Bar tape?

On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 6:32:50 AM UTC-8, N8N wrote:
On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 9:29:51 AM UTC-5, N8N wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 1:59:51 PM UTC-5, jbeattie wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 10:24:40 AM UTC-8, wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 2:50:48 AM UTC-8, wrote:
Op dinsdag 12 januari 2021 om 07:12:58 UTC+1 schreef James:
On 10/1/21 5:53 am, N8N wrote:
On Saturday, January 9, 2021 at 1:47:09 PM UTC-5, N8N wrote:
time to retape... for some reason today I felt like playing with my
Cannondale... I don't remember what bar tape is on it but it's
literally disintegrating. Meanwhile, the Velox cloth tape on my
Trek that I put on there when I "restomodded" it years and many
miles ago (that is undoubtedly older than the tape on the
Cannondale) is a faded tan color (was black when I put it on LOL)
but is in fine shape otherwise.

Is it wrong to put cloth tape on a "modern" (sheeeit, it's gotta be
close to 15 years old now) bike?

I see searching that now there are options. When I built the Trek,
the only game there was was Velox Tressostar, of which I'm
obviously a big fan, but wish that a roll was just a tiny bit
longer. Now I see there's "Newbaum's" as the first thing that comes
up searching for cloth bar tape. Opinions?

Any more modern styles I should look at or just say screw it and
use what I know works?

After searching for reviews of Newbaum's I saw mention of the tape
that I used on the Cannondale that jogged my memory, it is Fizik. I
liked how it felt fine, but it did curl up on the edges unlike
cloth.

Where I ride the bitumen is rough and the weather is often warm and
humid. I've found Lizard Skin bar tape is good for my riding conditions.

https://www.bikeinn.com/bike/lizard-...oducte=9829393

--
JS
I used that tape after installing new cables on one of my bikes. Nice thick tape that is very easy to wrap. A little expensive but I think it will last a long time.


Lou
Indeed, most of the copies do not stretch and you cannot get them to lie flat. In this case the expense is worth it.
I've had good luck with this mid-priced Arundel tape: https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...ar-tape?sg=500 On sale at BikeTires Direct (sister company of Western Bikeworks). One of the commenters on the site didn't like the repeating name graphic, but the graphic is basically a guide, and you wrap the tape so that you lap over the graphic. It's the same color as the tape, so if it peeks out, you can't see it. My bars look great, and the stuff is really durable, and it has a light-mid cushion feel and good wet weather grip. I'd buy again. The Lizard Skin and Fizik are nice, but the top end stuff is ungodly expensive. I'm done with cork. I blow through it, and its not great in rain.

-- Jay Beattie.
Might have to try that. I liked the Fizik but it's literally disintegrating, although really it must be 6-7 years old now and the last couple years that bike was in an unconditioned storage locker.

Now I guess let's try another question. I like taping from the ends up, although that means by necessity I will have to finish the tape with electrical tape or similar at the stem. My reasoning for doing so is that when I'm on the drops, my hands will not be trying to curl up the exposed edges of the tape. Arguments for doing it the other way?
I just looked it up and they sell a Rubber Gecko and also a "Synth Gecko" I'm assuming you used the former?

I got the Gecko Grip, which is the synthetic tape. The rubber is supposed to be nicer, but I haven't used it -- and it was not on the deal of the day.. The synthetic tape is holding up nicely so far. And yes, you wrap from the bottom up and finish with electrical tape. There are lots of YouTube videos with "around the levers" and end-finishing techniques.

-- Jay Beattie.

