Plastic rim guard or tape ?

[Razz1]

comp 30 rims came with TLR plastic rim strip. Should I use that or remove it and use tape to go tubeless?

 

[JFDI]

comp 30 rims came with TLR plastic rim strip. Should I use that or remove it and use tape to go tubeless?

Hi Razz1,

My advice (experience) would be to say "yes use rim tape"..

I've just been through the process of swapping tyres from the stock bonty ones to Schwalbe's and also cushcore inserts.

Like a good boy I watched all the helpful videos on YouTube (the ones where all the tyres and cushcore fit easily) and felt confident that I knew what to do.

I left the rim strip in and started on the front wheel first.
After 6-7 solid hrs of wrestling I ended up snapping 3 Park Tool levers, expending all swear words and finishing with a blister on the palm of my hand (insert wanking joke here). Tyre 1 - me 0.

Then I ordered 2 Cushcore bead dropper tools, they are awesome and I managed to get the front tyre to seat correctly, although it was still tight as hell at the final point, plus my blister was bloody sore at this point!

I suspected that the rim strip was causing me the tight fit issues, but full of new found confidence I set to on the rear wheel, and straight away broke both bead dropper tools!
Now these tools are seriously strong and through brute force I snapped both tools, fortunately they have lifetime warranties and through the Cushcore US website they replaced both tools, great service by cushcore arranging the quick turnaround.

I then snapped the replacements. (Re-replacements are due soon!)

Fed up, I admitted defeat and visited my LBS (Big Bear Bikes, Pickering).
Guess what they suggested?
Yup, remove the rim strip and use DT swiss rim tape.
At this point I was shattered with a blister the size of a dinner plate, so they took pity on me and fit the tyre and cushcore for me (cheers to Bobby) and how easily it went.

Hey ho, you live and learn eh?

Hope this helps.
Dave

 

[Razz1]

Hi Razz1,

My advice (experience) would be to say "yes use rim tape"..

I've just been through the process of swapping tyres from the stock bonty ones to Schwalbe's and also cushcore inserts.

Like a good boy I watched all the helpful videos on YouTube (the ones where all the tyres and cushcore fit easily) and felt confident that I knew what to do.

I left the rim strip in and started on the front wheel first.
After 6-7 solid hrs of wrestling I ended up snapping 3 Park Tool levers, expending all swear words and finishing with a blister on the palm of my hand (insert wanking joke here). Tyre 1 - me 0.

Then I ordered 2 Cushcore bead dropper tools, they are awesome and I managed to get the front tyre to seat correctly, although it was still tight as hell at the final point, plus my blister was bloody sore at this point!

I suspected that the rim strip was causing me the tight fit issues, but full of new found confidence I set to on the rear wheel, and straight away broke both bead dropper tools!
Now these tools are seriously strong and through brute force I snapped both tools, fortunately they have lifetime warranties and through the Cushcore US website they replaced both tools, great service by cushcore arranging the quick turnaround.

I then snapped the replacements. (Re-replacements are due soon!)

Fed up, I admitted defeat and visited my LBS (Big Bear Bikes, Pickering).
Guess what they suggested?
Yup, remove the rim strip and use DT swiss rim tape.
At this point I was shattered with a blister the size of a dinner plate, so they took pity on me and fit the tyre and cushcore for me (cheers to Bobby) and how easily it went.

Hey ho, you live and learn eh?

Hope this helps.
Dave

View attachment 82083

Wow man. I'm convinced. Tape it is. Thanks for responding.

 

[Gary]

straight away broke both bead dropper tools!
Now these tools are seriously strong and through brute force I snapped both tools

Don't use them as tyre levers. They're honestly not all that strong at all when used as leverage. but they really are a great tool when pushed directly into the tyre sidewall down near the bead to push the bead and the cushcore into the rim well to give you enough slack to mount the tyre bead all the way round.

 

[JFDI]

Don't use them as tyre levers. They're honestly not all that strong at all when used as leverage. but they really are a great tool when pushed directly into the tyre sidewall down near the bead to push the bead and the cushcore into the rim well to give you enough slack to mount the tyre bead all the way round.

A great handle too, no more blisters!

 

[Dhmorelia]

Out of interest, what was the width of the rim tape you used for those rims?

 

[JFDI]

Out of interest, what was the width of the rim tape you used for those rims?

To be honest I've no idea as the bike shop chap took pity on me and fitted the tyre, all I know is that they used a DT Swiss tape?

 

[Dhmorelia]

Thanks. I’ll check with my lbs. I’ve had exactly the same challenge. I gave up in the end and decided to tackle it another day.

 

[JFDI]

Thanks. I’ll check with my lbs. I’ve had exactly the same challenge. I gave up in the end and decided to tackle it another day.

Good luck By swapping the rim strip for rim tape is a night and day difference to fitting a tyre, especially if you're using a Cushcore insert.

 

[folmonty]

Exactly what I needed to hear before destroying something. There's no way to get the bead to drop down enough with that crazy Trek strip in there. Who's idea was that TLR ? What a wanker!

 

[slomtbr]

Exactly what I needed to hear before destroying something. There's no way to get the bead to drop down enough with that crazy Trek strip in there. Who's idea was that TLR ? What a wanker!

I like the idea of rim strips - and luckily, I had no issue with the Maxxis, Specialized, and (of course) Bonrager tires I've installed. If I had trouble fitting the tires, or decided to use an insert, the rim strips would come off in a heartbeat.

 

[folmonty]

This was the first tire change for my Rail 7. Have plenty of course knowledge on moto and bike tires in 50+ years to know when something isn't right. There was no way the Schwalbe BB's were going to mount with the TLR strip. Could get one side on but there wasn't enough room to get both side beads into the middle at the same time. It wasn't even close. Instead of fighting this and causing damage to both me and the equipment it was time to rethink it. Hense my searching here and elsewhere for information. Thankfully this posting set me on the right track. Replacing the TLR with rim tape allows mounting by hand. In the picture it's a bit hard to see the shape of the TLR but there's no way to get both side beads in the middle at the same time. Another issue is how the valve hole is mouled to hold the Trek stem. The bead is pushed to the outside further hindering enough bead slack to roll it on. Agree with @slomtbr that the system is nice and worked great for couple years, it wasn't going to work for this tire / rim combination.

 

[slomtbr]

*Schwalbe BB
I haven't run Schwalbe tires for several years - I'm happy saving $$ running Bontrager and Specialized tires now.

 

[JayX2A]

I used to have the strips on my Bonty wheels and never had any leaks but the pain of getting some tyres on was felt for weeks! I now have some carbon wheels and had to re-tape them the other week. Never done it before, but after a few attempts they looked good. 8 rides later and still all good. Running Wolf Pack tyres.