Bikepacker's Guide to Bike Frame Protection

One downside to using bikepacking bags is that they can rub against and eventually damage your bike. It’s easy to ignore this fact and simply take off with bags strapped directly to your frame, bars, and seatpost, but if you want your bike to last, it’s best to take precautions. There are some simple steps you can take to protect carbon, aluminum, and paint finishes. Find a detailed video here, and the full guide here: bikepacking.com/plan/bike-fra...
Do you enjoy our videos, routes, and articles? Help sustain this resource by joining the Bikepacking Collective: bikepacking.com/join/?...
-------------
Hosted by Neil Beltchenko
Music by Ben Weaver (benweaver.net)
More at bikepacking.com/plan/bike-fra...

[@maxredburn6610]

Wasn't sure if this was for me until it turned into tape removal ASMR. 10/10

[@jrreed6992]

Thanks Neil this is exactly the video I needed to watch. Just bought a Cutthroat, first carbon bike and was worried I'd ruin it in no time strapping bags on it.

[@LeonardOutdoorsNM]

Great video! Thanks for going through all that time and effort. I like electrical tape. My bike is black, so it just works color-wise, and it's not so crazy sticky that I have a mess to deal with afterwards.

[@bikepackingadventure7913]

After watching this excellent vlog .......... I’m so glad I use a bare titanium frame as a bikepacking bike 🤔😁😁 😏😏

[@kc3718]

them bags will polish it nicely, saving you a job for the once every 10 years polish to get it looking brand new. Polished my 13 year old Litespeed the other day, cost me $3 for a scotchbrite pad, whereas my steel bike needs painting every few years at $300....and the carbon bikes go in trash or fro respray.

[@SteveFullerBikes]

For the chainstay, I usually wrap it in an old innertube and then use a small ziptie to on each end to keep it from unwrapping.

[@greghamra5626]

Excellent review of various options. Thank you very much. I discovered this video AFTER installing clear Gorilla tape to the top tube and several other sections. I'll expect to whip out some isopropyl alcohol when the time comes. I can live with that. The best thing is it was inexpensive and available at a local hardware store. I'll return the $70 AMS Honeycomb camo kit which I'd love to place on a few sections (esp downtube) but didn't want to cover all over this new turquoise Yeti. In fact, the ONLY spot on my bike where it says Yeti SB130 is the top tube, so rather than cover it with camo, that's where I installed the clear Gorilla tape. Looks great. Provides nice degree of protection and hopefully, it won't damage any parts of the original paint finish if/when I remove it.

[@oot-n-aboot]

Nice, Neil! Love all the unique, but important content on the channel. It does seem like the silicon tape would work well as a drivetrain chainstay protector if you don't have an old tube laying around to use.

[@joewong1775]

This is a great and informative video. Thank you. Omg. Much thanks.

[@jonimenges3896]

Should have watched this BEFORE cycling from Germany to spain

[@user-qk6ol8iq3d]

Many thanks! One of the best videos about bike frame protection)

[@peterdevenny7367]

Great vid bro, very straight forward and honest. v much appreciated. Cheers Pete

[@bruce.KAY-bike-drifter]

A trick I've learned with helicopter tape. Spray water onto the bike frame, as you did with the RideWrap. Once you have it in position nicely, squeegee out the bubbles by working from the center out towards the edges. Then you can use a hair-dryer on a low setting to help dry out the moisture. This process is especially helpful when working around curved sections and awkward shapes. Thanks for a great video. I'm planning to go ahead and install plenty of frame protection on my new Tumbleweed Prospector FAT bike when it is finished being built for me.

[@arcoulant87]

use a hairdryer to warm up tape to remove

[@timguter7827]

Thanks for another informative video.

[@aaronedgeart]

Thanx so much for this!!!

[@Incorruptus1]

I added bike stickers, transparent to my complete frame lol. I so hate it when my new bikes get their first scratches haha. It hurts right :) I do like to add not to become too tired and cycle onward, because that lowers the protection of the bike as well, and yourself :D. And yeah covers...where needed. Keeps the lack nice and fresh. Further because I use aluminium frames as well I would also add to make sure layering your entire frame and every aluminium part with for instance WB40, just a light rub will do but covering it, makes sure dirt falls of easier, doesn't cook to the frame that easy, and keeps snow and ice of it. Helps as well. Just don't use it on parts that need paste or grease to function, just any aluminium surface. Last not least always keep it clean and well covered when not used, normal garage temperatures are fine, but somewhere dry, and if possible room temperature even be better. With thin tapes, one can add multiple layers on parts that need extra against rubs. Good riding!

