Rim Strips

hoodlum-z

Can anybody tell me why you can buy an inner tube for £2, but a Stan's Rim Strip costs £22 and looks exactly the same. Obviously it doesn't fill with air so it's slightly different. It just seems like a rip off to me.

Raymondavalon

Hi and welcome to the Forum...
I am sure one of our many tubeless advocates will justify the cost of Stan's rim strips

So, where exactly do you buy innertubes for £2? Also, what width (1.6/1.8/2.0?) and what valve type (Schraeder/Presta?)

Northwind

Stans produce, ship and sell in lower volumes which makes them more expensive. But yes, they are overpriced for what they are tbh. The comparison with tubes doesn't really make a lot of sense is all.

jadamson

ghetto tubeless using small tubes maybe?

cavegiant

I run ghetto tubeless and find it to be far better.

Just get an ultra light weight inner tube of a much smaller size than you would use for a wheel. i.e. 20" for 26" wheels and 24" for 29ers.

cut it down the middle, clean it out properly with soap and water.

You then have a custom sized rim strip for £2.

specific rim strips are a waste of money.

cavegiant

forgot to add, you need to buy the car type valves as the cores are removable

hoodlum-z

When I did a quick search inner tubes were starting at £2, but most were nearer £4. I just wanted to make a comparison with the rim strips and these are the nearest product.

Obviously you get what you pay for and Stan's have a good reputation, but some of the home-made versions or 'ghetto tubeless' as somebody called them seem a good idea.

Surely it's more rewarding as well to build your own tubeless system - at least until it starts leaking. That gallon drum of wood glue looks mighty tempting :P

Thanks for the replies, lads.

cavegiant

Sorry to contradict you, but do you really think that, or are you just going diplomatic middle?

Stans: butyl rubber strips, pre cut to the wrong width, £18
IT: Butyl rubber strip, cut it to whatever size you want, £2.

I like the Stans company, so I support them by getting their sealent (actually prefer Joes), but the rim strips are overpriced and offer nothing over a schrader inner tube, in fact they offer less as they are mostly the wrong size.

Same material, just you are paying £16 to get it precut for you (probably to the wrong size).

Ghetto tubeless has been consistently more reliable for me.

M6TTF

Gaffa tape and a valve works for me - no faffing with a cut toobe!

adb1006

UST rims and tyres even better

cavegiant

adb1006 wrote:

UST rims and tyres even better

Not everyone would agree

adb1006

I was meaning you won't get a better or quicker seal than with specific rims/tyres. No faffing with cutting innertubes or trying to line up rimstrips. And low pressures without fear of burping.