Size of rim tape

[Mo1959]

Got my first puncture today and when I got home inflated tube to check where it was punctured and found it was on the inside that would have been against the rim. There was a slight indentation as though a spoke had been pressing on it and a hole.

Wheels are old Rigida Sphinx 622x17 and I am a bit confused as to what size of rim tape to get. Is it best to just have it in the well covering the spoke ends or a bit wider coming up the side of the wheel?

Sorry, not very mechanically minded

 

[lpretro1]

You'll need a narrow one - point of it is to stop spokes poking thru tube. If it is too wide then it can make it more difficult to seat the tyre.

 

[02GF74]

rim is a u-shape - you want to cover the bottom of the u; too narrow and the tape (asuming it is not self addesive) can move in the valley and can expose the holes; too wide and you have the problem as ^^^^ points out of not getting the tyre on properly.

 

[Blue Hills]

Yes I'dpay attention to the above -I don't know the Rigida Sphinx but had problems seating a Conti Top Touring tyre on a Rigida Sputnik with the (high quality I stress) rim tape Spa Cycles built the wheel with.

I changed to a narrower tape,problemsolved - a round wheel.

(NB - I'm not criticising Spa -more than happy with their wheel build)

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

A run of good old 'leccy tape does the trick nicely

 

[Blue Hills]

A run of good old 'leccy tape does the trick nicely

Usually will be too thin, won't resist the tyre pressure (unless low) and will drop into the spoke holes leaving ridges that are going to cause punctures - at least in my experience.

 

[raindog]

Usually will be too thin, won't resist the tyre pressure (unless low) and will drop into the spoke holes leaving ridges that are going to cause punctures - at least in my experience.

+1
Electrician's tape is fine for low pressures, but for 700x23 tyres where 100+ psi is used, the tape will bulge into the spoke holes which will weaken the tube at those points and cause punctures.
Get the thick plastic all-in-one high pressure tapes for trouble free riding.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

+1
Electrician's tape is fine for low pressures, but for 700x23 tyres where 100+ psi is used, the tape will bulge into the spoke holes which will weaken the tube at those points and cause punctures.
Get the thick plastic all-in-one high pressure tapes for trouble free riding.

Sorry, I didn't add that I use a run of electricians tape underneath a run of rim tape, not just on it's own.

 

[MrJamie]

I like that sticky fabric Velox rim tape http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=426

I'm convinced the plastic stuff I had on an old bike was kinda sharp edged and would also catch on tyre levers.