Some weeks ago there was discussion about using Tufo tape in place of rim cement. I recall that most everyone who had tried it liked it, but there were some skeptics. I have been using it for a number of months on a track bike at the track, and take the liberty of conveying my observations. I'll skip the initial installation part, and only say that it is quick and clean with easy tire centering. After getting a puncture on a tire that I wanted to repair and continue using, I removed the tire from the rim. Based on my experience with a number of rim adhesives, the Tufo strip bond is stronger. It takes a good deal of diligent effort with a lever to cause the initial separation, and without prying away the tire for a number of inches, simply using your hands will not break it free. Without a lever and on the road somewhere could be a problem. Once you get it pulling away, the tape on the tire comes away very cleanly from the rim with little residue. The adhesive is stronger on the tire side, so the tape stays attached to the tire. When pulling the tire from the rim, if you plan to re-use the tire, try to lift the tire off the rim parallel to it, rather than rolling the tire off the side which twists the tape and makes reinstallation problematical. The consistency of the used adhesive is along the lines of day old double bubble chewing gum. Getting it off the cloth backing where the tire needs to be repaired or where it has twisted, is not fun. After repairing the tire, I calculated where there would be a bare patch and cut a piece off a new strip and layed it in the rim. Removing and handleing the tire with the glue strip attached will contaminate the adhesive somewhat and reduce the tack. It could be cause for concern as to subsequent loss of strength when re-applied. I found that brushing a very light coat of lacquer thinner on the glue was a aid in two ways. Initially it reduced the strength of the glue and made the surface slippery for easier tire positioning, and then as the solvent evaporated within a few minutes, the tack came back into the adhesive with greater strength than before the thinner was applied. Essentially, it reactivated the glue. For obvious reasons I doubt that the manufacturer would recommend brushing solvent on the glue, but it seems to be a good way to get a better second use out of the tape. The second time the tire is applied with the used attached glue strip, the tire will sit farther from the rim than the first time. When the glue is initially activated, it thickens out to about one sixteenth inch. It is no different than a rim with a few layers of cement on it. I used the regular Tufo tape, not the "extreme" type. There are some concerns with the regular type softening in very hot weather it seems, but the bonding strength with the regular type certainly seems more than adequate to me. I'd be curious what the Tufo dealer at the list, Jim, might have to add to my comments. I am going to continue using the tape, it works for me.
Dennis Young
Hotaka, Japan