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Stabilizing Bar Tape Plugs

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Stabilizing Bar Tape Plugs

Old 05-17-21, 11:40 AM
  #1  
blinky
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Stabilizing Bar Tape Plugs

My plugs have been wiggling loose after awhile - just wondering if others have ideas for keeping them in place - I thought about double sided tape or building up the plug diameter with tape to keep it in there tight - any other thoughts from the group ??
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Old 05-17-21, 11:46 AM
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Ah, don't worry about it. If you're on a ride and notice that they're wiggling out, you don't even need to stop - just bang 'em back in the palm of your hand.

j/k - do *not* do that.

Seriously though, I can't say that I've had them work loose frequently enough for it to be even remotely problematic. The next time you re-tape, maybe another half-loop around the bar end would tighten things up enough?
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Old 05-17-21, 11:48 AM
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https://www.amazon.com/Supacaz-Star-.../dp/B01CCVUZYU

Use an allen key/wrench to tighten them in. Been using these for about 4 years...they never come loose.

If you get the oil slick colored ones it saves you about 3 watts PER bar end plug.
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Old 05-17-21, 12:04 PM
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Originally Posted by blinky
building up the plug diameter with tape to keep it in there tight
Yep, I've been using this hack for decades.

Wrap some electrical tape around the plug, push it into the bar.
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Old 05-17-21, 12:06 PM
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Originally Posted by aplcr0331
If you get the oil slick colored ones it saves you about 3 watts PER bar end plug.
Just 3? I figured it was at least 11.
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Old 05-17-21, 12:14 PM
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Hot glue works the best of everything I tried.
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Old 05-17-21, 03:43 PM
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Originally Posted by aplcr0331
https://www.amazon.com/Supacaz-Star-.../dp/B01CCVUZYU

Use an allen key/wrench to tighten them in. Been using these for about 4 years...they never come loose.

If you get the oil slick colored ones it saves you about 3 watts PER bar end plug.
​​​​​​+1 on this type of bar-end plug. Though a number of tapes come with these, so you just may want to wait til you want to retape your bars. eg. Fabric Knurl, Supacaz etc
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Old 05-17-21, 03:57 PM
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I usually only get this problem if the tangs inside the plug are cracked.

I also usually wrap top-down, so the plugs are doing the job of finishing tape.
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Old 05-17-21, 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Andy Somnifac
Just 3? I figured it was at least 11.
No, no, 11 watts is from the oil slick colored water bottle cage bolts. Each.
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Old 05-17-21, 08:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Sy Reene
​​​​​​+1 on this type of bar-end plug. Though a number of tapes come with these, so you just may want to wait til you want to retape your bars. eg. Fabric Knurl, Supacaz etc
Fabric Knurl is excellent tape, and yes, comes with these very nice plugs.
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Old 05-17-21, 09:29 PM
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Nitto plugs which clamp in place.


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Old 05-17-21, 10:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Sy Reene
​​​​​​+1 on this type of bar-end plug. Though a number of tapes come with these, so you just may want to wait til you want to retape your bars. eg. Fabric Knurl, Supacaz etc
Yes, Ciclovation as well, although they have the added trick of having a snap on end cover to hide the adjusting bolt.

Kustom Kaps offer just the plugs, which can be spec’d in custom color combos.
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Old 05-17-21, 10:38 PM
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The Enve ones when really well. I don't know if you can get them without bars, I assume they'll fit regular ones too if you can.
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Old 05-18-21, 08:28 PM
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Originally Posted by blinky
My plugs have been wiggling loose after awhile - just wondering if others have ideas for keeping them in place - I thought about double sided tape or building up the plug diameter with tape to keep it in there tight - any other thoughts from the group ??
I put a dab of Elmers wood glue on the plug “ribs” before installation. Once dried, the plugs are going nowhere unless you give them a solid twist to break the adhesion (Elmers not being the ideal glue for sticking plastic to metal &#129300. Easy to peel the dried glue off the plug for reinstallation. I have also used a couple of laps of electrical tape to build up the plug diameter,
which works OK, but Elmers is a cleaner fix IMO.
I don’t tuck excess tape into the bar ends - I start the wrap overlapping the bar ends then trim the tape flush with a razor - then install the plugs

