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Bar tape

Old 11-25-22, 01:48 PM
  #1  
dreamingant
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Bar tape

Okay, so let me start by admitting I've never changed my bar tape before. Seemed easy enough. Bought some tape, watched a couple vids. And, dammit... Did I wrap too tight or are there different lengths of bar tape? Because I came up a few inches short. (insert joke)

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Old 11-25-22, 02:17 PM
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Looks at least near the bar ends that you overlapped too much -- you should be only overlapping about 1/3 of the tape width -- in some areas it looks like you've overlapped about 2/3rds of tape width.
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Old 11-25-22, 02:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Sy Reene
Looks at least near the bar ends that you overlapped too much -- you should be only overlapping about 1/3 of the tape width -- in some areas it looks like you've overlapped about 2/3rds of tape width.
Thanks! I removed the tape (which kinda sucked cuz it's sticky tape), and rewrapped with less overlap,and wallah, it fit. Was about to go to my local bike shop and grab some longer tape so cheers.
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Old 11-25-22, 02:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Sy Reene
Looks at least near the bar ends that you overlapped too much -- you should be only overlapping about 1/3 of the tape width -- in some areas it looks like you've overlapped about 2/3rds of tape width.
This.
Most bar tapes will have some mark or such that will allow you to determine where 1/3 is, and ever time you go around the bar, you just hit that mark.

In this picture, you can see that this Fizik bar tape has 7 rows of perforations - 2 rows of small holes, 3 rows of bigger holes with white backing, and another 2 rows of small holes. As I wrapped, I put the trailing edge over the 2 rows of small holes on the previous layer. Because the tape is tapered on the edges, this yields a more "cylindrical", smooth surface.

Also, generally it's recommended to wrap toward the outside as you come over the top of the bar. I don't know if it's necessary, but it's what I do.
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Old 11-25-22, 02:46 PM
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Originally Posted by dreamingant
Thanks! I removed the tape (which kinda sucked cuz it's sticky tape), and rewrapped with less overlap,and wallah, it fit. Was about to go to my local bike shop and grab some longer tape so cheers.
Well done! Now my post is superfluous.
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Old 11-25-22, 04:21 PM
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Did you watch Calvin's video on taping drop bars at Park Tool...

https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/...tion-drop-bars

He sometimes is hard to listen to, but he has some great tips. Pay attention to which direction you wrap when below the STI and then when you get above the STI.
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Old 11-25-22, 06:00 PM
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Start a few inches away from the stem as you do not need it where you will never put your hands. I like to wrap thin foam material along the top vertical sections of the handlebar to increase its diameter and better protect the nerves of my hands.
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Old 11-25-22, 08:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Iride01
Did you watch Calvin's video on taping drop bars at Park Tool...

https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/...tion-drop-bars

He sometimes is hard to listen to, but he has some great tips. Pay attention to which direction you wrap when below the STI and then when you get above the STI.
Yeah, his was the primary video I used for details.
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Old 11-25-22, 08:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Calsun
I like to wrap thin foam material along the top vertical sections of the handlebar to increase its diameter and better protect the nerves of my hands.
Yeah, unfortunately I didn't learn about this option until after I wrapped both sides. Definitely going to do next time. Also getting thicker tape too as this is thinner than my last tape.
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Old 11-26-22, 09:02 AM
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Originally Posted by dreamingant
Yeah, unfortunately I didn't learn about this option until after I wrapped both sides. Definitely going to do next time. Also getting thicker tape too as this is thinner than my last tape.
You can double-wrap for the same effect. If you saved your old tape, re-wrap the bars with it then over-wrap with your new tape and see how it feels.
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Old 11-26-22, 10:35 AM
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Originally Posted by Calsun
Start a few inches away from the stem as you do not need it where you will never put your hands. I like to wrap thin foam material along the top vertical sections of the handlebar to increase its diameter and better protect the nerves of my hands.
You start at the drop, not the top, so you're stopping a few inches from the stem, not starting.
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Old 11-26-22, 11:12 AM
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I sometimes wonder if a lot of the perceived need for more padding, thicker tape, etc. could be avoided by better bike fitting. I use the 2.5 mm tape you see in the pic I posted on most of my bikes, with no padding underneath. I don't get numbness or pain even after hours of riding, and I have issues with carpal tunnel syndrome from decades of working in the lab. I set up my saddle position so I'm able to lift my hands off the bars without falling forward, which keeps weight off my hands. I wonder whether everyone who double-wraps their bars, or puts foam or gel padding under the tape might benefit from adjusting saddle and bar position a bit? For example, I bought a new bike in 2020 and the first ride, my hands kept going numb. The bar was an inch higher than all my other bikes. When I lowered the bar to the same height as the others, the numbness went away.

