Assuming I am going to be racing on zipp clinchers with Michelin Tires, what is the best rim tape you can apply? My 404’s came with a nice hard blue rim tape already installed, but my new 808’s are just bare aluminum so I need to put some rim tape on them. Any suggestions?
TJ Tollakson
Also, what kind of shoelaces for racing?
that’s funny but there was some serious discussion about soft material next to the rim being detrimental to rolling resistance, and I was just wondering if there is a better quality rim tape to improve rolling resistance.
Velox and call it a day…
you could say to yourself,
‘since I’m running 23mm width tires instead of 21mm, I have less rolling resistance but the tires are less aero. I can’t decide which is more important. I’m running clinchers, since the glue in tubular tires increases rolling resistance. However, since I’m using low tpi tires instead of the high quality vittoria/veloflex, I actually have more rolling resistance. I’ve also pumped up my tires to 220 psi to counteract that loss of efficiency, but now my hands go numb. I dropped the pressure back down to 120 psi to avoid pinch flats and switched to latex tubes since they are reported to have less rolling resistance than butyl. but now I have to pump them up before every race, so the glycogen I burn while pumping up the tires is not available to me during the race, so another wash. I switched to plastic rim tape to reduce weight and possibly reduce rolling resistance, but I saw some crazy czech broke the hour record using a 3kg wheel, so I’m taping fishing weights to the outside of my disc.’
Wow! You know, I am slow. I realize that. So I am probably one of the only people who is wondering how much difference rim tape could possibly make, if any.
Your question just reminds me of how much triathletes love the gear and the minutiae.
VELOX.
What kind of tool are you?
Either the medium width Velox tape or go with two layers of nylon reinforced packing tape.
There is only one rim strip…only one…Velox. Anything other than that is asking for trouble. And Clincher Zipps? You should be ashamed.
Thank you for that.
Nicetri - you are thinking too much - get out and train