Tubular Tape: Pros and Cons, and Recommended Products

What Is Tubular Tape?

Unlike clincher or tubeless tires that hook onto the wheel rim, tubular tires are mounted on top of the rim. Because of this, tubular tires need to be adhered to the rim using some kind of bonding agent.

Traditionally, this was done using “tubular cement”—a type of glue that adheres the tire to the rim. However, in recent years, high-quality double-sided tapes have become widely available, making tubular tape a mainstream option.

Advantages of Tubular Tape

Despite offering a comfortable ride and strong resistance to flats, tubular tires have not been very popular due to:

1. The difficulty of mounting and removing the tire
2. The hassle of applying glue
3. The effort required to remove the glue

By using tubular tape, you can almost entirely eliminate (2) the need to apply glue. Unlike cement, tape doesn’t suffer from uneven application and ensures a uniform bond, making it easy even for beginners.

As for (3), removing tape can sometimes be easier or harder than removing glue, depending on the situation. However, since tape doesn’t require special solvents like rim cement removers, it’s generally simpler to work with.

For these reasons, more and more tubular tire users are switching to tubular tape.

Is Rim Tape Easier Than Rim Cement?

When mounting a tire, rim cement requires application with a brush or your fingers, whereas tubular tape is simply applied by sticking it on—making the process easier overall.

However, when removing the tire and cleaning the rim, the process is a bit different. If you’ve used rim cement, you’ll need a “rim cement remover.” With tape, you’ll need to peel it off manually. Depending on the condition, many say there’s little difference in effort between the two methods.

Be Careful When Using on Carbon Rims

For tubular wheels with aluminum rims, it’s common to use solvents to help remove cement or tape. However, with carbon rims, using solvents that are aggressive toward carbon or epoxy can damage the rim itself, so great care is needed.

Also, when removing the tire or leftover cement/tape, scraping with metal tools can scratch or crack the carbon rim. It’s recommended to use tools made of plastic or softer materials than carbon. Surprisingly, a plastic bottle cap works well for removing cement or tape without damaging the rim.

Can You Substitute Tubular Tape with Double-Sided Tape?

Tubular tape is essentially a strong double-sided adhesive tape, so if you find one that matches the rim width, it can be substituted.

That said, household-grade double-sided tapes are far too weak. Construction-grade tapes with strong adhesion may seem like a viable option, but their cost often isn’t much different from purpose-made tubular tapes. For peace of mind, it’s best to just buy proper tubular tape designed for bike use.

What Size and Length of Tubular Tape Should You Choose?

If the tubular tape is wider than the rim, it will stick out from the edges. To avoid this, it’s best to choose tape that is at least 1mm—preferably 2mm—narrower than the rim width.

Here’s a general guideline:

• Rims with 17–20mm width => 16mm wide tape
• Rims with 21–24mm width => 20mm wide tape
• Rims with 25–28mm width => 25mm wide tape

Even if there’s only a 1mm margin, it’s fine as long as the tape is applied carefully. However, the narrower the margin, the more precision is required during application.

Recently, it has become harder to find tubular tape designed for narrow rims. In such cases, you may need to use rim cement instead.

As for length, remember that 2.5 meters of tubular tape is generally enough for one wheel—a handy rule of thumb when estimating how much you’ll need.

Popular Tubular Tapes

VELOX

VELOX tubular tape is a well-known standard available through online bike shops. It costs around $10 per wheel, which makes it slightly more expensive.

TUFO

TUFO, a brand also known for its road bike tires, offers tubular tape at a similar price point to VELOX. It’s also available through many online retailers.

Effetto Mariposa

Effetto Mariposa’s tubular tape is frequently found on international online shops. Despite its lower price, it offers relatively high quality, making it a popular choice.