Moe Zhoost

Newbaum's tape is great, much better than Tresso. I replaced the old vintage Cinelli cork (which was very nice) on one of my bikes with new Cinelli and will NEVER use that bulky, hard to wrap right stuff again. All of my vintage bikes are getting cloth tape from now on.

Moe Zhoost

One of the reasons to wrap from the bottom up is to avoid the effect that your picture shows. I don't like the tape strips to finish either so I "whip" them with tarred marline.

BFisher

I've read this elsewhere too. What is it about Newbaum's that you like better than Tressostar? Never used Tressostar, but have used Newbaum's a few times.

I also have some Cateye cotton tape on one bike and like it.

79pmooney

I keep it really simple. Black cloth wrapped from the bottom and finished with electrical tape. Two layers for my aging hands. Old tape for the first. Doesn't need to be continuous. (I wrap counter-clockwise on the right bar, looking from behind. I do cut a wedge out of the end so the wrap orientation doesn't change at it approaches the center sleeve of the handlebar. Cut the tape (and the electrical tape) to end right behind the brake cable. That way I never unwrap the tape climbing on the tops.

And yes, I wear through my tape on a regular basis. With two layers, I get to ride further before the bar shows.

My best (2008, not vintage) bike does sport black Fizak. When I thought I got the levers right 7 years ago, I put it on. Unwrapped, moved the levers and re-wrapped a year ago. Tape still looks brand new and it has always been comfortable. I probably will not be able to get "that" tape when this goes so it will be time for change. To what? Haven't got there yet.

Ben

jbchybridrider 

Yes the go to how to YouTube vid.
I used Tressorex tape which is long enough for off cuts on the side of the levers.
Pics of my work with it

Drillium Dude 

This is the argument I hear most often when people discuss the "correct" way to wrap bars - but what about shingling in the drops if wrapped from the bottom up?

Whichever way a bar is wrapped there will be overlap shingling. It is what it is. Wrapping from top to bottom or bottom to top simply tells the world where you'd rather have your bar tape coming up/staying put

DD

Drillium Dude 

I've used all three you referenced. Newbaum's is plenty long enough, that's its positive thing - too bad it's not very color-fast. Black, for example, has faded to brown on me within a month or so with regular riding.

Tressostar and Cateye both seem the same, and hold color for a good long time - but damn, they are economical to say the least! I can barely get a GdI bar wrapped with them and only once was able to stretch two rolls enough to cover a deeper drop CdM. It's a little thinner than Newbaum's, too.

That said, in order to cover the whole bar, every time, and provide comfort/grip, Newbaum's wins out. I have 4 more rolls of vintage Tressostar in a box but won't be able to use them because they're too old to stretch (last 2 rolls broke when I tried to just barely stretch the tape around the first curve of the bar) - and if you can't stretch Tressostar you're not going to cover the bar.

DD

Drillium Dude 

That's a fine wrap job! And it looks like that Tressorex is good and long since you got a couple wraps around the lever bodies and good overlap from top to bottom. I assume you find that stuff online somewhere? I wouldn't mind trying it out.

DD

P!N20

The Newbaums black I finished with three coats of shellac hasn't faded much over ~8 years or so. (Not a daily rider, but plenty of riding nonetheless.) But I understand the finish of shellac isn't everyone's cup of bug secretion.

Drillium Dude 

Well, that's good to know that shellac either provides UV protection or preserves the color. I've never personally tried shellac - doesn't it make the surface somewhat slippery, too? Or is there still a good level of grip? It looks cool, but I have to have something my hands aren't going to slide on. I just don't have the long-term grip strength I had in my younger days.

DD

jbchybridrider 

While I'm not exactly clued up on all the brand's Tressorex is a Velox brand and does have a different weave to others I've seen online. It's on eBay, Customized Bikes from the UK. Not seeing anymore black atm though. I've not ridden the bike yet so can't say how it holds up.

jbchybridrider 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Velox-Tr...sAAOSwj99aA3Hg

BFisher

Thanks for the reply, DD. I have had the same experience with Newbaum's black and brown. Both faded fast. I do like the feel of it though.

I tried shellac on cotton tape a few years back and did not like it. It felt rough, kind of crusty. I imagine sweaty hands could slip on it - didn't keep it long enough to find out. I much prefer the feel of the fabric.

Moe Zhoost

Well, first of all, the rolls are longer so you have much more flexibility with wrapping. I recently wrapped my Raleigh Competition with Tresso and barely had enough, and that was with uwrapping and rewrapping a few times. Second, it's a bit thicker, which may not be a big deal but I think it helps it last longer. I think Tresso is a bit cheaper though. Both look nice if you do a good wrap.

