Removing stickers from wheel rims

[e-rider]

Hi,

Has anyone ever tried removing the lovely stickers that companies like 'Mavic' like to stick ALL over new rims? Especially MTB rims!

I've found it very very difficult.

I'm only interested in methods that do not damage or scratch the rim!

Cheers

 

[jimboalee]

The stickers are there to hide the join in the rim's construction. A cosmetic and advertising ploy.

Why do you want to remove it?

The trouble I went to in getting a pair of stickers for 1970s Mavic MA, you would not believe.

 

[dodgy]

They're handy for quickly finding the inner tube valve (the valve is usually opposite the stickers). I'd leave 'em on just for that

 

[jimboalee]

Dodgy, you're so right.

Also, if you line up the tyre markings with the sticker, when you get the tube out to find a puncture, laying the tube round the wheel gives you a clue where the sharp object is in the tyre.

 

[Leadlegs]

The only stickers I remove from my bike are the safety notice stickers. Once read they serve no other purpose.

Oh, I nearly forgot, I'll also remove the vendors' stickers if I think that they detract from the look of my bike.

 

[Mr Pig]

The ones on the Mavic wheels are pretty stuck on there! I tried to take the smaller one over the rim join off but couldn't be bothered when I saw how well stuck it was.

your best bet is a solvent that will seep in and dissolve the glue. Without knowing what kind of glue it is though...

I'd try to rip off as much of the stickers as you can then wipe the remaining glue with white spirit. Let it soak in and see if it's killing the glue. If not try paint thinners but test on a part of the rim that's unseen when the tyre is on to make sure it's not going to damage the finish. It shouldn't.

 

[dodgy]

I bet the OP wishes he hadn't started to try to peel 'em off now, it's like when you start to peel painted woodchip wallpaper, once you start, you can't stop.

 

[tyred]

Hot water can help.

 

[dodgy]

It's also handy to keep the stickers on so you know what rims you've got

 

[GrahamG]

I always take the stickers off too, can't stand them. Mavic ones seem to come off pretty easily with very slow peeling, then just use a solvent to remove the sticky stuff left behind.

 

[nickb]

I don't mind something small and subtle, but the stickers that came on the Khamsin wheels on my new bike took up around half of each wheel's circumference - on both sides. I peeled them off with the help of an old credit card and cleaned off the residue with toluene (Cotol 240)

 

[e-rider]

Hi, thanks for the replies.

I'm not worried about the small stickers over the join in the rim - they serve a good purpose.

Some of you have clearly not seen some of the latest mavic wheelsets available! It's quite ifferent to when you just buy a mavic rim.

My 2009 Mavic crossride UBs pretty much have the entire rim covered with 'art work' - I would say that only 15%-20% of the rim is NOT covered!

I might leave most of them on - not sure - sounds like trouble removing them all.