$294.75 for a set of 5. No way Jose.

[Allan]

That's the current price for a set of 5, before shipping!
This is a rim flap cut from he outside diameter of 13" car tube, given away by the tyre shop we have do all our farm tyres.

13" tubes are becoming rarity these days, so yesterday I explored an alternative. This is a liner cut from a new $8 bicycle inner tube.

That's $40 for a set.

These rim liners are a snap fit on the rim. They go on before the tyre, so never interfere with fitting the tyre.

They are compeely re-usable, leaving no clean-up to do.

They never get out of place during tyre fitting.They don't
crease or migrate around the tube in use.

They should be readily available from your local bike shop, so no shipping charges applicable.

They make no considerable weight and balance difficulties.

What is not to like about them?

Alan from down under.

[Allan]

I missed a couple of details. The price advised was for a set of new flaps. The bicycle tubes were for 24" wheels to get the firm fit.

Allan from down under.

[John.Zibell]

In my opinion, you only need flaps for split rim applications. Rim liners should be fine for clinchers and wire wheels. I have many years of motorcycle experience and we use liners for spoke wheels and nothing with mag or tubeless wheels.

[BHarper]

Hmm.
I thought that rim flaps and rim liners were two entirely different things with entirely different purposes and applications.

And some folks judge rim flaps to be superfluous and entirely unnecessary.

I'm a parsimonious fellow and do appreciate a cost effective alternative, when appropriate.

I've been involved with the Model T only since 1967, so what do I know?
My opinion is worth exactly what you paid for it, possibly less.

Y'all have a good day. Bill.

[Susanne]

I thought first it was $60 a rim, and I was sauing sign me up. Flaps are kind of specialized nowadays, but still 60 each is steep. For rim strips? You GOTTA be kidding....

[Allan]

John, your opinion is spot on. n A rim liner like those I made would not be easy to keep in place when fitting a tyre. A flap is fitted in the tyre first, so the sliding join in the rim has no effect. When fitted, the flap protects the tube from any irregularities in the join. The same applies to flat based rims with lockrings as used on heavy vehicles. Flaps are made for these applications.

Allan from down under.

[Allan]

Bill, you are correct. Flaps and rim liners are two different beasts, but they do serve the same purpose, protecting the tube from irregularities in the rim, be it rust flakes, rim joins, spoke ends whatever.

However each has its own application. Those expensive flaps are meant to be used on split rims and lock ring type rims on heavy vehicles. In this application the tube and flap are fitted in the tyre and the whole assembly dropped onto the rim as a unit.

On 26-7 Ford wire wheels a narrow rim liner is used to protect the tube from irregularities in the electric welds attaching the spokes to the rim. Henry did not fit rim liners on the clincher rims, there being no need for them on smooth, new rims. On our somewhat compromised used rims, the protection offered by a rim liner will keep the tube isolated from any irregularities or rust flakes, or spoke nipples on laced wire wheels.

Some fit the heavy flaps in clincher tyres. Usually it is claimed to protect the tube when levering tyres onto the rims. To me they are a very expensive insurance policy against clumsy or incorrect fitting methods. Like you, I am somewhat parsimonious, so the 13" tubes are my -go to solution.

Others will disagree, but that is OK.

Allan from down under.