Velo PLugs.... a good idea?

[chriscross1966]

Hi folks, in the last couple of years of commuting I've had more flats from rim tape failure than I have from actual carcass penetrations, indeed the only thing that has got through the Marathon Plus that I run has been a nail in a bit of flytipped wood that I ran over ..... As my Brompton runs on deep-section carbon rims there is no support for the rim tape in the spoke hole in the rim bed. I've tried several different rim tapes now, both cloth and plastic and all have eventually failed.... Are Velocity Veloplugs a better way of doing it, not fussed about the weight saving (if I was I wouldn't be running deep section rims with Marathons on), I just want a more bomb-proof commuting setup given the approaching winter...a set of plugs will cost me 20 quid, at the moment I'm going through nearly that a year in rim tapes and more if you add in the fact I won't use a repaired tube on the daily rider. If anyone uses them can you let me know how you found them, I'm expecting to use the red plugs as the spoke holes are around 7.6mm in the rim bed.......

Before anyone suggests it I have tried double-taping the rims, it turned an unpleasant job getting a tyre on/off into one of the labours of Hercules...

 

[I like Skol]

Can't help you with the rim tape problem as I cannot picture the setup, sounds very suspect to me, where are the rims from/what make?

I must take issue with your single use inner tube policy. I assume you do use repaired tubes on your other bikes? A correctly repaired inner tube is just as sound/safe/reliable as any other airtight tube and there is no excuse for such wasteful consumption of an easily repaired item.

 

[Milkfloat]

Gorilla tape has been totally fine on my deep section tubeless wheels. 27" rather than 20", but I don't see what difference that would make.

 

[si_c]

I don't know whether they would work or not, but I reckon it's worth a punt.

 

[chriscross1966]

Can't help you with the rim tape problem as I cannot picture the setup, sounds very suspect to me, where are the rims from/what make?

I must take issue with your single use inner tube policy. I assume you do use repaired tubes on your other bikes? A correctly repaired inner tube is just as sound/safe/reliable as any other airtight tube and there is no excuse for such wasteful consumption of an easily repaired item.

The rims are SMCBike, a major producer of minivelo components in carbon fibre based in Taiwan. My wheelbuilder thought they were well made though he learned to loathe the rear after having to squeeze an Alfine 11 hub into it. I own a small fleet of Bromptons, repaired tubes go on the other bikes,but the commuter gets new.