[@robertbotta6536]

Really useful! Thank you.

[@micheljalbert6106]

Great video, tks

[@TheJoePavlik]

Make sure the bike is immaculately clean before applying protective tape or dirt might prevent it from sticking effectively.

[@AdamDempsey]

Nice Marji plate in the background.

[@neilstoddart00001]

thanks Neil, i had never heard about Shelter tape before. found that they are a Swiss outfit, although tape is made in Italy.

[@lewisciddor]

I usually use helicopter tape on the TT and HT. I’ve used electrical tape quite a bit too. Using strips to lay around the front of the HT effectively. It’s also good to wrap around carbon bars to protect from feed bags/handlebar bags etc. Never had any issues with it leaving residue

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

I was surprised how clean it came off. I guess the last time I took it off was maybe a year after install and it became one with my titanium frame.

[@lewisciddor]

Yikes! Do you usually tape carbon bars? What have you used for that?

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

​@@lewisciddor Not typically, maybe a bit of tape where I mount a stem bag but thats it. I've used silicone tape in the past, but now I think I'll be using helicopter tape for most of my needs.

[@EMTBAFV]

That black silicone tape might be good for rim sealing, and looks like it would work for carbon bars grip instead of the gritty lube stuff

[@NoZenith]

Thank you! I've that T-rex tape, super heavy stuff but marketed basically a packing tape. I'm going to stick it on my old bike now and see if it's as bad as gorilla 😬 I just bought a Brompton and there are several notorious where points on that folding bike but I want protected the instant I take out of the box before I get around to finding permanent solutions. I've seen some pretty snazzy carbon fiber or titanium patches that are custom-made for the bike but I got a translucent lacquer finish and I'm not sure what it's going to look like in person

[@buddybestor]

I need to get some of that tape asap!

[@BicycleTouringExplorer]

Thanks just ordered like 3M Helicopter Tape Bike >"Armor Paint Shield Heli Tape"< for my new Soma Saga Disc frameset

[@jeffbrunton3291]

Heli tape bought in bulk beats them all Hairdryer helps with removal

[@R27D]

I use gaff tape or self adhering silicon. Both won’t leave any residue and will come off in minute after years of use. Gaff is $14 for 30 yards and the silicone is $14 for 36 feet. Gaff is lighter that the silicon but can hold water when it gets wet (gaff is cotton based).

[@R27D]

@Spitch Grizwald exactly... “Gaffer tape (also known as gaffer's tape, gaff tape or gaffa tape as well as spike tape for narrow, colored gaffer tape) is a heavy cotton cloth pressure-sensitive tape with strong adhesive and tensile properties. It is widely used in theatre, photography, film, radio and television production, and industrial staging work.”

[@Rene-Hernandez]

Hi Neil - great info! Your channel is great for all things bikepacking! Quick question - so would you say, if you ride a lot, but you're not bikepacking all the time, electrical tape is good as a temporary solution for frame bags and other places where you might get paint rub? Or if you're just doing an occasional S240, you don't really have to worry about paint rub? Just to clarify, I'm just talking about using the electrical tape as a temporary solution in those places where straps cross the frame... otherwise my frame is protected for everyday rides already.

[@davidrowe8747]

Very comprehensive, extremely helpful review (and timely for me - new bike time!). I'm curious why you were so unenthusiastic about the electrical tape - from the review, it seemed to do just fine (and of course, is inexpensive, especially compared to the various specialist frame protection tapes). Is it the look of it that you object to?

[@hoser7706]

Use alcohol hand cleaner to remove sticky residue or ice cubes rubbed on it. Then rub the residue off. Why not just use old inner tubes cut to fit under bag straps or contact points? In my experience the cut tubes hold well and just come right off. No tapingNo zip ties needed. Unless you have none bc you are tubeless and not old like moi. 🤣🤣 But that Silicone Tape looks user friendly and effective Thanks for the great walk-thru!

[@willek1335]

That's a practical tip. I got bunch of these laying around, waiting for me to repair them in the future.

[@paulverweij6348]

I have a black mat frame and did buy some 25mm and 50mm electrical tape and it workt flawless especialy the 50mm, only sad thing the logo's arent visible :( and the screwholes in the frame I just taped over and made a hole in it for the screw after and it works

[@boris3017]

Maybe heat gun works for warming prior pulling.

