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Just got a custom wheel build which has come with mavic ust rim tape and i have a roll of adhesive rim tape. I dont plan on running the wheel tubeless but could i still use the ust rim tape with tubes or would it be better to use normal rim tape?
Doesn't really matter. Gaffer tape or sparky tape would work well in in either application.
Are Mavic calling this 'UST tape'? It's a very misleading description. UST rims don't need tape as they don't have holes in the rimbed to seal up. UST also refers to the different hook interface on the rimwall though (Squarer bead) and also a different carcass construction for the tyres - extra gas impermeable layers in the casing meaning there's no air leaks to seal with Stan's goop or similar. Most 'tubeless' rims - including Stans' - are better described as 'Tubeless Ready' as they have a suitable beadhook and a fairly high, smooth rim bed but need tape and sealant to produce a tubless wheel..
I reckon you are spot on vincienup. I believe they are only "tubeless ready" and mavic are indeed branding it as ust tape. I only wanted to use that for its ease of application rather than messing around with adhesive stuff. The rims are mavic xm419 by the way
Edit: sorry for got to say thanks for the reply/info/advice vincienup
Go for something thin and strong as above.. I don't run tubeless at the moment and used velox rim tape.. It's thick and spongey and a pain in the ares.
@vincienup, Mavic are repositioning UST and basically saying "nah, it never meant a sealed rim, that's just coincidence". Which actually could be true, I dunno, but it's not how anyone understood it. So there's lots of confusion now due to basically recycling what was a pretty well understood term. When they started doing it, they called this sort of thing "UST Ready" but that didn't catch on at all despite apparently throwing Pinkbike a bung to pretend the term was a popular industry standard, so now it's just UST.
Apparently the undrilled rim is not a prerequisite:
( http://www.pinkbike.com/news/To-The-Point-UST-Rims-Tires-2013.html)The last attribute of a UST rim is that it must be airtight, which
means that any spoke holes must be fully sealed with tape or plastic, or the rim bed is
left intact and not drilled at all. The UST rim shape (particularly the shape of the
bead hook and hump) is patented by Mavic, and Mavic licenses the shape to other
companies, for a fee.
I didnt use the ust tape as it was pretty wide and had a very sharp/rough join. I used the velox tape and it went on ok, not as bad as i thought.
Ah there you go actually, that's the pinkbike article I was thinking of- absolute guff tbf.