Rim Tape

Rim Tape Buying Guide

Rim tape is the cheapest and most overlooked part of a tubeless setup. It seals the spoke holes in the rim bed so air doesn't leak out through the rim. Bad tape is the number one cause of tubeless headaches — if your tyre won't hold air, the tape is the first thing to check.

Tubeless Tape vs Standard Tape

Standard rim tape (cloth or plastic strips) just protects the tube from spoke hole edges. Tubeless tape is an adhesive-backed plastic film that creates an airtight seal across the entire rim bed. You cannot use standard rim tape for a tubeless setup — it won't seal. Most rims that come "tubeless ready" ship with factory tape that's often poorly applied. Retaping with quality tape is one of the first things to do with new wheels.

Width

Tape width should match or very slightly exceed the internal width of your rim. Too narrow and the tape won't cover all the spoke holes. Too wide and it bunches up at the rim walls, creating uneven sealing surfaces. Common MTB rim tape widths: 25mm (narrow XC rims), 27-29mm (standard trail rims), 30-33mm (wide enduro/DH rims). Measure the inner rim width between the bead hooks and buy tape 1-2mm wider.

Application

Clean the rim bed with isopropyl alcohol. Start opposite the valve hole and lay the tape under tension, pressing firmly into the rim channel. Overlap the starting point by at least 100mm. Two wraps is more reliable than one — the second layer covers any imperfections in the first. Press the tape firmly into the rim channel edges where it meets the bead hooks. Poke the valve hole through with a sharp pick, install the valve, and the rim is ready for a tyre.

Popular Tapes

Stan's yellow tape is the default — it's stretchy, adhesive, and purpose-made. Gorilla Tape is a budget alternative that works surprisingly well, though it's slightly thicker and heavier. DT Swiss and Muc-Off make their own branded tapes that perform comparably to Stan's. The tape itself isn't where you need to spend — application quality matters far more than brand. A perfectly applied £3 Gorilla Tape job seals better than a rushed £8 Stan's tape job.