Helicopter Tape. Clear or Matte?

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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iandusud
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Helicopter Tape. Clear or Matte?

Post by iandusud »

I'm picking up our new tandem frame with S&S couplings tomorrow. I would like to apply some helicopter tape in strategic places, notably on the top of the front top tube, as I sometimes catch this with my foot when dismounting when I'm knackered! The frame is finished in gloss black. Should I buy clear or matte tape? As I understand it matte tape is supposed to be less obtrusive because it doesn't reflect but I wonder if it will stand out on a gloss finish. Anyone got experience of this?

Cheers.
Bonefishblues
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Re: Helicopter Tape. Clear or Matte?

Post by Bonefishblues »

I think either way you'll stop noticing it pretty soon. Anyhow, much more detail required on the frame, thanks :D

(And gloss in my case, btw, but my previous comments refer!)
slowster
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Re: Helicopter Tape. Clear or Matte?

Post by slowster »

Definitely gloss tape. I would always even use (and have used) gloss tape on frames with a semi-matte finish. I think the matte tapes are only appropriate for fully matte finish paint. I think there is also a lot less choice of matte tapes.

Have you used helicopter tape on a frame before?
iandusud
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Re: Helicopter Tape. Clear or Matte?

Post by iandusud »

slowster wrote: 8 May 2022, 8:46am Definitely gloss tape. I would always even use (and have used) gloss tape on frames with a semi-matte finish. I think the matte tapes are only appropriate for fully matte finish paint. I think there is also a lot less choice of matte tapes.

Have you used helicopter tape on a frame before?
Thanks for that. No I've not used helicopter tape before. I'm thinking of going for this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/222851304978 ... SwFMhiAlDy
iandusud
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Re: Helicopter Tape. Clear or Matte?

Post by iandusud »

Bonefishblues wrote: 8 May 2022, 8:30am I think either way you'll stop noticing it pretty soon. Anyhow, much more detail required on the frame, thanks :D

(And gloss in my case, btw, but my previous comments refer!)
I'll post some photos and details once I've picked it up. :)
slowster
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Re: Helicopter Tape. Clear or Matte?

Post by slowster »

iandusud wrote: 8 May 2022, 9:37am I've not used helicopter tape before. I'm thinking of going for this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/222851304978 ... SwFMhiAlDy
I've only ever used 3M 8671HS tape, which is the benchmark tape for tape supplied on a roll. Some bike businesses sell short lengths of 3M 8671HS tape under their their own brand, e.g. Bike Tart. Invisiframe use/used 3M Ventureshield, which is thinner and comes in large sheets/very wide rolls, and can be pre-cut to standard templates with a plotter-cutter. I am not familiar with Rhino tape, but there appear to be mixed reviews:

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/helitape-6/

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topi ... here-from/

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topi ... heli-tape/

Some cheap tapes will turn yellow (presumably because they are not UV stable/intended for external use). None of the reviews above mention that for Rhino tape, but it might be worth googling a few more reviews before buying. I think Rhino tape is much stretchier than 3M 8671HS and Ventureshield, which should make taping awkward curves much easier, such as hydroformed chain stays, but that will not apply in your case.

A gloss black frame stacks the odds strongly in your favour for getting a good result. With very light colours even the odd speck of dust or a strand of hair caught under the tape is much more visible (other people won't notice, but it is the sort of thing which can be irritating if you know it's there).

A few suggestions based on my experience:

1. Watch the Invisiframe video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAL0exrSMCc to see the technique and tips. You will not be anywhere near as quick as shown in the video.

2. Even though your frame is black, I would still clean the tube surface before applying the tape. Any residual grime etc. on the frame may not matter as far as visibility is concerned, but it may prevent the tape properly adhering and result in it peeling. I think IPA (iso-propyl-alcohol) would be an adequate alternative to the Autoglym product recommended in the video.

3. Cut a radius curve on all corners of the tape. Sharp corners will lift prematurely.

4. Apply the tape to a couple of easy/less visible parts of the frame before tackling the top tube. If your brake or gear cables will touch the sides of the head tube, that is a good place to fit one or two small pieces of tape (albeit that I only do that area after a bike is built up, so that I can see exactly where the cables are likely to contact the head tube). Another good place is the drive side chainstay if a protector is not fitted to the chainstay by the framebuilder. The parts of Tubus cro-mo racks which are prone to abrasion/rubbing are another option.

5. With the top tube of a semi-matte frame I make a point of cutting curves into the ends of tape which conform to the curve of the head tube and seat tube where they meet the top tube. You can create a template using a piece of paper wrapped around the tube which you cut to shape, or you can hold the tape against the tube and trim it to shape before removing the backing strip.

However, to my eye and in my experience this is something which is *not* necessary with a dark gloss frame, i.e. a straight edge at the junction of the tubes is quite noticeable on a semi-matte frame in a way that it will not be on a gloss black frame. Neverthless you might want to try it for yourself. It is not necessary for the cut of the curves to be perfect to get a good fit and appearance (again in my experience and to my eye) - although I've only done this on ordinary welded frames, not a frame with lugs.