[@PedroDVC]

A bike is a bike is a bike is a bike... it never retires ;)

[@EMTBAFV]

Frame wrap solution is the same as invisaframes baby oil and water but if you don't have this for any others just use the old tinted window technique tiny bish dish wash liquid in a spray bottle with like warm water and a hair dryer! Heats guns are abit excessive for carbo frame i don't recommend it

[@mramazingtroy]

The best frame protection is plasti dip clear coat and a little helicopter tape on high wear areas. Clean the bike apply the plasti dip spray. Maybe two or three coats depending on the usage of the bike. When dry put helicopter tape on high wear areas. Simples.

[@KillingTimewithStyle]

Great in-depth video. Thanks Neil. Quick question, I know it depends on usage but how often do you change your protective tape? I use the helicopter tape you tested. Have you found it fuses on after a long time?

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Thanks for watching, that’s why I did a test for two months, but beyond that I’m not all that certain. I think it’s a good idea to remove it and replace it maybe every few months just to make sure, but I’ll report back when I remove the Heli tape this winter ;)

[@aardvark102431]

You could also buy a ti frame and just don't have to worry about anything ;)

[@shawneetree1440]

I watch for the ads where Neil is riding the Zwift trainer.

[@CMG78]

while it may make one cringe just tape off the rub areas and apply spray on bed liner it may not look pretty but it will protect your frame like nothing else.

[@EMTBAFV]

Shelter tape was good but at 1.2mm that's way to thick for a bike frame maybe a 0.07/0.08mm thickness would be much better for that type of gel tape

[@NateEklund]

The sunglasses Neil. The sunglasses.

[@aka_22722]

Thank you, Neil, for this video, very helpful! Is there a reason why you focus on protecting the areas where the bag touches the frame, but not those areas, where the bag straps go around the frame? I can imagine that those regions are exposed to intensive friction, too. Thanks.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Thanks for watching, Axel. In this case the bag is a bolt on bag, with no straps. If I did this video with a bag that has straps, I would certainly wrap around that area of the frame where the straps sit and maybe a bit more on each side to account for a bit of strap movement. Those regions are high wear areas, so it's important to wrap them.

[@MatthewMabborang]

I wonder if you can also use duck tape to protect the frame of your bike? Is it possible? 🤔

[@troycarpenter3675]

Time for a trim Bro!

[@NoZenith]

That is a better quality electrical tape probably I bought some cheap stuff once and I learned my lesson. Always get the actual graded stuff (there is more than one type) because the adhesive and the cheaper stuff gets all Gummy and disgusting and it's impossible to get off without a lot of extra work

[@kathardt-holoch4361]

Rubbing alcohol applied with a cotton ball is the best way to remove the sticky adhesive residue. Takes the glue right off!

[@markherriott2436]

Has anyone tried using handlebar tape wrapped at strategic points? It seems its padded, can be cut to lengths, wrapped around the frame and sealed with electric insulation tape and would come off easily and could be reapplied to different bikes as and when needed. I was thinking of giving it a try for my first ever bikepacking trip this year. There are cheap versions and bike shops may even give used tape away free. However, for those keen on aesthetics, there is lots of colour choice.

[@miklosradics920]

I'm thinking about using handlebar tape on my carbon frame too. Have you tried using it? Do you have any suggestions for the installation?

[@reiddryden9805]

Eucalyptus oil is sooo good at taking glues off surfaces. Use straight

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Great to know, thanks!

[@sitoudien9816]

So every trip you have to apply and remove your tape. So much fun?

[@nomap2161]

No. I leave my tape on even when the bags are off. Only reason to remove it is if you care about aesthetics when the bags are off. With clear tape it's less noticeable. I think Neil took it off to show it's durability and ease/difficulty taking it off afterwards.

[@kc3718]

dude you knows what's what.

[@falcoperegrinus82]

Will the helicopter tape stick to a frame with a matte finish?

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Yes.

[@saintless]

Damnit Neil... now I want pizza.

[@rah4981]

Why go trough all this trouble and messing about with different types of tape and such? I just glue my bikepacking bags to my bike with superglue. The best ever, no more scratches to my precious bike.

[@SwissCheese707]

Are we talking about structural damage here or just aesthetics?

[@jimmccorison]

Really great content, but your overuse of the words basically and essentially gets distracting. OTH, maybe it's only me. But in any case, I really enjoy your videos.

[@davidrowe8747]

I think "really" is an overused word, too. ;-)

[@DM-hw4cr]

Gorilla Tape