When did Tubeless Rim Tape become popular
In the beginning, there was no rim tape at all on a bicycle wheel. Latex inner tubes were sewn up inside a canvas cover, with a so-called chafing tape glued on the underside to protect dozens of stitches. The complete tubular tire was in turn glued to the bed of a box-section alloy or maple rim. As the years went by, cheaper and more practical types of wheel came into general use, with metal-beaded tires levered onto steel rims. This design brought inflated inner tubes dangerously near to protruding spoke nipples. But a good protection was found in the original rim tape, an invention which has served cyclists well for a century.
Rim tapes became an essential bike part, and were regarded as a 'fit and forget' item. Durable lightweight cloth or rubber tapes usually come in basic widths of 16mm, 19mm and 22mm, to suit rims for all kinds of bike. They go on easily in the hands of a non-expert, and perform as expected, unless they are accidentally installed with a twist in the tape or a misaligned valve hole. But the fit and forget era was over for rim tapes in 1999 with the Universal Standard Tubeless, (UST) developed in France. The standard applies to a hooked rim and a tire specially designed to mate with it, creating a single airtight unit.
Tubeless tires now dominate the MTB world. Riders prefer them for various reasons, chiefly because they are lighter and can run at lower pressures for a better grip than tires with traditional inner tubes. Nowadays, tubeless rim tapes are of prime importance in sustaining an airtight seal between a rim and a tire which serves as its own inner tube. Painstaking scientific precision is required to prepare a tire, fit it and inject puncture sealant. One false step can lead to bitter disappointment later on.
What's the difference between 'tubeless compatible' and 'tubeless ready
Cyclists who see top MTB performers using tubeless set-ups are naturally curious, and one of the first questions they ask is: 'What's the difference between 'tubeless compatible' and 'tubeless ready.` Ready means that rim tapes have been fitted to a wheelset at the factory. Compatible can mean that you have to start from scratch on your tubeless adventure. Make sure the rim is surgically clean, and don't forget to buy a tubeless valve as well as the right width of tape. It has to be wide enough to seal off all spoke holes, and should be one millimetre wider than the rim bed you're fitting it to. Fat bike rims might need two tapes to cover the area -- and for road wheelsets run at higher pressures, it's wise to use two parallel tapes that overlap to cover the spoke holes twice.
How to use the tubeless rim tape
Start pulling tape off the reel, a few inches at a time. Use your dominant hand to smooth it onto the rim near the valve hole. Keep it centred on the spoke holes, unless you're coming round again for a second lap on a road or fat bike wheelset. Keep a clean rag handy to flatten any air bubbles that show. Cut the tape after you have laid it a couple of inches beyond the valve hole. Avoid using a knife to make a hole for the valve -- it's better to use something which leaves a circular opening. Push the valve into place, rotating it gently as you do so in order to bed it in. As you insert the valve, twist as you push down. Then tighten it and check to see that the rubber has expanded to make a strong airtight seal.
Tips for tubeless Rim Tape
1.What size Rim tape i should use depends on the width of carbon rim
2.And the rim tape width need to be wider than the carbon rim
3.The size of rim tape used by different brands of carbon wheels may be different.If you are using ICAN wheels, the size of your tape needs to be 2mm larger than the inner width of the rim.
4.Different brands of tape may also have differences, you can consult tape manufacturers, sellers
5.Rim tape needs to fully cover the spoke hole to ensure no air leakage
Recommended tubeless tape widths
| Rim Tape Width | 1 Layer (Center over holes) | 2 Layers (Left/Right) |
|---|---|---|
| 18mm (Full coverage 17mm rim) | 17-23mm | 26-30mm |
| 21mm (Full coverage 20mm rim) | 22-24mm | 30-35mm |
| 23mm (Full coverage 22mm rim) | 23-25mm | 32-37mm |
| 25mm (Full coverage 24mm rim) | 24-26mm | 35-40mm |
| 31mm (Full coverage 30mm rim) | 30-32mm | 41-50mm |
And there you are! The wheelset you've been working on is now officially 'tubeless ready'. Ahead of you lies a road of many steps. The tire has to be fitted, then inflated in such a way that it clings to the rim, hermetically sealed into a single entity. The puncture sealant has to be injected and spread throughout the inside of the tire. And slapdash work cannot be permitted in this scientific process, which we should perhaps leave for another day.
