Taping the frame

MPT said:

This might sound strange. I would like to wrap my bike frame with any non-sticky tapes in
order to make the look of the bike uglier. I wanna do that while touring in Cuba, so its
fleshy green look would not attract much attention of petit thefts. Nevertheless, I want to be
able to pill the tapes off after the trip without leaving sticking glues/stuff on the frame.
Any suggestion? Thanks!

I use duct tape. It actually does make it uglier, and it remains ugly, an advantage everywhere it
seems to me.
--
Ron Hardin [email hidden]

On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

This might sound strange. I would like to wrap my bike frame with any non-sticky tapes in order to
make the look of the bike uglier. I wanna do that while touring in Cuba, so its fleshy green look
would not attract much attention of petit thefts. Nevertheless, I want to be able to pill the tapes
off after the trip without leaving sticking glues/stuff on the frame. Any suggestion? Thanks!

Clean your frame. Then use a good wax on it. Next is to decide how you want to cover your frame. If
you want no residue on your bike, you can try using old inner tubes. Cut the valve out. Then slice
lengthwise. You can then wrap your tubes. Use some black exlectrical tape to hold down the ends. The
other option is to use Electrical tape. You can pick it up cheap at home depot, less than $1/roll. I
think two rolls will cover your bike. If the tape is not on your bike for very long, and you waxed
your bike before putting the tape on, it comes off quite easy. If when you remove the tape there is
some sticky residue, it easily comes off with WD-40. Whatever you do, don't use duct tape. That
leaves a nasty residue that is hard to get off.
---------------
Alex

MPT said:

This might sound strange. I would like to wrap my bike frame with any non-sticky tapes in
order to make the look of the bike uglier. I wanna do that while touring in Cuba, so its
fleshy green look would not attract much attention of petit thefts. Nevertheless, I want to be
able to pill the tapes off after the trip without leaving sticking glues/stuff on the frame.
Any suggestion? Thanks!

Rubber amalgamating tape is pretty good - I use it on chainstays to protect them from the bouncing
chain. It can be removed cleanly with a little care.

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

This might sound strange. I would like to wrap my bike frame with any non-sticky tapes in
order to make the look of the bike uglier. I wanna do that while touring in Cuba, so its
fleshy green look would not attract much attention of petit thefts. Nevertheless, I want to be
able to pill the tapes off after the trip without leaving sticking glues/stuff on the frame.
Any suggestion? Thanks!

Use sticky tape, then when you peel it off after the trip, use a rag wetted with vegetable oil to
get the adhesive residue off. Works great.

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

Photographers and film folks use gaffers tape to get good stick without leave-behind residue. A
professional lighting supply store will have it in many different colors.

"Alex Rodriguez" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

says...

Quoted message said:

This might sound strange. I would like to wrap my bike frame with any non-sticky tapes in order
to make the look of the bike uglier. I wanna do that while touring in Cuba, so its fleshy green
look would not attract

much

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

attention of petit thefts. Nevertheless, I want to be able to pill the

tapes

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

off after the trip without leaving sticking glues/stuff on the frame. Any suggestion? Thanks!

Clean your frame. Then use a good wax on it. Next is to decide how you want to cover your frame.
If you want no residue on your bike, you can

try

Quoted message said:

using old inner tubes. Cut the valve out. Then slice lengthwise. You can then wrap your tubes. Use
some black exlectrical tape to hold down the

ends.

Quoted message said:

The other option is to use Electrical tape. You can pick it up cheap at home depot, less than
$1/roll. I think two rolls will cover your bike.

If

Quoted message said:

the tape is not on your bike for very long, and you waxed your bike before putting the tape on, it
comes off quite easy. If when you remove the tape there is some sticky residue, it easily comes
off with WD-40. Whatever

you

Quoted message said:

do, don't use duct tape. That leaves a nasty residue that is hard to get off.
---------------
Alex

Having spent 3 months in Cuba I'd say your bike is pretty safe. Theft is a serious offence in Cuba
which could result in a lengthy prison term (they have perpetual prison for Cuba nationals).

Most Cubans are far more honest than any american or Canadian than I ever met.

P.S. Where are you going on tour?

--

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"MPT" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

This might sound strange. I would like to wrap my bike frame with any non-sticky tapes in order to
make the look of the bike uglier. I wanna do that while touring in Cuba, so its fleshy green look
would not attract

much

Quoted message said:

attention of petit thefts. Nevertheless, I want to be able to pill the

tapes

Quoted message said:

off after the trip without leaving sticking glues/stuff on the frame. Any suggestion? Thanks!

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (grisoft.comgrisoft.comOpen ↗).
Version: 6.0.544 / Virus Database: 338 - Release Date: 11/25/2003

Thanks for everyone's input here. I might end up brining my cheap, communal bike, instead of the
good, carbon MTB. I've never left my bike on the street here, why should I do that in Cuba? "David
Kerber" <ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

This might sound strange. I would like to wrap my bike frame with any non-sticky tapes in order
to make the look of the bike uglier. I wanna

do

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

that while touring in Cuba, so its fleshy green look would not attract

much

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

attention of petit thefts. Nevertheless, I want to be able to pill the

tapes

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

off after the trip without leaving sticking glues/stuff on the frame.

