Conference noted::bicycle

Was the rim tape rubber or cloth? Where the rims aero or normal in that the
spoke nipple is flush with the inside surface? 

I don't like rubber rim tape. It doesn't last very long. It suffers dry rot and
cracks, then it stops doing the job it was designed for. Cloth is a must for
aero rims that have recessed spoke nipples. The hole left in the inside suface
of the rim can be sharp and cut through the rubber rim tape, or it can weaken
and cause a bubble inside the rim and burst. If it was cloth tape on a normal
rim then I would have to say you have a loose spoke that is pushing the spoke
nipple into the tube.

Tom

>Was the rim tape rubber or cloth? Where the rims aero or normal in that the
>spoke nipple is flush with the inside surface? 

Just had this same problem - rubber tape was so old I had to peel it 
off. I haven't gotten around to fixing it up yet, but I've found in the 
past that 1/2" (?) nylon filament tape (like you seal boxes for 
shipping) makes dandy rim tape.... A new rubber one should last a while, 
but you'll eventually lose it again.

                   ken

    re: .1,.2
    
    The rim tape was rubber and only 18 months old, at least that's the age
    of the bike.  The rim is an Araya CTL370 with the spokes well away from
    the tube, at least they're supposed to be.  They are at the bottom of a 
    well in the rim.
    
    I noticed that where the tape crosses the top of the spoke holes the
    tape is bulged.  Maybe the tube and tape expanded into the hole (like a
    bubble) and then just burst.  Does that sound feasible?
    
    Anyway the local bike shop said to use plastic tape instead of rubber
    to allow for the higher pressures in the tires, normally at 110 psi 
    (for racing).  Any experience with plastic tape?
    
    Thanks,
    	Bob

    I have used both rubber and plastic and am now on cloth.  The rubber
    definitely bulges into the spoke nipple hole at higher pressures
    (anything above about 100 psi) and this can cause *sudden* deflation
    if, for example, you hit a bump in the road.  This makes for
    interesting times if you're going at high speed down hill and the front
    one goes  :-)
    
    I next tried plastic.  The ones I used come as a pre-formed hoop which
    needs a bit of urging to get onto the rim.  They were yellow in colour
    and, I think, made by Peugeot.  It's a good idea to line up the valve
    hole with, say, a pencil before the final push onto the rim.  Rotating
    the plastic can be hard work!  The plastic rim 'tape' failed for me
    after about three months.  The plastic cracked round the spoke nipple
    holes and the sharp edges caused punctures.  I was running at 135 to
    140 psi.
    
    I have now been on cloth rim tapes for about a year, running at 135 to
    140 psi, and have had no problems yet.
    
    Richard

I have two sets of CTL-370 rims, both came with rubber rim tape, and both 
suffered unexplained blowouts.  On inspecting the rim tape, there were bulges at
EVERY spoke hole.  So I've changed to cloth tape and haven't had any problems 
(over 1 year now).  

I've recommended to every shop that sells these rims to replace the tape with 
cloth tape to do their customers a favor.

Kevin

I've tried the plastic and had it blow the same way.  I ended up putting a 
tube patch over the spoke hole.  It got me home o.k.

There is nothing like good old cloth tape for my (clincher) wheels.

Gary