I know that a lot of users shellac their cloth tape to preserve, or maybe it looks better, longer. I think this would change the feel. I've never done it but haven't ruled it out. I like dark tapes but they seem to fade so quickly so maybe shellac is a solution.

Edit: I posted this before I saw all of the other comments about shellac - thanks.

Moe Zhoost

Absolutely.

I've not had much issue on the drops because my hand position is forward into the curve. However you are right in that everything is a compromise - everyone will experience different wear patterns. If one had strong feelings about it, the tape could be split at the brake and wrapped in both directions.

I think the direction of your wrap spirals is probably more important due to hand twist.

jbchybridrider 

With regards to black fading, I bought black suede dye for my faded Concor saddle and came up like new. Would only take a few minutes to apply to tape and already have plenty left over.

USAZorro

I hate putting on bar tape.

Cork is easiest (that's a relative term) and comfy, but it doesn't last.
Cotton is a bit more challenging, but nowhere near as comfy, gets dirty easily and lasts a bit better than cork.
Shellac over cotton resists dirt much better and lasts several times longer than cotton, but does require special care when applying so that you don't end up with a bazillion little spots of shellac that you have to remove from everywhere on the front half of your bike (been there).
Simulated leather and real leather tape goes on relatively easily and is reasonably comfortable and dirt resistant, but it stretches after installation and gaps form after a year or so.
Cello-style tape has a great look, but is a bear to stretch enough to get full coverage. When done properly it lasts pretty well (UV fading aside). It is essentially fashion only, as it does zero to improve hand comfort other than to mitigate the temperature gradient between hands and bars.

My "favorites" are:

Quality vinyl (Deda is one manufacturer that offers this) - goes on without major struggle, is comfortable, durable and is a breeze to clean.
Elkhide and leather bar covers. It's an undertaking to get it on and they aren't cheap, but the wrapping/rewrapping ordeal isn't part of the equation. Despite the time involved getting it on, the result is comfort and good looks for many years.

rootboy 

It depends, Dude, on the "cut" of the shellac. Or, how much alcohol to shellac ratio. The stuff available in cans from the hardware store is too thick a cut for doing cloth bar tape, IMO. I generally preferred cloth tape without it but if you use a thin mix it can serve to seal the cloth tape slightly and, maybe, provide some light fast properties. Though I'm not sure about that.
These were done with two very thin coat of orange shellac, mixed weak, over pink Newbaum's. It does slightly harden the cotton but not like the multi-coat glossy jobs one sees.



Whip it good.

Salamandrine 

Realistically, if you were a racer type that rode every day, cotton tape got changed every couple months. (+/- depending on your suave level)
It wasn't expected to last. It follows then that fading wasn't exactly a concern.

Shellac does extend the life of cotton pretty much indefinitely. Great for cheapskates. It isn't period correct on anything other than French Rando bikes, FWIW, and wasn't used in the USA until the last couple decades. Sure, a few oddballs here and there either had a Singer, or had seen one and figured it out, but it wasn't something you ever saw practically speaking.

WRT shellac being slippery, it's not nearly as slippery as you would think. I guess because it's bug, um, secretion. I had no problems commuting in all conditions including pouring rain with fully shellacked bars, always with no gloves. I worried about this too before trying shellac, but it turned out to be a non concern, at least for me. If you wear gloves it matters even less.

Drillium Dude 

Thank you for that, and for the link. I added the seller to my favorites and will check in from time to time, see if he lists any more black. It does seem to have a bit different weave, and I like it. Looks like some strong stuff.

DD

Drillium Dude 

Hope you don't mind me hitting you up for mixing proportions, etc, offline once those flakes arrive. I've picked out the Guinea pig bar I will be doing my first shellacking on

That bar looks great - that orange over pink works a treat. I think I'll want to go light on the shellac, too; in fact, something like what you posted above is exactly what I'm hoping for as a result.

DD

Dylansbob 

It's expensive, but I recently got a set of LEH leatherworks tape. Wow, by far the nicest, most supple leather tape I've ever seen. One of my best ebay steals of the decade @$.99 plus shipping.

My other bikes run double layer Newbaums, btw.

P!N20

I've never found mine to be slippery, although I never ride that particular bike in the rain. When I first did it, it was quite rough, but it smooths out a bit after a few rides.

kalker

I love the look of cotton but find it very uncomfortable , I have had good success with the rubber tape from MEC and have used or on several restorations. It looks like it belongs on Vintage rides , it's comfortable and durable. Best of all it's the least expensive one they carry.

SurferRosa

Anyone tried Brooks Cambium tape?

The online pics of the "natural" color look like a retro dirty white cotton.



Just stumbled upon it. For $10, I might have to try it on something.