NOTE! I can only speak from my own experience. Not accusing anyone of poor bike set up!
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Old 11-26-22, 11:21 AM
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Originally Posted by dreamingant
Yeah, his was the primary video I used for details.
So you didn't seem to take his advice on which way to wrap the part of the bar below the control lever. I can't quite decide which way you are going on the top.

If you already have them finished and looking good, then don't worry till you have an issue. However I'd expect over time the tape will loosen up on you if you ride in the drops more than just briefly each ride. Though I've never used sticky bar tape, so that might help in your favor.
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Old 11-26-22, 11:41 AM
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Originally Posted by genejockey
I sometimes wonder if a lot of the perceived need for more padding, thicker tape, etc. could be avoided by better bike fitting. I use the 2.5 mm tape you see in the pic I posted on most of my bikes, with no padding underneath. I don't get numbness or pain even after hours of riding, and I have issues with carpal tunnel syndrome from decades of working in the lab. I set up my saddle position so I'm able to lift my hands off the bars without falling forward, which keeps weight off my hands. I wonder whether everyone who double-wraps their bars, or puts foam or gel padding under the tape might benefit from adjusting saddle and bar position a bit? For example, I bought a new bike in 2020 and the first ride, my hands kept going numb. The bar was an inch higher than all my other bikes. When I lowered the bar to the same height as the others, the numbness went away.

NOTE! I can only speak from my own experience. Not accusing anyone of poor bike set up!
Agreed. Saddle fore/aft position should be set for balance rather than to compensate for reach. Reach should be decreased by reducing seat post offset and/or stem length.
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Old 11-26-22, 11:51 AM
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Originally Posted by dreamingant
...dammit... came up a few inches short.
Ha... How many times have we said this... Nice recovery stud!
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Old 11-26-22, 12:03 PM
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Originally Posted by SoSmellyAir
Agreed. Saddle fore/aft position should be set for balance rather than to compensate for reach. Reach should be decreased by reducing seat post offset and/or stem length.
?
Doesn't reducing seatpost offset change saddle fore/aft positioning? I mean, it doesn't HAVE to, because you might be able to put the saddle in the same position, but if you did, what would be the point of changing seatpost offset?
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Old 11-26-22, 12:17 PM
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Originally Posted by genejockey
?
Doesn't reducing seatpost offset change saddle fore/aft positioning? I mean, it doesn't HAVE to, because you might be able to put the saddle in the same position, but if you did, what would be the point of changing seatpost offset?
I should have been more specific. What I had meant above was that the saddle fore/aft position relative to the saddle rail clamp of the seat post should be set for balance, whereas the seat post offset should be used to adjust reach.

