We’ve been using customized stickers for several years to label the wheels and bikes (among other things…Tyler’s coffee mug!) we have on test to allow us to keep track of things both when racing and when traveling with friends. We started with custom-cut vinyl decals, but progressed just over a year ago to the Pro Name Bike Stickers from Pegatin that let us pick our nation’s flag and then add customizable names. The simple, single color vinyl left a lot of exposed edges, so tended not to survive for so long on things like wheels and helmets, so we were curious to see how Pegatin’s affordable one-piece decal would hold up over the long term. Just past the break with us to see how the survived…
We opted for Pegatin’s Pro sticker pack, which at 20€ gives you one sheet with 5 white and 5 black decals all on a clear background (with free shipping). The mix worked well on either carbon or light colored frames and items.
We’ve been placing the decals in harms way, primarily on cyclocross bikes and wheels and have been very pleased with their durability. Compared to the cut vinyl they seem to hold up better, especially when pressure washers are involved. While the decals work best on flat smooth stretches, we’ve even experimented a bit with trimming them to fit in between 32 spoke aluminum box section rims (like in the top photo.) After a year and a half of the aluminum rims which have been raced through two cross seasons (and the requisite pressure washing), only one small edge has started to show any sign of delamination.
When we didn’t mess with decal, and applied the single piece clear sticker on clean and smooth surfaces like mid to deep section rims and both metal or carbon frame tubing, we’ve had nothing but good experiences. The Pegatin decals have served us well over the last year, and as a new bikes and wheels come in, we won’t hesitate to purchase our next set.
