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Strong / Light 650b DH rims

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,828
13,069
I'll have to check that tape out. Stan's is pricey and I have a rim or two I am going to need to redo this year. **wait, am I reading that right? 1/2" wide? **

The black Gorilla in my opinion sucks, it turns totally into a goo that was pretty time consuming to remove. The clear works well, a little goo gone and a rag and it cleaned up nicely for me, then again it wasn't on the rim for years.
That stuff looks like the Fratelli stuff and I agree with the above comments, Stans is more durable, the F-tape doesn't appear as robust.

They have some 1" wide if the half inch isn't enough.
http://www.amazon.com/Mil-Kapton-Tape-Polyimide-yds/dp/B006ZFNB2I/
 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
I'd had good results after trying the orange goop. Hmm.

.
Your mileage may vary?

I've only really witnessed the orange seal that one time, friend who was using it is a shop employee and had grabbed it to try and is now back to stan's only. Maybe it was that one time it doesn't work? Who knows, but it was evident I won't try it or recommend it.
 

mykel

closer to Periwinkle
Apr 19, 2013
5,071
3,780
sw ontario canada
Anybody have any idea where to get the Kapton tape in Canada?
Amazon US will not ship it up north.
Amazon Can want almost 80 bucks for a roll shipped. :eek::crazy:

This is for the 1" x36 yds. - and yup, I double checked - single roll.
 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
Anybody have any idea where to get the Kapton tape in Canada?
Amazon US will not ship it up north.
Amazon Can want almost 80 bucks for a roll shipped. :eek::crazy:

This is for the 1" x36 yds. - and yup, I double checked - single roll.
How far from the border are you? SW Ontario sounds awful close to me.
 

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,504
In hell. Welcome!
Kapton was designed for temperature extremes. It strikes me that what we'd be looking for for tubeless would be conformability and good adhesion, and more power to it if it can be removed without using a sandblaster.
That's why it is great. It has significantly better adhesion than ie. roval tape, it is also slightly elastic so you can comfortably use it on rims with a concave center channel, it is much easier to apply and far far far better to remove than Gorilla. And, it is dirt cheap.
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,196
4,419
Pretty much right in teh middle.
It is about 2 hours or so to either Michigan or NewYork.
The ebay route seems like it would be the best, even is shipping is twice product cost.
Get a U.S. monkey to buy it, repackage and send it to you as a gift :D
 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
Pretty much right in teh middle.
It is about 2 hours or so to either Michigan or NewYork.
The ebay route seems like it would be the best, even is shipping is twice product cost.
Roger that. I'm not too far from Port Huron or Detroit, and actually have to be in Detroit somewhat occasionally for work.

Figured I'd offer if it was reasonable for you.
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
My biggest beef with them is their name. What a stupid name. I'd take the damn stickers off, but they are applied under the clear coat so you can't. You're stuck with them. :think:
Didn't even consider Spank rims, for exactly this reason.
I want black rims - if I can't peel your stupid logos off, I'm not buying your stupid rims.
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,196
4,419
Didn't even consider Spank rims, for exactly this reason.
I want black rims - if I can't peel your stupid logos off, I'm not buying your stupid rims.
Nice to know there are kindred spirits out there.
 

sbabuser

Turbo Monkey
Dec 22, 2004
1,114
55
Golden, CO
I've not owned a pair, but I have heard from a few friends with spank wheels that they dent easily as well.
I had a spike 35 on the back of my Jedi for a season, and imo, it was the toughest rim for the weight of any dh rim I've tried (WTB, Alex, DT, Mavic, Sun).
 

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
Didn't even consider Spank rims, for exactly this reason.
I want black rims - if I can't peel your stupid logos off, I'm not buying your stupid rims.
It worked for Maxxis tires, so it should also work for Spank rims:
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,289
5,029
Ottawa, Canada
It worked for Maxxis tires, so it should also work for Spank rims:
I tried that. It didn't last particularly long. I guess it works on tires caus' the pros use them for what, maybe 2-3 runs? 4-5 tops? It gets old fast if you have to keep coloring your rims every 8-10 rides...
 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
I had a spike 35 on the back of my Jedi for a season, and imo, it was the toughest rim for the weight of any dh rim I've tried (WTB, Alex, DT, Mavic, Sun).
jedi's are pretty well known for being easy on rims with all their rearward axle paths' and shimz and such. rootbeer, try it now, moar shimz.

Now to serious biznezz talk.

I haven't owned a pair, just offering up what friends who did told me, they dent easy. Not sure they came out of round or out of true, but they dented easily. Not a huge deterrent to me, most of my rims end up dented at the end of a DH season.
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,196
4,419
I tried that. It didn't last particularly long. I guess it works on tires caus' the pros use them for what, maybe 2-3 runs? 4-5 tops? It gets old fast if you have to keep coloring your rims every 8-10 rides...
Sharpie marker and most paint markers are a joke. They look ok for a short while, but after that they come off. A sharpie permanent marker is an absolute joke - coverage is pretty bad - even sharpie paint marker takes several coats and it's doesn't hold for more than a week or so. To cover etched/lasered graphics, you have to use real paint. Spray paint has been good... but much faster to just buy rims w/ removable stickers.
 
