I have always had trouble inserting plugs into the bars after wrapping. But now I need to figure out why. I've watched numerous videos, and everyone just folds the bar tape in and sticks the plug in, sometimes using a mallet.
Yesterday I used some Brooks micro-fiber leather look tape. I really like the look and feel and the plugs (not so much the cotton cloth finishing tape - it looks like it will look dirty quickly).
- It's fairly thick with a pronounced somewhat thick blue strip covering about 2/3 of the with of the tape and an adhesive strip down the middle of that.
- I found it slow-going - I don't really understand why (bulk? stretch?), but I go it wrapped.
And then the bar end plugs. IMPOSSIBLE!
- They fit into my handlebars firmly with no tape. They are snug enough in an empty bar to require a screwdriver to remove.
- On one, I scraped away the blue for the tape extending beyond the end of the bar, but there is no way that tape is going to fit inside the bar and then have the plug inserted.
- I've managed to get one plug in through brute force and a 20 ounce wood mallet, but some of the tape does not get pulled in evenly (there's a bulge)
But I need to re-wrap, and I may end up using plastic tape at the bar ends, folding some into the inside of the bars before inserting the plugs.
Also, I want soft bar end plugs because my handlebar ends hit my CF top frame tube at full lock.
Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks for your patience.