Went down this morning to find the protector loose and curling upwards at the end of the last wheel I put it on.
This is really really stupid. Why the hell would the manufacturer do something so dumb as to wind the protector strips the wrong way? I'm no expert, but even I knew something like this was going to happen. For it to happen on the final wheel (where the inner-most part of the protector strip spool is used, with the tightest winding radius) is just so obvious. Sometimes, these china manufacturers piss me off so much - they go 95% of the way towards an amazing product and then do something really dumb to screw up the last 5%.
To be clear, the issue is as I said last night:
The protector strip didn't have a chance to adhere properly, because the memory affect of the incorrect winding literally pulled it off the wheel while I slept.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if the protector that came off on the highway for the two users that told me was also the last wheel to be put on (where the radius is the smallest and memory effect the greatest).
I guess the workaround is to re-wind the protectors the correct way, and then leave it a few days (perhaps in some heated area) to reverse the memory effect. But, that is pretty crazy to have to do.
Anyway, my verdict on the LF ones is NO. Not a good design.
The question is are the Kabis ones we are talking about any better? For a start - are they wound the correct (adhesive strip innermost, just like they would go on the rim) way? Or, perhaps is the material softer so this would not be an issue?
This is really really stupid. Why the hell would the manufacturer do something so dumb as to wind the protector strips the wrong way? I'm no expert, but even I knew something like this was going to happen. For it to happen on the final wheel (where the inner-most part of the protector strip spool is used, with the tightest winding radius) is just so obvious. Sometimes, these china manufacturers piss me off so much - they go 95% of the way towards an amazing product and then do something really dumb to screw up the last 5%.
To be clear, the issue is as I said last night:
The manufacturer wound the protectors the wrong way. I know red-tape outwards looks the best, and may be easiest to wind, but it is the opposite to how it goes on the rims, and the plastic has a memory effect to make it try to pull off the rim. It makes it much harder to apply.
The protector strip didn't have a chance to adhere properly, because the memory affect of the incorrect winding literally pulled it off the wheel while I slept.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if the protector that came off on the highway for the two users that told me was also the last wheel to be put on (where the radius is the smallest and memory effect the greatest).
I guess the workaround is to re-wind the protectors the correct way, and then leave it a few days (perhaps in some heated area) to reverse the memory effect. But, that is pretty crazy to have to do.
Anyway, my verdict on the LF ones is NO. Not a good design.
The question is are the Kabis ones we are talking about any better? For a start - are they wound the correct (adhesive strip innermost, just like they would go on the rim) way? Or, perhaps is the material softer so this would not be an issue?