Velocity Veloplugs - Gunnar Roadie Project Bike

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56 Velocity Veloplugs on the scale, 9 grams.

Before installing tubes into a clincher wheel it is necessary to cover the spoke holes to prevent the tube from pushing into the holes and being punctured. Cloth rim tape is traditionally used to do this. Plastic electrical tape works also. Some rims come with a hard plastic rim strip already installed. Velocity Veloplugs are another option. Veloplugs offer several advantages over tradition rim strips:

• Incredible blowout strength - takes well over 400psi. Tires start to fail long before the Veloplug.

• Tire mounting is easier with the Veloplug. Rim strips take up a lot of space making tires more difficult to mount. With the sleek and slippery Veloplug, a difficult to mount tire becomes easy.

• Spoke replacement is simplified as there is no need to remove a sticky strip. Just pop out the Veloplug over the offending spoke and pop it back in when repairs are complete. They can be used over and over.

• Veloplugs will not rot, slip around or retain water when moisture enters the rim.

In order to see how much weight would be saved, in a pair of wheels with 28 spokes, I weighed both a pair of cloth rim strips and 56 Velocity Veloplugs. I got a weight savings of 27 grams. Veloplugs sell for about $15.00 for 72.(enough for most wheelsets) Rim strips sale for about $5.00 a piece or $10.00 for a wheelset. So, $5.00 more for Veloplugs. Considering they are reusable, lower in weight and will last longer it is worth the difference in cost. The only downside I see is that it does take a little longer to push each Veloplug into the hole of a rim than it does to wrap a rim with a rim strip.

Two rolls of rim strips on the scale, 36 grams.

 Velocity Veloplugs installed in a rim.

I installed Velocity Veloplugs in the wheels for the Gunnar Roadie project bike. This wheelset was built with Velocity race hubs and Velocity A23 polished rims. Look for more on these wheels as they are test ridden on the Gunnar Roadie.

Click here to learn more about Velocity.