any pointers? any links to really good vids on how to do this?
thanks!
thanks!
First attempt at new bar tape
- Thread starter proglife
- Start date
I just use electical tape and a strip of carpet padding.
I was thinking Berber would look pretty sharp.
gotta go for the deep shag, better padding
I ordered Fizik gel for the padding and some white bar tape for the fast. I'm just looking to the internet for hand holding and cheerleading.
All kidding aside I've only done this once and was pretty successful. No major tips I just looked at how it was done in the first place and tried to duplicate. Did one side at a time so I had always had a reference with the other side of the bars.
Think I used this for some guidance.
http://www.bicycling.com/article/1,6610,s1-5-28-14639-1,00.html
Think I used this for some guidance.
http://www.bicycling.com/article/1,6610,s1-5-28-14639-1,00.html
Park site has pics: http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=71
Who are you and what did you do with Westy.
I have done a few bars it isn't hard just work slowly and make sure you don't over lap to much or to little.
Second the Park site.
I'm absolutely terrible at it. Well, not *terrible,* I just prefer not doing it myself. It's only recently that I've done my own, and to this point I think it's been like 3 bars or something, not a lot. I miss having a guy to do all my stuff...
That said, I'm usually better when I have a wrapped bar to go off of.
I'm absolutely terrible at it. Well, not *terrible,* I just prefer not doing it myself. It's only recently that I've done my own, and to this point I think it's been like 3 bars or something, not a lot. I miss having a guy to do all my stuff...
That said, I'm usually better when I have a wrapped bar to go off of.
cool, thanks people. I'll take a picture of my FAIL
I regularly tape 6-10 bikes a day. I'm still never 100% happy with each one. Some days (Fridays 
) I might re-tape all 14 team bikes.
My preferences (and the riders I work for) have gone toward synthetic leathers lately, Sram Light Tape or Fizik tape.
Best tips-
As tight and even as you can go.
Stick a cut piece of tape over the lever clamp.
Have your finishing tape cut and at the ready, and a nice sharp blade in you mouth ready to cut the taper on the end of the tape.
honestly though, as long as the wrap is tight, messing up isn't that important.
) I might re-tape all 14 team bikes. My preferences (and the riders I work for) have gone toward synthetic leathers lately, Sram Light Tape or Fizik tape.
Best tips-
As tight and even as you can go.
Stick a cut piece of tape over the lever clamp.
Have your finishing tape cut and at the ready, and a nice sharp blade in you mouth ready to cut the taper on the end of the tape.
honestly though, as long as the wrap is tight, messing up isn't that important.
Oh, and I ALWAYS cut the taper the wrong way. My bars look like they have tumors on either side of the stem clamp.I regularly tape 6-10 bikes a day. I'm still never 100% happy with each one. Some days (Fridays
My preferences (and the riders I work for) have gone toward synthetic leathers lately, Sram Light Tape or Fizik tape.
Best tips-
As tight and even as you can go.
Stick a cut piece of tape over the lever clamp.
Have your finishing tape cut and at the ready, and a nice sharp blade in you mouth ready to cut the taper on the end of the tape.
honestly though, as long as the wrap is tight, messing up isn't that important.
thanks for the suggestions
is the Fizik tape fragile?Park Tool said:
is the Fizik tape short? Should I be concerned with what they're saying there?Park Tool said:
I get the impression you are double wrapping or something? You aren't going to rip or tear tape unless you are a complete dunderhead. It will be long enough, just make sure not to overlap too much at the beginning, as the Park site states.
Just take your time and go slow. Except for cutting it, just about everything else can be undone...
Just take your time and go slow. Except for cutting it, just about everything else can be undone...
what's giving you that impression? I don't even know what double wrapping is.
My first bit of advice: do not wait until 1am before a race to wrap bars. No fun.
Second, I usually spread the tape wrap as wide as possible on the bottom, then tighter around the bends, then wide again at the top.
Also, if you use wide bars, you need to spread the tape wrap as much as possible to cover the entire bar. With chick bars, I usually have plenty left over...
Second, I usually spread the tape wrap as wide as possible on the bottom, then tighter around the bends, then wide again at the top.
Also, if you use wide bars, you need to spread the tape wrap as much as possible to cover the entire bar. With chick bars, I usually have plenty left over...
I *think* the gel stuff I ordered goes under the tape. I had some mildly numb hands last year, so I'm hoping this might help a little...or at the least, be extra comfy.
That makes for a fat bar. (Nothing wrong with if that is what you like.)
My tips -- Just wrap it once and see how it goes. Unless you get lucky, you're probably going to end up doing each more than once. Hitting the shifters just right so your not wasting a bunch of tape takes a little trail and error. If it has sticky on the backside, try it first without it.
Loco's tip -- wrap it the way you twist on the bars so it stays put longer.
