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Re: Handlebar Tape

Posted: 15 Feb 2019, 4:38pm
by hondated
Anyone else use a small flame to seal the piece of tape that you lay on the end of the bar tape :wink:

Re: Handlebar Tape

Posted: 15 Feb 2019, 4:52pm
by foxyrider
hondated wrote:Anyone else use a small flame to seal the piece of tape that you lay on the end of the bar tape :wink:


That was supposedly a thing with 'Celotape', never did get it to work :roll:

Re: Handlebar Tape

Posted: 15 Feb 2019, 6:15pm
by RickH
Park Tools, as is often the case, have a useful guide to wrapping drop bars (link).

Re: Handlebar Tape

Posted: 15 Feb 2019, 6:17pm
by londonbikerider
Am I the only one that is fine with the humble "black cork" tape for £6-7 every couple of years, without going in spending £25-40 in fancy bar tape twice a year?
What I like about the usual "cork" type is that does not have top layers, so can wear down a bit without being too tatty. Also it can be repositioned, which helps when in need to replace a gear or brake cable housing.
I finish at the top, a bit of electrical tape is all but a deal breaker for me.

Re: Handlebar Tape

Posted: 15 Feb 2019, 6:28pm
by alexnharvey
Any black cork tape or deda?

Re: Handlebar Tape

Posted: 15 Feb 2019, 7:31pm
by MikeF
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.
I think you're right. Drops look OK.

Re: Handlebar Tape

Posted: 15 Feb 2019, 7:55pm
by Brucey
the 'new' tape in the OPs upper photo is also wound bottom to top. You can tell this is the case because the logo on the bar tape is always the same distance from one edge of the bar tape only. It would be impossible to wind the top section top to bottom and have the tape looking like that.

cheers

Re: Handlebar Tape

Posted: 15 Feb 2019, 8:31pm
by andrew_s
mjr wrote:
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!


I wrap end to centre, front/up, rear/down (on the tops).
I most commonly ride on the section just behind the levers, and find that the resulting tendency to push down on the outside (which equates to down on the rear of the top flat section) has a more pronounced tightening tendency than I get loosening when on the tops, where there isn't much weight on the bar.

Back on topic, I'm also currently using Lizardskin tape, and have a similar, but less extensive, worn patch just behind the lever hoods after about 16 months/8000 miles. I don't wear gloves except when required to stop the hands getting too cold (I'm generally OK down to 5°), so it can't be blamed entirely on gloves. I did take care not to stretch the tape when fitting it, having read the instructions.
If I get round to it, I'll remove and refit the tape, swapping it round so what was the bar end end becomes the centre end (always assuming that it comes off OK).

Re: Handlebar Tape

Posted: 15 Feb 2019, 8:38pm
by NATURAL ANKLING
Hi,
Use some "Tesa" tape (cloth self adhesive wire harness / loom tape) 19 mm I find ideal width, instead of that nasty gloss pvc tape.
Cut final end at an angle under bars, though stuck to its self sticks like glue, very secure.
Ideal also for building up a small shortfall of accessory clamps to bars for light brackets etc, won't slip either.
Also buy some 10 mm double sided tape and back the bar tape if its not self adhesive.
Wrap it dry to see the correct sort of bind closeness, count the wraps to the hoods and on to top, make a note when doing the stick down.
Also if you wrap on to one side of the hood so the tape finishes horizontal, cut here and start on the other side of hood horizontal and continue to wrap with no gaps and no extra tape which is sometimes bulky.
When finishing at top after cutting the tape at an angle to finish nice and straight with no bulk, add a short piece of 10 mm double sided tape to angle cut (apply to bar tape) , also when you start on the bar ends if not tucked in (do those push in bungs actually stay put) use double sided tape here too.

Re: Handlebar Tape

Posted: 15 Feb 2019, 8:45pm
by MikeF
David9694 wrote: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.
It maybe your set up, but don't start moving the saddle forward as this will increase the weight on your hands. If anything move the saddle backwards to decrease the weight put on the bars (and tape). If you then can't reach the bars use a shorter stem.

Re: Handlebar Tape

Posted: 15 Feb 2019, 9:01pm
by NATURAL ANKLING
Hi,
Whatever you do don't move the saddle fore / aft / up or down unless you have a problem with your bottom half of body fit.

Problem with bars..........move them, change that!

Re: Handlebar Tape

Posted: 16 Feb 2019, 2:16am
by scottg
londonbikerider wrote:Am I the only one that is fine with the humble "black cork" tape for £6-7 every couple of years, without going in spending £25-40 in fancy bar tape twice a year?[snip]


Won't pay 6 quid for tape that only lasts a couple years, what a waste. :wink:
2£ for a couple rolls on ancient stock Cateye cloth is good, shellac it
well and it should last till you're tired of looking at it.

Re: Handlebar Tape

Posted: 16 Feb 2019, 7:31pm
by mattsccm
I bet its mostly crap tape with many little things adding to it

Re: Handlebar Tape

Posted: 16 Feb 2019, 7:47pm
by willcee
I must have wrapped hundreds of bars, bottom to top always, all sorts of tapes, all types,qualities and prices have been supplied and used..Experience in taping some of this exotic stuff is essential to get something you can look at and say thats the ticket, couple of years or more ago i was doing quite a lot of taping for clubmen, one a good customer, and friend, now departed this earth had trialled for me China black tape, no adhesive, wide and very tactile and quite strong and stretched well. it went on the best i had ever seen, was smooth grippy soft thick and never moved because you could lace it up tight, they appeared like locusts to have their bars done and raved about it... it cost me 2 quid or less a bar set... like others i use double sided tape at the start and the finish and then good quality electrical wrap at the stem area.. Lizards stuff is high priced crap.. many others as well, you cannot get a neat job unless you have some stretch and strength imo and much of this expensive new kit lacks both.. will

Re: Handlebar Tape

Posted: 17 Feb 2019, 2:11pm
by hondated
RickH wrote:Park Tools, as is often the case, have a useful guide to wrapping drop bars (link).

I used that Rick to re tape my bars and thats where I learnt about using a flame to seal the tape. :)

Took me some time to get in my head how to mark and taper at the end. :wink: