so I'm really confused by this ...

Went to my LBS and they had run out of rim tape, so I took the learned wisdom of CC and have fitted without.

If you looked at your rims, you would know if you needed rim tape or not. Why did you go to the LBS if you didn't need rim tapes? If you did need rim tapes, why have you fitted the tubes & tyres without them? If you didn't look at the rims before going to the LBS, why didn't you?

 

[mattobrien]

Thanks Colin, there was a variety of opinion as the whether or not it was needed, although my LBS not having any and me wanting to fit tyres helped with the decision. Forgive me if I haven't got it totally right, I'm still fairly new to this all.

 

[ColinJ]

BTW - I wasn't trying to be funny with you - I just thought you'd look at the rims and think either "Yeah, they are smooth so I'm okay" or "Oh, right, there are sharp-edged holes where the spokes are fitted so I definitely need rim tapes!"

I think you are probably just lacking confidence in your own common sense!

I've had people ask me questions which have really obvious answers and when I've turned the questions round and asked them what they think, they always give me the right answers, so they knew what to do all along, but just thought that perhaps they didn't!

 

[l4dva]

To be honest when i looked at the rims of my elites I wasn't 100% sure the tubes would survive without rim tapes, there were rough patches that had bits of black tape stuck over them (this is how they came from the box) I took a gamble on the basis that there were no rim/spoke holes even though the surface wasn't perfectly smooth, never had an issue with tubes bursting etc seems to work fine.

Just out of interest though.... I find the elites a bit unstable during high speed descents, to the point where I actually feel like I'm not brave enough to push harder like i would of done with my old wheels. Not sure if i was unlucky and kept getting caught in the wind or if their light weight and bladed spokes cause this?? it soon turned to winter time and i changed back to old wheels so i need more time with them on the bike before i can make full judgement.

Would be interesting to know what you guys think?? If it makes any difference my old wheels are the standard wheels that came fitted to boardmans team carbon, made by ritchey with semi areo profile 30mm i think, they are heavier than the elites not sure how much exactly but you can feel the difference holding them in your hands.