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Old 07-18-19, 04:51 AM
  #15  
Prowler 
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Near Pottstown, PA: 30 miles NW of Philadelphia
Posts: 2,186

Bikes: 2 Trek Mtn, Cannondale R600 road, 6 vintage road bikes

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We had a kid in the shop one time who was frustrated at doing poor wraps - loose, uneven, sloppy. I looked over and noticed the short cut off from a his first wrap. I clamped that short piece in the vice and told him to try pulling on that until it broke. Did not happen and he learned how much tougher the stuff was than he expected. I reminded him about consistent steady tension on the tape as he wrapped. His next attempt was MUCH better.

I turn custom bar end plugs so I wrap bottom up. I finish with two very neat wraps of electrical tape near the stem (55mm from the bar clamp on each side) ending on the bottom of the bar. I then heat up the soldering iron and "dab" that cut end in three spots - just a dab. It heats and seals the end to the layer below. Does not come loose. On my Nishiki I used yellow tape to synchronize with the yellow bar tape. Otherwise black tape. On the Pro I over wrapped that tape with pale blue yarn then coated that with water based polyurethane.

Horses for courses......
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