Handlebar Tape

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foxyrider
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Re: Handlebar Tape

Post by foxyrider »

Mick F wrote:
Vetus Ossa wrote:
philvantwo wrote:Well the tape in the top photo has been put on backwards!


I disagree

I agree and disagree.
The drops are correct, but the tops are wrong.
It looks like the drops and the tops have been wrapped separately.


Not seeing that, it's all bottom to top wound although the tops are not very well done. The wear pattern is conducive to an overly grippy palm those gloves are for an ATB so it's not too surprising.
Convention? what's that then?
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Handlebar Tape

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
You don’t need grippy gloves with grippy tape.
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Cube Rider
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Re: Handlebar Tape

Post by Cube Rider »

Guy's the worn tape in the photo I believe was Fizik, so over two years and 3,500 miles I'm on the third the Lizard Skin fitted today, shall see how this goes.

The gloves are to keep my hands a bit warmer during the winter rides.

Interesting comment about been put on backwards then the next reader disagreeing, my local bike shop fitted the last two tapes and obviously Cube the original.
I replaced the Cube tape because several of the 'coils' moved exposing the black bars, the Fizik tape as can be seen in the picture was replace having worn through to the white under tape.

I though about fitting the tape myself but after watching numerous Utube videos I was left confused has as many showed starting at the bar ends as did starting at the bar top????
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Handlebar Tape

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Start at the bar ends !
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
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Vetus Ossa
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Re: Handlebar Tape

Post by Vetus Ossa »

I think most start at the bar ends. Some wind inwards and some out. I'm not sure it really matters which way you wind.
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PT1029
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Re: Handlebar Tape

Post by PT1029 »

Yes, start the bar tape at the bottom and work to the stem clamp.
However, on the top section wrap so on the way up, you are coming up behind the bars, and then down the front. The pressure/friction of your hands on the tape tends to tighten in. If you wrap coming up at the front, down at the back, pressure/friction tends to loosen/unravel the tape. It is easy to inadvetently reverse the way you are winding round the bars when you wrap at the brake lever.
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foxyrider
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Re: Handlebar Tape

Post by foxyrider »

Cube Rider wrote:Guy's the worn tape in the photo I believe was Fizik, so over two years and 3,500 miles I'm on the third the Lizard Skin fitted today, shall see how this goes.

The gloves are to keep my hands a bit warmer during the winter rides.


Most of us wear long fingered gloves in winter or even spring/autumn. There is however a difference between warm gloves and ATB gloves.

ATB gloves like your cubes are thinner and will usually have a very grippy palm and even inner fingers to better grip the rubber grips and brake levers. Road gloves may or may not have palm padding but otherwise don't have extra grip. It's important to know what you are buying, sometimes the road and ATB gloves look very similar.

I'm off out in a few with my ski gloves on, it's only just above zero here still! The bar tape on this bike is @ 5K miles into its life, grubby (it's white) but not abraded!
Convention? what's that then?
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Cube Rider
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Re: Handlebar Tape

Post by Cube Rider »

Hi Foxyrider, you must have read my mind as I was just about to ask, " What is the difference between ATB and road bike gloves?" I visited Chain Reaction to view men's road bike gloves and they look no difference?
I'm currently in Spain and at this time of the year the evenings, nights and morning are very cold, I don't feel the need to wear thicker padded gloves.

When riding I try and hold the bars on the tops as wide as possible for maximum control and move to the area above the hoods for braking and gear changing so to spread and tape wear.

I own and ride two bikes both Cubes in addition to the Agree I also have an AMS 130 Pro.
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Brucey
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Re: Handlebar Tape

Post by Brucey »

Vetus Ossa wrote:I think most start at the bar ends. Some wind inwards and some out. I'm not sure it really matters which way you wind.


I think you can do a good job either way, but not with every tape and not with every end plug. I will happily tape bars from top to bottom, but only if the tape itself is both tough and can be wound on with a fair amount of tension in it. If these things don't apply then the turns on the bends/ramps can ruck up and/or move.