Last edited by Litespud; 05-18-21 at 08:32 PM.
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Old 09-30-21, 01:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Litespud
I don’t tuck excess tape into the bar ends - I start the wrap overlapping the bar ends then trim the tape flush with a razor - then install the plugs
So then what holds the tape on the bar ??
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Old 09-30-21, 02:03 PM
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OVERLAPPING....
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Old 09-30-21, 02:04 PM
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wine bottle corks.
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Old 10-01-21, 04:57 AM
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Originally Posted by shelbyfv
OVERLAPPING....
Ok , so then what holds the plug in the hole ?
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Old 10-01-21, 05:05 AM
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YOU WERE ON TO IT IN POST #1, THEN FURTHER EXPLAINED IN POST #4. WRAP'EM AND JAM'EM. IT LEAVES A CLEAN END, NO BULGE. OR GET THE EXPANDING TYPE. OR WINE CORKS.
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Old 10-01-21, 06:31 AM
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Originally Posted by blinky
Ok , so then what holds the plug in the hole ?
Just overlap the tape by half its width at the bar ends. Once you are done wrapping, jam the bar end plug in. There is no reason to go rogue on something as basic as wrapping bars.
If you want a better way, use any of the many suggested bar end plugs that have an expanding wedge.

I have these on all my drop bar bikes, for example- https://kustomcaps.com/products/sugar-skull-beps
The expanding rubber holds them in place and the only way to remove them is to undo the expansion before pulling.
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Old 10-01-21, 11:17 AM
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Originally Posted by mstateglfr
Just overlap the tape by half its width at the bar ends. Once you are done wrapping, jam the bar end plug in. There is no reason to go rogue on something as basic as wrapping bars.
If you want a better way, use any of the many suggested bar end plugs that have an expanding wedge.

I have these on all my drop bar bikes, for example- https://kustomcaps.com/products/sugar-skull-beps
The expanding rubber holds them in place and the only way to remove them is to undo the expansion before pulling.
Thanks for the response , going with Kustomcaps - my tape was extended by about a 1/2 width , creased over , & the plugs, non-expanding, were inserted but they fall out - Litespud has a nice clean method but I suspect , as with maybe others , he doesn't have a fallout problem or he uses expanding plugs - thanks everyone for the time and input !! PS I like the wine cork idea .
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Old 10-01-21, 11:57 AM
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Bar-end plugs for those with a Campagnolo fetish
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Old 10-01-21, 01:50 PM
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Originally Posted by RGMN
Bar-end plugs for those with a Campagnolo fetish
They're 2 to 21/2 times the price of Kustomcaps , have only one bike , originally Chorus 10 but now Shimano 11 - would love to have Campy Super Record on my Litespeed Ti bike or Firefly Ti but can't justify the price .
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Old 10-17-21, 02:54 PM
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Originally Posted by mstateglfr

I have these on all my drop bar bikes, for example- https://kustomcaps.com/products/sugar-skull-beps
The expanding rubber holds them in place and the only way to remove them is to undo the expansion before pulling.
Just bought a pair of their BEPs and I don't think they expand at all - it's basically a machine screw that goes through a decorative cap and a rubber cork and then a simple threaded washer that holds it all together - don't see what would make the cork expand - the rubber cork is fairly fat and I think just a tight fit holds it in there .
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Old 10-17-21, 03:55 PM
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Originally Posted by blinky
Just bought a pair of their BEPs and I don't think they expand at all - it's basically a machine screw that goes through a decorative cap and a rubber cork and then a simple threaded washer that holds it all together - don't see what would make the cork expand - the rubber cork is fairly fat and I think just a tight fit holds it in there .
They do. Tighten the screw, it compresses the plug, shorter in length, wider in width. Try it for yourself. If it doesn't expand enough, wrap it in tape. That's big money for bar end plugs.
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