Tubeless Tape Talk

 

Tubeless wheels have become ubiquitous in cycling. Lower pressures, fewer pinch flats, a more comfortable ride, lower rolling resistance, better traction... there's a lot to love. 

We at HiFi have always been big believers in tubeless technology, and we were among the first to release a carbon tubeless-ready clincher rim model almost 10 years ago. ALL of the clincher rims in our lineup are tubeless ready, but can also be used with tubes if you prefer (or if you get an irreparable flat on a ride). 

There are some basic tips 'n' tricks that we wanted to share. 

  • What's the best way to apply tubeless tape? 
    • As in the GIF video above, we like to hold the tape with one hand, stretch with the other, and push it down into the center channel as we apply it. You'll want to overlap the tape 3-4 inches when done covering the rim. We like to overlap opposite the valve hole.
  • What makes HiFi's tubeless tapes superior?
    • Our tape is thinner and less brittle than many of the typical tapes out there. It's stronger, has a little stretch, is less brittle, and does a great job conforming to rim shapes.
  • Why does HiFi offer two different types of tubeless tapes?
    • The HiFi Black Tape is lighter weight, and is best for our asymmetric rims (Mix Tape Discs ASYM; Session25 ASYM; Session30 ASYM). On offset—or asymmetric—rims, the spoke hole is at an angle. To prevent the tape getting cut, two layers of tape are required, even for lower pressure / MTB use. The HiFi black tape is ideal for this. Our black tape can also be used on traditional symmetric rims—one layer for pressures under 60psi, or two layers for above 60psi.
    • The HiFi Amber Tape is best for symmetrical rims running road tire pressures (60psi and above). This is one of the few tubeless tapes that can handle road pressures with just one layer of tape. It's slightly heavier than the black tape, but much lighter than two layers of the black tape (or any other tubeless tapes). 
  • Which tubeless tape width for which rim? 
    • Generally, tubeless tape should be 2-5mm wider than the internal width of a rim. For rims with deeper center channels, you may want to be closer to the 4-5mm end. You want to go edge-to-edge. If your tape is too narrow for your rim, you can always do one layer along the left edge, another layer along the right edge, and make sure you're doubled up in the middle, over the spoke holes.

Did we miss something? Hit us up with any questions. We'll update this page accordingly!