I've never heard the idea of rim tape as a shim. Sewups shrink a fair amount when they are inflated, pulling them in against the rim. The bed of glue on a properly glued rim is at least as thick as rim adhesive tapes.
I don't know if the kind of tape that Jantex made is still available. It is great for the original target audience of a '70s Schwinn Paramount. Someone who will take the bike out of the garage for a casual spin around the subdivision on Sunday afternoons, and who will pass the bike down to his heirs with the original Clement 50s still installed. The stuff tends to soften up severely when heated by brake friction.
On the other hand, the new Tufo tapes hold like Fast Tack. The downside is that the stuff is so expensive and I am not sure how well it holds when replacing a flat on the road.
Steve Barner, Bolton, Vermont
> Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2004 09:39:47 -0700
> From: "Steven Willis" <smwillis@verizon.net>
> To: <saint09@bellsouth.net>, <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Subject: Re: [CR]tire tape
>
> I do not like it and was told it was used for tires that are stretched out
a
> little too much because it is thicker then just glue.
> Steven Willis
> 1778 East Second Street
> Scotch Plains NJ 07076
> 908-322-3330
> http://www.thebikestand.com