My tips -- Just wrap it once and see how it goes. Unless you get lucky, you're probably going to end up doing each more than once. Hitting the shifters just right so your not wasting a bunch of tape takes a little trail and error. If it has sticky on the backside, try it first without it.
Loco's tip -- wrap it the way you twist on the bars so it stays put longer.
I stopped using the strip behind the lever clamp. I don't really care if the band is showing...I don't like the hump. See?
I use a strip of cork tape under the tape that wraps the top of the bar. It's thick enough to provide some cush, but thin enough to maintain the shape of the bar.
Arundel Gecko Tape is the ****.
I use a strip of cork tape under the tape that wraps the top of the bar. It's thick enough to provide some cush, but thin enough to maintain the shape of the bar.
Arundel Gecko Tape is the ****.
I do the lot of electrical tape. That way I have extra tape if I need it for something.
I don't have any tips, as the stella eleganza I use has to wrap inside instead of out to flip to roll back on the tops, so I stopped giving advice since people can't believe you'd ever need to do something different. The real tip is to always finish rolling front to back as everyone pulls on the bars in a climbing position. I use electrical tape, but I am using clear scotch tape and finishing tape some days. I also don't use the short pieces. Sram and campy make clean wraps a pain in the ass. I ride sram and hate wrapping my bars. Perforated tapes kick ass.
Lots of good tips here. Going slow and being patient give the best results. If you mess up or don't like the feel, redo it before you tape it all down. The tip about not doing it at 1am is helpful- last wrap I did was at around then after a few beers. I realized at the end I routed the right lever to the front brake. Had to pretty much redo the whole thing. I am retarded.
I always use electrical tape at the ends. The finishing tape, in my experience, doesn't hold as well and there's not enough of it if you are like me and keep the same wrap on your bars until it dies. I use Fizik tape and find it easy to wrap with because it is thin and is very tough to rip by pulling on it hard- I like the feel and installation better than Cinelli and other cork tapes I've used. I used black for a while, but switched to silver Fizik tape. I like the looks but find it to be significantly more slippery than the black. Wish I had known that before I bought it.
I always use electrical tape at the ends. The finishing tape, in my experience, doesn't hold as well and there's not enough of it if you are like me and keep the same wrap on your bars until it dies. I use Fizik tape and find it easy to wrap with because it is thin and is very tough to rip by pulling on it hard- I like the feel and installation better than Cinelli and other cork tapes I've used. I used black for a while, but switched to silver Fizik tape. I like the looks but find it to be significantly more slippery than the black. Wish I had known that before I bought it.
tonight's the big night...
So i just need the bar tape, a razor and some electrical tape?
So i just need the bar tape, a razor and some electrical tape?
Mentioning beer in that list is like mentioning being awake and having opposable thumbs
I guess I did OK for my first time. The bar plug end wasn't exactly perfect and I had to use too much electrical tape on the top, but overall not too bad.
I couldn't get that extra piece to stick to the back of the hood clamp to save my life! I also didn't use the Fizik Gel. I put them on the bars and by the time I'd get to them, they were already peeling off. Didn't seem like a good idea to leave them in there if they wanted to come off that bad.
I couldn't get that extra piece to stick to the back of the hood clamp to save my life! I also didn't use the Fizik Gel. I put them on the bars and by the time I'd get to them, they were already peeling off. Didn't seem like a good idea to leave them in there if they wanted to come off that bad.
What kind of beer did you drink.
Vodka. It was a long winter of drinking whatever beer I wanted (if it said "Imperial" in front of it, even better). Don't want my gut knocking my knees when I get out there.
Yeah, usually the little piece behind the shifter doesn't stick on. I usually hold it in place with one hand and wrap with the other.
Wrap some duct tape around your pump. I can't tell you how many times that trick has saved a ride. Make sure to replenish after you use it. And use it you will.
Proglife, I'd say that looks pretty good for a first go. I don't normally wrap around the lever like you did but I do use a small piece over the clamp. Like someone else said you can just hold it there until it's wrapped. Also, it looks like you've got a lot of electrical tape at the end. When people say to use a lot they usually mean to wrap it around a few times at the end. If you ran out of tape it either wasn't stretched enough or was spaced too tightly. Still it looks good, the real test will be how it holds up.
I didn't do that much electrical tape on purpose, I just didn't cut the end super cleanly like they did on the Park site, so there was more tape end to cover.
I guess now is a bad time to tell you it works better to wrap backwards from how you did. 
Backwards how?
Top to bottom instead of bottom to top? Or wrapping the other direction?
Top to bottom instead of bottom to top? Or wrapping the other direction?
I think he means(looking down on the bike) from inside to outside on the drops and front to back on the tops so your pulling long ways against the tape when you twist your hand.