Stupid question about bar tape wrapping

[Tangled Metal]

Admission here, I've never wrapped any bar tape. Tried as a kid and got bored so found my dad had done it. Somehow my tape have always lasted a very long time.

Now I need a new tape on my bike. Any tips?

I've heard of gel pads and double wrapping for comfort. Any good? I've got the history of a 2nd metacarpel break on one hand so that feels road badly.

Not sure about wrapping around the brake hoods. Start from the middle right? Also read about a method stating from hoods going both ways iirc.

Are bar tapes supplied long enough for all sizes of bars?

Which bar tape make and model do you recommend?

Any tips to improve padding for my knuckle where it was broken? Gloves rarely pad out in the right place so thinking bar wrap solution instead.

[reohn2]

I use Bontrager BarGel tape but BBB is good cheap tape,FiZiK gel pads are good quality.
Bar wrapping video here:- https://youtu.be/w8PqH7bltJQ
NOTE which way he's wrapping the tape in video,as it means when you're riding the tape tightens onto the 'bars with the natural hand twisting grip on the 'bars,whereas wrapped the opposite way means twisting pressure will loosen the wrap and unravel the tape.

[Cyclewala]

When I changed the tape on my road bike, I wrapped old inner tubes underneath. The bars were comfy enough beforehand and became even more so after. Only issue is that bars become very wide and small hands may not like them. I'm unaffected as I have big hands.

I think I used Cinelli cork tape. It's good for riding with no mitts as the cork soaks up sweat so avoids hand slippage.

[Tangled Metal]

Anyone try double wrapping?

[fausto99]

Anyone try double wrapping?

Yes. I do it every time now that I'm older and my hands are less self-cushioned. It looks a bit clunky but comfort before looks is my motto . I'll be trying gel next time. Am on the lookout for some - not at silly prices.

Wrap from the ends to the middle if you want the normal hand actions to not loosen the tape. Wrap from the middle, if you must, to avoid (adhesive) taping the middle. Choose your compromise.

I don't ever cycles without gloves or mitts either as I like to keep the skin on my palms if I fall (it has been known) - I once had to stop suddenly, while virtually at a standstill. I put my hand out to break my fall. There was a broken flint. My hand landed on it. It cut through one whole layer of my leather, crochet back mitts. Never reached my hand but lesson learned.

[Audax67]

I can never remember if you start on the outside & wrap over the bar towards the inside, or vice versa - I always have to look at the old tape first. If I unwrap both sides first I'm shunkied.

Re sticky tape at start/ends, make it all black and Lady Catherine de Bourgh will never know the difference.

[Brucey]

….. it means when you're riding the tape tightens onto the 'bars with the natural hand twisting grip on the 'bars,whereas wrapped the opposite way means twisting pressure will loosen the wrap and unravel the tape.

is there any such thing as 'a natural hand twisting grip' on the handlebars?

I can't say I have ever noticed one. If there were such a thing it would presumably mean that it would be necessary to wind the tape on the drops in the reverse direction to the tops. I don't think I've ever seen anyone do that.

FWIW the type of tape makes quite a difference to what sort of wrapping strategy you can/should use; quite a lot of tapes are pretty flimsy and won't take a tight wrap.

cheers

[reohn2]

I can never remember if you start on the outside & wrap over the bar towards the inside, or vice versa - I always have to look at the old tape first. If I unwrap both sides first I'm shunkied.

It's dead simple,standing by the side of the bike you start the wrap over the top of the bars and away from you

Re sticky tape at start/ends, make it all black and Lady Catherine de Bourgh will never know the difference.

You can make it colourful and personal with two or more colours of electrical tape over lapping each other

[andrew_s]

is there any such thing as 'a natural hand twisting grip' on the handlebars?

I can't say I have ever noticed one. If there were such a thing it would presumably mean that it would be necessary to wind the tape on the drops in the reverse direction to the tops. I don't think I've ever seen anyone do that.

I do it.
It's easy enough to wrap the lever hoods so as to reverse the wrap.

I wrap so both the palm pushing down on the outside of the drop, and the palm pushing down on the outside of the ramp (i.e behind the lever hoods) act to tighten the wrap (up the inside, down the outside). It means the tops get up front, down back, which could be viewed as prone to causing unwrap, but you can't have everything, and I've never been bothered by top loosening.

[andrew_s]

Lady Catherine de Bourgh will never know the difference.

Where did Lady Catherine come across handlebar tape, and with whom?
It can't have been Kirkpatrick McMillan, as he was in Scotland and Lady Catherine in Kent

[Tangled Metal]

Anyone try double wrapping?

Yes. I do it every time now that I'm older and my hands are less self-cushioned. It looks a bit clunky but comfort before looks is my motto . I'll be trying gel next time. Am on the lookout for some - not at silly prices.

Wrap from the ends to the middle if you want the normal hand actions to not loosen the tape. Wrap from the middle, if you must, to avoid (adhesive) taping the middle. Choose your compromise.

I don't ever cycles without gloves or mitts either as I like to keep the skin on my palms if I fall (it has been known) - I once had to stop suddenly, while virtually at a standstill. I put my hand out to break my fall. There was a broken flint. My hand landed on it. It cut through one whole layer of my leather, crochet back mitts. Never reached my hand but lesson learned.

Once had the skin over my whole palm come off in one piece, hanging on by two edges. Over the next 2 weeks it simply flaked away. Not a cycling fall but a climbing injury when a boulder hit the hand I was hanging off. The rock handheld took it off. The resulting knuckle break is why I'm anxious to get the bar tape right.

Fortunately I usually manage riding for over 45 minutes before numb hands. My commute is 26 to 30 minutes so it's not usually an issue.

[Tangled Metal]

I once read something about wrapping different directions on the drops and the tops. Something about folding the tape length and wrapping first one way from the hoods then with the other side go the other way wrapping the other way around the bars.

Something like that at least. I've no idea if that works or is worth doing.

[Tangled Metal]

So which tape is your preference? If double wrapping do you use two different makes for the two layers? Also if double wrapping would you wrap the inner layer the opposite way round?

[peetee]

I start with the short section of tape and wrap it over the lever band securing the ends with electrical tape. Next I start at the end of the bar, on the top side and wrap inwards. I don't do an x-shape cross over at the brake lever as some tapes are too short. Also this means the tape comes over the bar to face backwards at the end. Trim it with a diagonal cut so it ends square to the bar and under it. Have a bit of electrical tape handy to hold it down as some of the trim strips provided dont take to being stretched out of shape - which is unavoidable with padded tape. Wrapping this way prevents the tape from curling at the edge if you spend a lot of time riding on the hoods.

[Tangled Metal]

I only ride on drops and hoods, never on the tops. Would there be any good reason to stop wrapping early leaving the top to have more bar real estate for lights and GPSs?