Velox Jantex Tubular tape

Tubular purists look away now: we had good experiences of using Jantex tub tape. It was easy to fit, the tyres didn't fall off, and, erm, that's about it. There's plenty of people that'll tell you that it's not as strong as cement and they may well be right, but it was plenty strong enough during testing.

The tape is essentially carpet tape, so far as we can tell. It bonds to the rim (always clean it thoroughly with degreaser and leave to dry) and the cotton base of the tub and keeps everything in line. The most common method of using the tape is to apply it to the rim with the backing strip in situ, then part-inflate the tub on the rim, centre it and pull out the backing strip. this is fine in theory but in practice the backing tends to rip quite a bit, making it a faff at best. A non-tearable backing strip would make a world of difference.

There's other ways to use the tape though. A friend of ours who has decades of experience in the trade recommended soaking the cotton strip before fitting: that way the tyre slips on easily and as the tub dries it sticks in perfect place. You'll need to allow a few days for the tub to dry, so it's not an option for by-the-car emergency repairs at your evening ten, but if you're organised it's the best way to get the wheel just so.

Once it's time to take the tub off the tape doesn't leave too much residue, so cleaning up the rim is fairly straightforward. All in all it's about the easiest way to get your tubs on. If you're a hardcore track racer you'll probably want to opt for a stronger cement, but for time trialling and general use you should be well served by Jantex. One roll does two wheels, so it's decent value too.

Verdict

Easy-to-use solution for sticking your tubs on. Could do with a stronger backing tape.