Dec 9, 2015
113
114
Another vote for Spank rims. I am running spoons and am planning on building a set of subrosa for All Mtn riding. Seem to be strong per gram than what i have run before.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,032
5,922
borcester rhymes
What got you all started on Kapton? None of its properties would make it an obvious choice for sealing rims.
stiHacka got me to use kapton tape, and it sealed both of my wheels pretty solid first try. Slow leak in the rear, but more stan's seems to have helped. First try with tubeless and a floor pump. Solid stuff, cost me $12.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,032
5,922
borcester rhymes
Closer to like a fiber backed packing tape, I think. It's not that flexible but it's not too stiff either. Silicone adhesive I think.
 

sbabuser

Turbo Monkey
Dec 22, 2004
1,114
55
Golden, CO
jedi's are pretty well known for being easy on rims with all their rearward axle paths' and shimz and such.
I haven't owned a pair, just offering up what friends who did told me, they dent easy. Not sure they came out of round or out of true, but they dented easily. Not a huge deterrent to me, most of my rims end up dented at the end of a DH season.
That's exactly what I'm saying - every other dh rim I've had ended up dented at the end of a season, but not the Spikes. And I ran other rims on the Jedi that weren't as round when I retired them.
 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
I've not had any problems with spoke tension on the flow EX hoops. They are developing a small wobble on my bike but nothing worse than most other rims. Not even worth mentioning. I rode them starting in July to the end of the season.

I will replace the flow's with fr570 hoops when it's time to replace them though.
Figured I would post an update for those interested. One of my Flow's has met it's demise. We also DID begin to have spoke tension issues on both mine and my wife's wheelsets (again we were running the flow's as our primary wheels).

I pussy footed the pro GRT road gap in the rain at snowshoe this weekend and came up a lick short, broke a spoke, flatted, and wobbled/flat spotted the wheel beyond repair, outside of a quick look haven't checked to see if there is any additional damage. In fairness to the flow, it took a hell of a hit.

I'll be ordering up an FR570 to replace it, I like them a smidge better as I have mentioned in this thread because they are easier to mount tires up on. Overall performance of the Flow's has been acceptable.


As for tape and sealant, still rocking the clear gorilla, but plan to try 3m 8898, also the home brew green slime/antifreeze/latex is still working well for us, I've been adding a "healthy" tablespoon or so of glitter to the tires and flats haven't been a problem.
 

jstuhlman

bagpipe wanker
Dec 3, 2009
16,628
12,924
Cackalacka du Nord
Figured I would post an update for those interested. One of my Flow's has met it's demise. We also DID begin to have spoke tension issues on both mine and my wife's wheelsets (again we were running the flow's as our primary wheels).

I pussy footed the pro GRT road gap in the rain at snowshoe this weekend and came up a lick short, broke a spoke, flatted, and wobbled/flat spotted the wheel beyond repair, outside of a quick look haven't checked to see if there is any additional damage. In fairness to the flow, it took a hell of a hit.

I'll be ordering up an FR570 to replace it, I like them a smidge better as I have mentioned in this thread because they are easier to mount tires up on. Overall performance of the Flow's has been acceptable.


As for tape and sealant, still rocking the clear gorilla, but plan to try 3m 8898, also the home brew green slime/antifreeze/latex is still working well for us, I've been adding a "healthy" tablespoon or so of glitter to the tires and flats haven't been a problem.
propsfor hitting that road gap...it ain't small..
 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
propsfor hitting that road gap...it ain't small..
Thanks, I pussed out last season and feared it all fall knowing if have to hit it again this year.

Took one ride past it Friday morning and told myself next run was now or never, turns out it was pretty fun. Actually can't wait to hit it again, it's a bummer it's closed most of the time I was smiling every time I hit t all weekend....Smashed a hand and was pussy footing down in the rain Sunday, not sure where I was mentally, but I decided to just cruise over it last second, wrong choice. Wheel smashed.
 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
Disassembled the busted Flow and did a final damage report, cracked at 3 spoke eyelets, 5 cracked nipples and 1 broken spoke. Not the worst wheel explosion by any means, but it did survive a full year of DH use and only finally exploded when I came up short on a pretty good sized road gap. The front wheel survived without a single wobble, and it took a pretty solid hit as well (fork bottomed hard enough for me to feel and hear it). Essentially I took the jump far slower than I should have, and got bucked just a hair due to my apprehension and landed front wheel directly on the knuckle. Although I prefer the FR570's, I think the Flow is a viable option for anyone looking.

 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
which version of the flow was this? their most recent Mk3?
I'm not entirely sure, how can I get this info for you?

Sticker on the side of the rim says Stan's No tubes, ZTR Flow EX

Wheel was built up Last August right before the windham world cup. Don't know how new or old stock the rim itself was at the time it was ordered.
 
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slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,289
5,029
Ottawa, Canada
I'm not entirely sure, how can I get this info for you?

Sticker on the side of the rim says Stan's No tubes, ZTR Flow EX

Wheel was built up Last August right before the windham world cup. Don't know how new or old stock the rim itself was at the time it was ordered.
I think the new nomenclature is ZTR Flow Mk3. and the new rim is wiiiiide at i29. I'm curious if the new rims are as tough as the old rims...

I'm pretty happy with my Spank Trail295s, but they don't seem to have them in 26" anymore. so it's looking like Stans might be the only solid 26" rim option now. well Stans and WTB I guess.
 

herbman

Monkey
Feb 16, 2011
104
8
North West Tasmania
I think the new nomenclature is ZTR Flow Mk3. and the new rim is wiiiiide at i29. I'm curious if the new rims are as tough as the old rims...

I'm pretty happy with my Spank Trail295s, but they don't seem to have them in 26" anymore. so it's looking like Stans might be the only solid 26" rim option now. well Stans and WTB I guess.
Have just had a set of the mark 3 flows built up on some hopes and comp spokes. They feel stiffer that the stock wheels on my reign that they replaced and as stiff if not stiffer than my mates 26 ex flows built up the same.

I'm not to sure if I like how wide they are, as they are 5mm wider that the old rims they replaced and they seem to float over stuff rather than dig in with the 2.3 minions I run.
But then I could just learn how to ride them.......