Yellow Spoke Tape Instructions
Yellow Spoke Tape:
  • The ZTR rims ar fully compatible with the yellow tapeand valve method for tubeless use.
  • Most riders elect to use the thin 5g yellow spoke tape and no rim strip. All wheelsets built by NoTubes will have the yellow tape and valve installed as standard practice. The tape and valve method creates a lighter wheelset and the rim design will allow you to run extremely low pressures with very little or no burping.

Watch the installation movie on yellow tape

  

Note: This rim has a small inner valve stem hole to allow use with the small 5g valve stem in conjunction with the 21mm yellow tape. If you are using a UST tire don't use the rim strip, use only the yellow tape. If you want to use the Olympic rim strip you can use it with the hole that comes with the rim, but you will have a large bump at the valve stem that will make inflating with a floor pump more difficult.

If you want to use the Olympic rim strip and inflate tires easily with a floor pump you should enlarge your inner rim cavity hole to 3/8 inch. Keep in mind, once you enlarge the inner valve stem hole to use the rim strip you can no longer use the small 5g valve stem, as the inner rim cavity hole will be too big.
 
 

The basic steps of installing the yellow spoke tape will be included in the directions below. However, we highly recommend that you take the time to watch the instructional video on our website for more detailed instructions. Click on Support > Install/Demo movies.

Suggested Tools:
Brake Clean or other cleaning solvent, Scotch-Brite pad, paper towels, small knife or razor blade, scissors, small round file

•  Place the wheel in a truing stand or turn your bike over and use the dropouts of the frame and fork.

•  Using a small piece of a Scotch-Brite pad (approx. 1” x 2”), rotate the wheel for one full rotation while scrubbing the spoke bed cavity to remove any small burrs and any glaze on the anodized finish.

•  Repeat Step 2 but focus on cleaning the benches on the inside cavity. One rotation each for the left and right benches.

•  Using a paper towel and some brake cleaner or any good cleaning solvent that does not leave a residue, clean the rim cavity of any dirt or oil. Follow the cleaning by wiping the rim cavity with a dry paper towel. Remove any small pieces of the paper towel that may have collected at the spoke holes.

•  To start the application of the yellow tape, locate the decal on the rim or the weld joint of the rim. Start the end of the tape above the weld, between two of the spoke nipple holes. Center the tape in rim cavity and press to adhere. Hold the tape at the starting point with your left hand and pull the tape as tight as possible with your right hand. The tape will make some popping sounds but will not stretch and break. Cover about 1/6 th of the rim, then pressing in the end near the roll with your right thumb, run you fingers over the installed portion of the tape to make sure it is seated properly.

•  Repeat the procedure in Step 5 until you have reached the starting point.

•  Overlap the starting point by about 5 inches and with the tape roll hanging, cut the tape to expose one loose end.

•  Gently pull up the loose end until you are left with approximately 2 inches of overlap at the starting point and cut the loose end.

•  Rotate the wheel one full revolution, pressing firmly with your fingers on the tape to make sure it has conformed to the rim cavity. You should not have any wrinkles in the tape.

•  Rotate the wheel to locate the valve hole and using a small knife or razor blade, carefully cut open the valve hole with a small “x.” Then use a small round file with a downward stroke to remove the small pieces of tape in the valve hole. Use caution with the file to avoid enlarging the valve hole so that the Olympic valve stem will work properly.

•  Complete the installation by installing a tire with either a tube or the Olympic rim strip to allow the air pressure to press the tape in to the rim cavity. Allow the inflated tire to sit for at least one hour