One of the reasons why I might choose to tape top to bottom is that I can concentrate on taping the most used parts of the handlebar the way I want, and the least used part of the bar (for me the drops) can have the pitch of the tape varied as needs be so that there is little or no wasteage. I reckon this approach usually results in about 20% more tape turns on the tops and the ramps (i.e. where you really need it), it vs taping from the bottom to the top.

However if the tape is soft, not very sticky, and/or won't take stretching when applied, bottom to top is your only choice.

Note also that the rubbishy (usually shiny plastic) end plugs supplied with most bar tape are only suitable for bottom to top taping; for top to bottom taping better plugs than that are mandatory.

cheers
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David9694
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Re: Handlebar Tape

Post by David9694 »

This could be your set up - the tops ought to be near enough level and the hoods set so you can reach them comfortably. The whole thing may be too long or too low for you - I.e. shift the saddle forward. Conider a riser stem.

Unless the OEM tape is really poor and your gloves are made from emery, the damage to the tape must be caused by excessive hand movement possibly with too much weight being pushed forward - e.g. the “shock” from pedalling shouldn’t be getting pushed up through your arms.
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9494arnold
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Re: Handlebar Tape

Post by 9494arnold »

I agree the top of the bars in the first photo is taped backwards.
The open edge of the tape is pointing towards the rider , when you lean forward and hold/ rest on the bars you will always be pushing forward with your hands,and you will probably reach for brakes (and gears if they are STI or similar) or even just moving your hand round on the tops, so you will be rolling that open edge forward every time you do that which will induce more wear (I think) and if you do ride without gloves it will abraid your hands . Taped the other way you tend to smooth the open edge down with the same actions. Some tape doesn't have adhesive (older cloth style) so it's important you at least think about this. The drops aren't so critical, you generally get hold on of them and don't move your hands around .
Brucey
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Re: Handlebar Tape

Post by Brucey »

9494arnold wrote:I agree the top of the bars in the first photo is taped backwards.
The open edge of the tape is pointing towards the rider....


In the first photo it is wound from the bottom to the top, and it has worn through because it is soft tape, not because it has moved or rucked up. Gloves may have helped it on its way.

cheers
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mjr
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Re: Handlebar Tape

Post by mjr »

PT1029 wrote:Yes, start the bar tape at the bottom and work to the stem clamp.
However, on the top section wrap so on the way up, you are coming up behind the bars, and then down the front. The pressure/friction of your hands on the tape tends to tighten in. If you wrap coming up at the front, down at the back, pressure/friction tends to loosen/unravel the tape. It is easy to inadvetently reverse the way you are winding round the bars when you wrap at the brake lever.

What are people's favourite ways to wrap past the brake levers? I seem to end up differently consecutive times and have to concentrate not to end up with two different styles on the same bike!
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9494arnold
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Re: Handlebar Tape

Post by 9494arnold »

:oops: I retract my last comment having had the blindingly obvious pointed out to me. Must get these glasses serviced (cleaned?) . In my defence I am doing this on the phone.
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foxyrider
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Re: Handlebar Tape

Post by foxyrider »

mjr wrote:What are people's favourite ways to wrap past the brake levers? I seem to end up differently consecutive times and have to concentrate not to end up with two different styles on the same bike!


Two parts to the job.

First is to trim the clamp strip to size and using the brake hood to hold it, put it in place.

Next is to wind the tape first around the bottom of the lever body then around the back and over the top, overlapping the infill piece as you go before continuing to wrap the upper part of the bars.

You can be quite frugal on the lower bar which will give you plenty to tighter wrap the upper bar for extra cushioning.

Takes a bit of practice but i've been doing it like this for 40 plus years since I stopped using cloth tape, I don't get gaps and can even manage a two colour wrap (swapping rolls at the brake lever).

DSCN5267.JPG


My 'Battenburg' tape!
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
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