On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 10:54:21 AM UTC-5, jbeattie wrote:
On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 6:32:50 AM UTC-8, N8N wrote:
On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 9:29:51 AM UTC-5, N8N wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 1:59:51 PM UTC-5, jbeattie wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 10:24:40 AM UTC-8, wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 2:50:48 AM UTC-8, wrote:
Op dinsdag 12 januari 2021 om 07:12:58 UTC+1 schreef James:
On 10/1/21 5:53 am, N8N wrote:
On Saturday, January 9, 2021 at 1:47:09 PM UTC-5, N8N wrote:
time to retape... for some reason today I felt like playing with my
Cannondale... I don't remember what bar tape is on it but it's
literally disintegrating. Meanwhile, the Velox cloth tape on my
Trek that I put on there when I "restomodded" it years and many
miles ago (that is undoubtedly older than the tape on the
Cannondale) is a faded tan color (was black when I put it on LOL)
but is in fine shape otherwise.

Is it wrong to put cloth tape on a "modern" (sheeeit, it's gotta be
close to 15 years old now) bike?

I see searching that now there are options. When I built the Trek,
the only game there was was Velox Tressostar, of which I'm
obviously a big fan, but wish that a roll was just a tiny bit
longer. Now I see there's "Newbaum's" as the first thing that comes
up searching for cloth bar tape. Opinions?

Any more modern styles I should look at or just say screw it and
use what I know works?

After searching for reviews of Newbaum's I saw mention of the tape
that I used on the Cannondale that jogged my memory, it is Fizik. I
liked how it felt fine, but it did curl up on the edges unlike
cloth.

Where I ride the bitumen is rough and the weather is often warm and
humid. I've found Lizard Skin bar tape is good for my riding conditions.

https://www.bikeinn.com/bike/lizard-...oducte=9829393

--
JS
I used that tape after installing new cables on one of my bikes.. Nice thick tape that is very easy to wrap. A little expensive but I think it will last a long time.


Lou
Indeed, most of the copies do not stretch and you cannot get them to lie flat. In this case the expense is worth it.
I've had good luck with this mid-priced Arundel tape: https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...ar-tape?sg=500 On sale at BikeTires Direct (sister company of Western Bikeworks). One of the commenters on the site didn't like the repeating name graphic, but the graphic is basically a guide, and you wrap the tape so that you lap over the graphic. It's the same color as the tape, so if it peeks out, you can't see it. My bars look great, and the stuff is really durable, and it has a light-mid cushion feel and good wet weather grip. I'd buy again. The Lizard Skin and Fizik are nice, but the top end stuff is ungodly expensive. I'm done with cork. I blow through it, and its not great in rain.

-- Jay Beattie.
Might have to try that. I liked the Fizik but it's literally disintegrating, although really it must be 6-7 years old now and the last couple years that bike was in an unconditioned storage locker.

Now I guess let's try another question. I like taping from the ends up, although that means by necessity I will have to finish the tape with electrical tape or similar at the stem. My reasoning for doing so is that when I'm on the drops, my hands will not be trying to curl up the exposed edges of the tape. Arguments for doing it the other way?
I just looked it up and they sell a Rubber Gecko and also a "Synth Gecko" I'm assuming you used the former?
I got the Gecko Grip, which is the synthetic tape. The rubber is supposed to be nicer, but I haven't used it -- and it was not on the deal of the day. The synthetic tape is holding up nicely so far. And yes, you wrap from the bottom up and finish with electrical tape. There are lots of YouTube videos with "around the levers" and end-finishing techniques.

-- Jay Beattie.

I think the very first video I saw was from the top down and my immediate response was "why? WHY would you do it that way?" I mean, you don't need the electrical tape and it looks neater but then you're relying on the adhesive to keep the tape edges from curling up, or at least that's my thought.