6. As per the Invisiframe video, wet the frame, the adhesive side of the tape and your hands when fitting. This allows you to lift the tape before it fully adheres if you did not position it quite right, and also to remove any dust, water blisters or air bubbles trapped under the tape.

With the 8671HS tape wetted, I find it necessary to grip the tape with my hands to keep it pressed against the tube while it dries a bit and starts to adhere, sometimes for as long as 5 or 10 minutes. I tried a drop of baby shampoo in the water as per Invisiframe's advice, but it made the 8671HS tape take ages to adhere, e.g. 20 minutes. You can use a hair dryer or heat gun to accelerate drying and adhesion, but you need to be careful not to overheat 8671HS tape (I think Rhino tape is less affected by higher heat, and will just contract to its original size and shape if it has been stretched.)

7. You need a clean and well lit indoor environment to fit the tape (so definitely not a dusty, badly lit garage). In addition to whatever lighting the room has I use a torch or a headtorch as well, which helps to reveal any stray particles trapped under the tape and also water blisters and air bubbles.

8. You will almost inevitably fail to spot the odd water blister before the tape has begun to adhere and can no longer easily be lifted up. I usually am able to push any water blisters very slowly to the nearest edge of the tape using the pressure of my thumb. If I spot any others later after the tape has fully adhered, I just use a pin to burst the blister and squeeze the water out.
iandusud
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Re: Helicopter Tape. Clear or Matte?

Post by iandusud »

Slowster, thank you for your comprehensive reply. Very helpful. I'll let you know how I get on.
PH
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Re: Helicopter Tape. Clear or Matte?

Post by PH »

I used a 3M gloss tape (Can't remember the number but it's the one of the better ones) on a gloss frame, if you look really hard you can just see the edge, it's so invisible I nearly applied a second lot forgetting I'd already done it.
Dingdong
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Re: Helicopter Tape. Clear or Matte?

Post by Dingdong »

Definitely matt
Stevek76
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Re: Helicopter Tape. Clear or Matte?

Post by Stevek76 »

If it's a gloss frame then I'd think go gloss tape. I got some for my MTB without really thinking to much about that and ended up with something off an eBay seller (item currently sold under a 'mtb protex' branding which happened to be a gloss finish. The tape has been excellent, no peeling etc but does show somewhat in the finish (frame is matt) and the edges (quite a thick tape at 0.32mm) but it's a MTB so not really too bothered.

However I subsequently used some bits on my pub bike where cables were wearing into the paint and it's only really the edges they give it away there as that frame is gloss. I suspect the edges in both cases would show less if I actually cleaned the bikes...


I went for the heat gun method rather than water and seems to have worked out fine. Thoroughly cleaned the relevant parts of the frame first though
The contents of this post, unless otherwise stated, are opinions of the author and may actually be complete codswallop
slowster
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Re: Helicopter Tape. Clear or Matte?

Post by slowster »

I fitted some tape to a seatpost yesterday prior to fitting a seatpack, and it reminded me of the technique I use. The method I use might seem patently obvious, but there are other ways of doing it.

For a top tube I would place the whole length of the wetted tape on the topmost part of the tube. Before beginning to press down on the tape, I first get the tape centred and lined up: if the tape is slightly out of alignment, it is easy to lift the wetted tape and reposition it, because only the very centre of the tape is in contact with the top tube.

Once I am satisfied with the alignment, I press down hard with my thumb just on the centre of the tape along the entire length of the tape. I then work gradually from that central stuck down section to stick down the rest of the tape. Thus if I have tape stuck down to a width of ~1cm along the length of the top tube, I aim to progressively increase that width by between 0.5cm to 1cm at a time for the complete length of the tube, always rocking my thumb from the centre outwards. By this method water under the tape should be continuously pushed outwards to the edge of the tape.

Even with this technique, it is almost inevitable that some water will not be pushed out, and will form small water blisters under the tape. If you fail to spot a water blister close to the centre of the tape and complete the fitting of the tape, it is then a tedious and painstaking task to push any water blisters that you find at that point to the nearest edge of the tape and expel the water. It is better therefore to check for water blisters and any stray dust specks etc. under the tape as you go along, when they will be easy to remove by either lifting the tape or pushing the water out with your thumb. With a black tube it can be especially difficult to spot these, so as I am working I intermittently use a torch to check the tape and reveal any irregularities. However, a big advantage of a gloss black tube is that any that you do miss will probably not be particularly noticeable, especially once the bike is built up.

I suspect this and my previous post might make it seem difficult and might put you off, but whilst it might seem more trouble than it's worth when written down, in practice it's fairly intuitive and straight tubes are quite easy to do. I would also add that I have only ever used 3M 8671HS tape, which is thicker than the tape used by Invisframe and also - I think - than Rhino tape, and judging by Invisiframe's video thinner tape looks a bit easier to apply.

Finally, from what I have read it is necessary to be careful if later attempting to remove the tape from a frame. My understanding is that 3M tapes can be safely removed by first heating the tape, e.g. with a hairdryer or heat gun, which softens the adhesive. If removed cold I think there is a risk of paint being pulled off with the tape, and I think the same is true of other 'helicopter tapes'.
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