Wildwood 

Salamandrine 

I haven't installed Benotto tape since BITD, and I don't know of old stock has dried out. Originally, it had a bit of stretch, but not too much. About like cotton tape.

It actually is flammable, which is why it will never come back. All celluloid products technically have to be shipped as a hazardous material nowadays.

IIRC they are talking about flaming the soft plastic end cap. I may have tried that once BITD. OTOH maybe they are talking about the tape. Can't remember really. It's been decades. That would be interesting. Probably I did do it that way at some point.

Giacomo 1 

Luckily, my Colnago Super came with the Benotto tape already on, and at the prices I see that tape going for, I hope it lasts forever!

I love the look, but it provides little comfort for the hands and its not very grippy. Its all about looks. Have you ridden a bike with Benotto tape? Tough on long rides IMHO. When it does finally wear out, I will likely replace it with cloth, which gives a bit more comfort and grip and still looks period correct. And cloth is cheap and easy to install.

By the way, my Benotto tape is yellow, which I think is becoming rather rare these days.

nesteel 

Yes, yellow is tough to find, even tougher if you affordable.

Wildwood 

I use cloth wrap mostly.
And wear padded gloves for the cush.
Bars I like narrow and hard-ish for road rides.

nesteel 

Benotto over cotton bar wrap + padded glove here. I like the slightly larger grip diameter the double wrap gives, especially when using something thin like Benotto.

Drillium Dude 

I think that would be the best way to enjoy Bentotto tape. I used it bitd and loved it, but there were times when my hands slipped on the bar and I almost took a few headers purely because of the lack of grip without gloves. I began wearing gloves regularly as a result.

Stuff goes on great, and is pretty stretchy. Get good overlaps. I can always assist

Oh, and wrapping with two contrasting colors, like a candy cane, looks really cool. Orange and white or orange and yellow were my favorite combos (on my 1980 Raleigh Super Course 12 in that sunburst bronze color) bitd.

DD

deux jambes

dddd

Seconding nesteel's recommendation, another vote for Benotto over cotton, wrapped so that the new wrap "crosses" the direction of the old cotton wrap.

It gave my Gitane's bars a bumpier, better feeling grip, and looks a little better imo.

nesteel 

I just wrapped a set of bars with vintage Benotto, stretched just fine, no drama. Don't pull too tight, just enough to get it to conform to the curves around the drops, and to put a little tension into it on the straights. Step one is to toss the end caps in the trash. Get some Velox instead. Wrapping over cotton not only increases the grip diameter, it also evens out the color, especially the light Benotto tape. Underwrap with white brightens the color, black deepens the color. I know of mini stash of yellow, but it's safe where its at, sorry. Favorite color.

SJX426 

When I purchased the Colnago, it was there. Found NOS pack along with period cable housing for replacement. This pic is as purchased, 2009.

P9161266, on Flickr

Did a bulk purchase on BF and used some blue to help give that red, white and blue look:

P1030374, on Flickr

Mr. 66

Lascauxcaveman 

Next time I wrap with Benotto, Imma cut off an inch and give it the heat treatment; see what takes to ignite it. Being a professional film projectionist (way back in my high school days) I have some experience with flaming celluloid.

Wildwood 

due ruote 

Wildwood 

@SJX426 = stunning !!!

I'll have to determine how practical.
Over cloth makes sense, maybe.
Is there enough in a roll for 42cm bars? Moderate overlap with cloth base?
My first time dipping a toe in this vintage product.
Don't want to burn the house down with too much pppzaazzzzz!

nesteel 

The bars I just wrapped are Cinelli 66-42, so I'd say yes. I even cut a small strip off to use around the brake lever clamp (keep as short as possible). Moderate/minimal overlap, and give a little stretch.

Wildwood 

Over cloth or bare bar?

nesteel 

Over white cloth. I know it seems like slaving to fashion, but over a bare aluminum bar the color is always uneven.

Wildwood 

I have heard that - the uneven color or lack of translucence. This dark grey does not seem to have that translucence, at least when I rolled out 3 inches for the pic in post #1 .

ollo_ollo

Never did apply flame to seal ends, just taped because BID I was the type who tossed instructions without reading. Seem to remember we referred to them as the "destructions". Don

Salamandrine 

It's funny. I'm pretty sure I melted at least a few ends of Benotto tape on customer bikes, but I had totally forgotten about it.

I'm guessing this stuff was cellulose acetate. That would explain the easy melting, and it's consistent with the era and the look. Not as much fun as nitrated celluloid , but I bet it still burns if you try hard enough.

Next week we talk about spoke cannons...

xiaoman1 

Flame On !! I am going to take a chance on the red GIOS compact I just bought...I think I will try the cloth tape for a little extra padding.

Best, Ben

due ruote 

The striped ones can be fun.

taguy4

I've never wrapped Benotto over cloth tape and haven't noticed any unevenness in color, although I haven;t really been looking for it nor do I care. I can't see that doing this would offer much extra padding as cloth tape doesn't offer any padding either unless you start to add multiple layers of it. I like Benotto because of its sleek look, and when you put it over layers of other tape to try to get a padded affect you take away from that sleek look and end up with something that looks lumpy and not as attractive as if you just wrapped it over the bare handlebars.