Any

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

suggestion? Thanks!

Use sticky tape, then when you peel it off after the trip, use a rag wetted with vegetable oil to
get the adhesive residue off. Works great.

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

Thanks for your reply. Since we are going for 2 weeks only, we are thinking to start from Havana to
Maria la Gorda (one way), although we are going to land at Veradero. Eventually, we have to get back
by bus or truck. Any suggestion on the route we are thinking, such as road condition, casa
particular, etc? By any chance, are you also from Montreal?

"JayofMontreal" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Having spent 3 months in Cuba I'd say your bike is pretty safe. Theft is a serious offence in Cuba
which could result in a lengthy prison term (they have perpetual prison for Cuba nationals).

Most Cubans are far more honest than any american or Canadian than I ever met.

P.S. Where are you going on tour?

--

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"MPT" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

This might sound strange. I would like to wrap my bike frame with any non-sticky tapes in order
to make the look of the bike uglier. I wanna

do

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

that while touring in Cuba, so its fleshy green look would not attract

much

Quoted message said:

attention of petit thefts. Nevertheless, I want to be able to pill the

tapes

Quoted message said:

off after the trip without leaving sticking glues/stuff on the frame.

Any

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

suggestion? Thanks!

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (grisoft.comgrisoft.comOpen ↗).
Version: 6.0.544 / Virus Database: 338 - Release Date: 11/25/2003

MPT' may have said:

This might sound strange. I would like to wrap my bike frame with any non-sticky tapes in order to
make the look of the bike uglier. I wanna do that while touring in Cuba, so its fleshy green look
would not attract much attention of petit thefts. Nevertheless, I want to be able to pill the tapes
off after the trip without leaving sticking glues/stuff on the frame. Any suggestion? Thanks!

You'll get some adhesive residue from nearly any tape. Of course, if you wrap the frame with cheap
plastic road bar tape, and put bands of duct tape over that in places to keep it from shifting,
you'll get ugly looks and decent protection in one go, with lettle residue on the frame. Use more
than one shade of duct tape for that authentic "patched on the fly" appearance.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail. Yes, I have a killfile. If I
don't respond to something, it's also possible that I'm busy. Words processed in a facility that
contains nuts.

"MPT" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

This might sound strange. I would like to wrap my bike frame with any non-sticky tapes in
order to make the look of the bike uglier. I wanna do that while touring in Cuba, so its
fleshy green look would not attract much attention of petit thefts. Nevertheless, I want to be
able to pill the tapes off after the trip without leaving sticking glues/stuff on the frame.
Any suggestion? Thanks!

Go to a sporting goods store that specializes in equipment for bow-hunters. There is a low adhesion
camoflage tape that bow-hunters tape on their bows, and which peels off with zero residue left
behind. When I was a commercial nature photog I used it to camo my equipment - works great. If you
are not into camo, use the stuff as an under-layer and put the sticky, ugly stuff on top.

- rick

MPT said:

This might sound strange. I would like to wrap my bike frame with any non-sticky tapes in order to
make the look of the bike uglier. I wanna do that while touring in Cuba, so its fleshy green look
would not attract much attention of petit thefts. Nevertheless, I want to be able to pill the tapes
off after the trip without leaving sticking glues/stuff on the frame. Any suggestion? Thanks!

Go to a real automotive store such as Home Depot and get _real_ paper masking tape. This tape is
meant to seal completely, and later be removed from a painted surface without lifting the paint. The
suggestion that you wax the bike thoroughly first is a good one.

Don't do this to a new bike. It may take up to a year for the paint to "cure" and harden.

- Don Gillies San Diego, CA

Why waxing the frame? Curious to know. Thanks! "Donald Gillies" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

MPT said:

This might sound strange. I would like to wrap my bike frame with any non-sticky tapes in order
to make the look of the bike uglier. I wanna do that while touring in Cuba, so its fleshy green
look would not attract

much

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

attention of petit thefts. Nevertheless, I want to be able to pill the

tapes

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

off after the trip without leaving sticking glues/stuff on the frame. Any suggestion? Thanks!

Go to a real automotive store such as Home Depot and get _real_ paper masking tape. This tape is
meant to seal completely, and later be removed from a painted surface without lifting the paint.
The suggestion that you wax the bike thoroughly first is a good one.

Don't do this to a new bike. It may take up to a year for the paint to "cure" and harden.

- Don Gillies San Diego, CA

Quoted message said:

How to uglify frame w/ tape?

From experience wrapping masts, you can use duct tape/electrical tape, or gaffer's tape (though
wetness might hurt this). The trick is to wrap it with the adhesive out, then again with adhesive
in. You'll get the hang of it after a little while. Matt

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Why waxing the frame? Curious to know. Thanks!

It lets the tape come off more easily with less residue left on the frame.
----------------
Alex