For example, if the saddle rails are clamped toward the rear of their useable range, then a rider sitting on the middle of the saddle would tend fall forward and put too much weight on his/her hands (as you had described). It may be better to get a zero offset seat post and clamp the saddle rails at (or slightly forward of) the middle of their useable range to adjust the balance while maintaining the saddle fore/aft position relative to the bike frame.
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Old 11-26-22, 12:26 PM
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Originally Posted by genejockey
?
Doesn't reducing seatpost offset change saddle fore/aft positioning? I mean, it doesn't HAVE to, because you might be able to put the saddle in the same position, but if you did, what would be the point of changing seatpost offset?
This, exactly. Start fitting from the bottom bracket, then the cranks, then get the saddle positioned correctly, then adjust stack and reach with the stem. If the stem has to be too long or short, or too many/ few spacers, the frame is wrong.
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Old 11-26-22, 12:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Bah Humbug
This, exactly. Start fitting from the bottom bracket, then the cranks, then get the saddle positioned correctly, then adjust stack and reach with the stem. If the stem has to be too long or short, or too many/ few spacers, the frame is wrong.
A perfectly fitting bike needs zero spacers, but spot on.

Although fitting would really start with the shoes and cleats.
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Old 11-26-22, 01:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Sy Reene
Looks at least near the bar ends that you overlapped too much -- you should be only overlapping about 1/3 of the tape width -- in some areas it looks like you've overlapped about 2/3rds of tape width.
That. And most first-timers don't pull/stretch it enough, which both helps it to stay in place and helps make it to the tops.
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Old 11-26-22, 01:37 PM
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On a bike with STI's and properly sized for the rider, then you'll be keeping your hands on the control levers or in the drops. So, leaving more bare bar on top will give more room for all the gizmos that one might want to put on them. GPS, action camera, little flashy things, phone, and what else have I forgotten! <grin>
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Old 11-26-22, 01:38 PM
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Originally Posted by SoSmellyAir
I should have been more specific. What I had meant above was that the saddle fore/aft position relative to the saddle rail clamp of the seat post should be set for balance, whereas the seat post offset should be used to adjust reach.

For example, if the saddle rails are clamped toward the rear of their useable range, then a rider sitting on the middle of the saddle would tend fall forward and put too much weight on his/her hands (as you had described). It may be better to get a zero offset seat post and clamp the saddle rails at (or slightly forward of) the middle of their useable range to adjust the balance while maintaining the saddle fore/aft position relative to the bike frame.
I haven't found this to be the case, and since I have short femurs for the length of my legs, most of my saddles are clamped toward the rear. I set the saddle angle on all of them as close to exactly the same and whether clamped at the rear or toward the middle they all feel the same at the same height and offset (relative to BB center). Perhaps my saddles just have less flexy rails, or I don't sit in the middle? The back of my preferred saddle has a distinct "stop", which I can feel though it's not visible on the saddles themselves, and that's where I tend to settle myself.
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Old 11-26-22, 03:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Iride01
On a bike with STI's and properly sized for the rider, then you'll be keeping your hands on the control levers or in the drops. So, leaving more bare bar on top will give more room for all the gizmos that one might want to put on them. GPS, action camera, little flashy things, phone, and what else have I forgotten! <grin>
Bells and/or airhorns.
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Old 11-26-22, 03:41 PM
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Originally Posted by genejockey
I haven't found this to be the case, and since I have short femurs for the length of my legs, most of my saddles are clamped toward the rear. I set the saddle angle on all of them as close to exactly the same and whether clamped at the rear or toward the middle they all feel the same at the same height and offset (relative to BB center). Perhaps my saddles just have less flexy rails, or I don't sit in the middle?
Or maybe you are just very light!

Whereas I am chubby. I have found that when my saddle rails are clamped near the aft end of their usable range, sitting more forward initially feels more powerful, but puts more pressures on my arms and wrists over time.
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Old 11-26-22, 04:20 PM
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Originally Posted by SoSmellyAir
Or maybe you are just very light!
Oh, no. Oh, my, no.

Whereas I am chubby. I have found that when my saddle rails are clamped near the aft end of their usable range, sitting more forward initially feels more powerful, but puts more pressures on my arms and wrists over time.
Now I'm confused. It seems like you're talking about moving your saddle relative to the BB, rather than just changing to a seatpost with less setback in the cradle while keeping the same saddle-BB offset.
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