All about bicycles, electric-assisted bikes, technology and safety in the press

In our daily work as we deal with bicycle safety, technology and user manuals we come across lots of safety risks. The most frequent ones are published in articles of the leading German special-interest magazines TOUR – Europas Rennrad-Magazin Nr. 1, BIKE – Das Mountainbike Magazin Europas Nr. 1 and E-Bike – Das Pedelec-Magazin to make this information important for the sector accessible to a wider public.

For many years now the Eurobike Show Daily accompanying the annual international Eurobike Show has given us the opportunity to publish our perspective on major developments in the cycle industry in full-page articles.

We also speak regularly in independent lectures about all topics relating to bicycle technology and bicycle market. In addition, we are regularly cited by further special-interest magazines or trade journals as well as more and more by radio and television and in their media reports, which shows us that we are completely right with our information. The section NEWS informs you about the latest news from our specialist fields. The reports and publications of this section are listed chronologically or according to topics of interest.

TOUR 01/2014
Reading time 1:20 minutes

Rim tape

Reader’s question

Again and again, you come up with tips on safety. One of it was in one of your "Workshop" articles. You advised to use rim tapes even on rims without holes, as otherwise the tube could burst due to the braking heat during long downhill rides. I bought Campa Monza rims without holes. In the Campagnolo operating instructions of the tubular tyres it is stated: "Never use a rim tape." What do you advise in this case? I use the wheels with tubes and also intend to use them for long downhill rides. 

Reply by Dirk Zedler, TOUR technology expert and bicycle expert

I don't know anything like a rim type called "Campagnolo Monza". I assume you mean the Campagnolo wheelset "Zonda". These wheels are 2-Way Fit technology, i.e. you can mount tubeless tyres as well as typical clincher and folding tyres on the rim together with a tube. The special thing with such kind of rims is that the rim well is closed. Your write that it is stated in the Campagnolo instructions for the tubular tyres that one should use a rim tape. Tubular tyres are a third type of tyre which cannot be mounted on these rims. If you use a tubeless tyre, you don’t need a rim tape. But if you want to use a standard clincher tyre system, I recommend glueing a thin rim tape made of plastic fabric on the rim well. According to the experiences of TOUR, this insulation has proven valuable for insulating the tube and the aluminium rim. There were for example two TOUR Transalp races with very hot weather, when many tubes burst, and this always on rims without rim tape.

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