In which direction do you tape your handlebars ?
#1
Veteran Racer
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Ciudad de Vacas, Tejas
Posts: 11,760
Bikes: 32 frames + 80 wheels
Liked 767 Times
in
432 Posts
In which direction do you tape your handlebars ?
Specifically, do you start near the stem and then work your way down to the bar ends ? Or, do you start at the ends, and then finish taping near the stem with electrical or supplied adhesive tape to secure it ? I used to do it the first way, back in the days of thin cloth or plastic tape, but then switched when cork tape and other thicker tapes came out, that were supplied with fancy finishing strips. I've never been able to do a neat job of taping when finishing near the stem, and so on my last 5 bar tape jobs, I've reverted to the old method, and have been very satisfied with the results. It's much neater, and I've not had any problems with the tape unraveling. It helps to use a good stretchy tape and wrap forward at the top in the direction that your hands push on the tape. Today I did tapings 4 and 5, an RB-002 bullhorn with cross lever and a Hood Rat drop bar with hooded brake levers.
#2
i smell bacon
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,574
Bikes: Geekhouse Deerfield, GT Edge Ti, Spooky Skeletor, TET Track, Ritchey P-650b, Bridgestone MB-3
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I just did some FSA Wing Pro Compacts in Planet Bike tape from the bottom up, finishing it with some black electrical tape. Works for me.
#3
Would you just look at it
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Denver
Posts: 1,554
Bikes: good ones.
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
2 Posts
On Nitto 21's, I went from end to stem. My taping sucks though. The first time I wrapped with Cinelli I tore it clean, so the second time around I was much more careful and it looks bad.
I want to try Fizik microtex.
I want to try Fizik microtex.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 134
Bikes: Kilo TT, Panasonic Touring Deluxe
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
usually I wrap from end to stem and finish with electrical tape. on my panasonic I wrapped from both ends using four rolls of tape and finished the wrap behind each brake lever. those bars got shellacked so unravelling isn't of huge concern.
#6
Senior Member
I recently found something that beats the hell out of electrical tape for finishing a bar wrapping: Self-fusing silicone tape. One brand of it is known as "Rescue Tape".
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 1,108
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I've only ever wrapped bullhorn bars. I start at the bar ends and end at the stem and wrap in the direction to the outside of the bars. By wrapping from the inside to the outside your hands will tighten the tape when you crank on your bars. If you start from the stem, your hands will push up against the edges of overlap because the edges are facing you rather than away from you.
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: A Coffin Called Earth. or Toronto, ON
Posts: 12,257
Bikes: Bianchi, Miyata, Dahon, Rossin
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
5 Posts
bottom to top.
__________________
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
#12
In vitro cyclist
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: SOKY, Middle TN
Posts: 334
Bikes: 2005 Specialized Allez Comp Double, 2011 Mercier Kilo Stripper
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
A tip I saw on BF saved me from jacking mine up: an inside out loop of electrical tape at the start and finish.
#15
A little North of Hell
#16
Fakenger
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 177
Bikes: Yo Eddy Team, Serotta Colorado II
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Unless you are wrapping with cloth tape, there is only one correct way: Ends to stem.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FHfCPfcUD8
Any other way is not PRO and therefore wrong.
:-)
Any other way is not PRO and therefore wrong.
:-)
#17
Senior Member
start at stem to not have to use tape, and wrap towards the saddle so it pulls tight when you grip. and finish off at the ends with a wine bottle cork and or bar end shifter.
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,196
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Only wrapped drops two times with Deda Elementi and Soma Thick and Zesty. Happy to say that each individual bar I wrapped looks better than the previous. The difference between the left and right side of my drops on my first try is noticeable, but the difference between the sides on my second attempt is much less significant.
I wrap from the ends to the stem, and going up and over the bar, towards the bike. Finishing gives me issues too, but I did a much better job on my second attempt. Watching youtube vids helped. I once saw a pic of Scrod's bars and tried to make it look like that. Takes me a while though, I go back to fix angles and spacing so many times.
I wrap from the ends to the stem, and going up and over the bar, towards the bike. Finishing gives me issues too, but I did a much better job on my second attempt. Watching youtube vids helped. I once saw a pic of Scrod's bars and tried to make it look like that. Takes me a while though, I go back to fix angles and spacing so many times.
#19
Banned
tried it for the 1st time a few weeks ago after getting the idea & instructions from Carleton, it is in his thread if you check back a ways. so far i am very happy with it...
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 158
Bikes: Two unicycles duct taped together
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I always end near the stem. That is the way I learned it. It never game me any problems, but I have not learned any other way so I dont know if its the best way
#24
Senior Member
Clockwise.
#25
Still spinnin'.....
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Whitestown, IN
Posts: 1,208
Bikes: Fisher Opie freeride/urban assault MTB, Redline Monocog 29er MTB, Serrota T-Max Commuter, Klein Rascal SS, Salsa Campion Road bike, Pake Rum Runner FG/SS Road bike, Cannondale Synapse Road bike, Santana Arriva Road Tandem, and others....
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Bottom up - outside to inside. Top down will eventually peel back due to your natural grip on the bars.....