Rim Tapes / Flippers
A rim tape sits between the spoked rim and the inner tube, covering the parts that would otherwise puncture it — the spoke ends and the sharp edges of the spoke holes. Without one, the tube slowly chafes through from the inside and starts losing air, and under hard braking it creeps and tears at the valve. A rim tape is needed on any spoked wheel running tube-type (TT) rubber: classics, enduro and off-road machines.
This section holds Heidenau rim tapes for motorcycle rims from 10 to 21 inches, in widths from 20 to 60 mm — fifteen sizes in all. Narrow 20–25 mm tapes suit light machines and mopeds, while the wide 50–60 mm tapes fit the broad rims of heavy motorcycles. It is as much a consumable as the tube itself: on a spoked wheel, one is no use without the other.
A Heidenau rim tape is chosen by two figures — the rim diameter in inches and the width in millimetres. The name states them in that order: "38 mm × 16/17″", for example, is a 38 mm-wide tape for a 16 or 17-inch rim. What matters is that the tape settles into the rim well, covers every spoke hole and does not shift round the rim.
Not sure of the size? Check the table below or message us and we will match it to your bike. Choose a Heidenau rim tape by rim diameter and order it with delivery across Kazakhstan. Nearby you will find Heidenau inner tubes and the wider tubes and rim tapes section.
Why a spoked wheel needs a rim tape
A rim tape protects the inner tube on the rim side. On a spoked wheel the spoke ends and the edges of the spoke holes face inward — under pressure and load the tube rubs against them and, sooner or later, wears through. A Heidenau rim tape covers all of this right round the rim and also stops the tube creeping: under hard braking, rubber slides against rubber less easily than against metal, so the valve isn't wrenched sideways. On spoked TT wheels a rim tape is a required consumable, not an accessory.
How to choose a Heidenau rim tape by size
A Heidenau rim tape is chosen by rim diameter in inches and width in millimetres — both figures appear in the name ("width mm × diameter inch"). Take the diameter to match your rim first, then the width: the tape should cover every spoke hole and settle into the rim well without riding up onto the flanges. If you're between two widths, go wider — it seats more securely in the well and won't shift.
| Rim diameter | Available tape width |
|---|---|
| 10″ | 28 mm |
| 12″ | 20 mm |
| 14″ | 22 mm |
| 15″ | 38 mm, 50 mm |
| 16/17″ | 22, 30, 38, 50, 60 mm |
| 18″ | 50 mm |
| 18/19″ | 22, 28, 38 mm |
| 21″ | 25 mm |
Fifteen sizes for rims from 10 to 21 inches. The exact size for your bike is on the product page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use insulating tape or a strip of old tube instead of a rim tape?
For a roadside fix, yes — plenty of riders do. For the long run it works poorly, though: insulating tape slips and slides off, and a strip cut from an old tube eventually snags on the spoke holes. A ready-made Heidenau rim tape lies flat in the rim, holds right round and keeps the tube from turning — for regular riding that's more reliable than a makeshift fix.
Do cast (tubeless) wheels need a rim tape?
No. A rim tape is needed where there are spokes and a tube. Cast wheels running tubeless rubber have no spokes inside and nothing to puncture the tube, so no tape is required. It goes specifically on the spoked TT wheels of classic, enduro and off-road machines.
How is a rim tape different from an inner tube?
They're two separate parts of the same wheel. The tube holds the air; the rim tape protects the tube from the rim. On a spoked wheel one is no use without the other, so a tape is bought alongside the tube — Heidenau inner tubes are in the neighbouring section.
How do I find the rim diameter if it isn't written anywhere?
Check the tyre markings on the sidewall — the last number in the size is the seat diameter in inches (in "120/70-17", for example, the rim is 17 inches). Choose the Heidenau tape by that. If the marking has worn away, send us the make and model of the bike and we'll match it.
Everything for a spoked wheel is in the Heidenau tubes and rim tapes section.