On 1/24/2021 10:28 AM, N8N wrote:
On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 10:54:21 AM UTC-5, jbeattie wrote:
On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 6:32:50 AM UTC-8, N8N wrote:
On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 9:29:51 AM UTC-5, N8N wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 1:59:51 PM UTC-5, jbeattie wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 10:24:40 AM UTC-8, wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 2:50:48 AM UTC-8, wrote:
Op dinsdag 12 januari 2021 om 07:12:58 UTC+1 schreef James:
On 10/1/21 5:53 am, N8N wrote:
On Saturday, January 9, 2021 at 1:47:09 PM UTC-5, N8N wrote:
time to retape... for some reason today I felt like playing with my
Cannondale... I don't remember what bar tape is on it but it's
literally disintegrating. Meanwhile, the Velox cloth tape on my
Trek that I put on there when I "restomodded" it years and many
miles ago (that is undoubtedly older than the tape on the
Cannondale) is a faded tan color (was black when I put it on LOL)
but is in fine shape otherwise.

Is it wrong to put cloth tape on a "modern" (sheeeit, it's gotta be
close to 15 years old now) bike?

I see searching that now there are options. When I built the Trek,
the only game there was was Velox Tressostar, of which I'm
obviously a big fan, but wish that a roll was just a tiny bit
longer. Now I see there's "Newbaum's" as the first thing that comes
up searching for cloth bar tape. Opinions?

Any more modern styles I should look at or just say screw it and
use what I know works?

After searching for reviews of Newbaum's I saw mention of the tape
that I used on the Cannondale that jogged my memory, it is Fizik. I
liked how it felt fine, but it did curl up on the edges unlike
cloth.

Where I ride the bitumen is rough and the weather is often warm and
humid. I've found Lizard Skin bar tape is good for my riding conditions.

https://www.bikeinn.com/bike/lizard-...oducte=9829393

--
JS
I used that tape after installing new cables on one of my bikes. Nice thick tape that is very easy to wrap. A little expensive but I think it will last a long time.


Lou
Indeed, most of the copies do not stretch and you cannot get them to lie flat. In this case the expense is worth it.
I've had good luck with this mid-priced Arundel tape: https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...ar-tape?sg=500 On sale at BikeTires Direct (sister company of Western Bikeworks). One of the commenters on the site didn't like the repeating name graphic, but the graphic is basically a guide, and you wrap the tape so that you lap over the graphic. It's the same color as the tape, so if it peeks out, you can't see it. My bars look great, and the stuff is really durable, and it has a light-mid cushion feel and good wet weather grip. I'd buy again. The Lizard Skin and Fizik are nice, but the top end stuff is ungodly expensive. I'm done with cork. I blow through it, and its not great in rain.

-- Jay Beattie.
Might have to try that. I liked the Fizik but it's literally disintegrating, although really it must be 6-7 years old now and the last couple years that bike was in an unconditioned storage locker.

Now I guess let's try another question. I like taping from the ends up, although that means by necessity I will have to finish the tape with electrical tape or similar at the stem. My reasoning for doing so is that when I'm on the drops, my hands will not be trying to curl up the exposed edges of the tape. Arguments for doing it the other way?
I just looked it up and they sell a Rubber Gecko and also a "Synth Gecko" I'm assuming you used the former?
I got the Gecko Grip, which is the synthetic tape. The rubber is supposed to be nicer, but I haven't used it -- and it was not on the deal of the day. The synthetic tape is holding up nicely so far. And yes, you wrap from the bottom up and finish with electrical tape. There are lots of YouTube videos with "around the levers" and end-finishing techniques.

-- Jay Beattie.

I think the very first video I saw was from the top down and my immediate response was "why? WHY would you do it that way?" I mean, you don't need the electrical tape and it looks neater but then you're relying on the adhesive to keep the tape edges from curling up, or at least that's my thought.


A season spent watching the tape edges curl down will return
you to the normal bottom-to-top format.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On 1/24/2021 9:29 AM, N8N wrote:

Now I guess let's try another question. I like taping from the ends up, although that means by necessity I will have to finish the tape with electrical tape or similar at the stem. My reasoning for doing so is that when I'm on the drops, my hands will not be trying to curl up the exposed edges of the tape. Arguments for doing it the other way?

I suspect people who wrap bar tape from top to bottom must apply roofing
shingles the same way.

--
- Frank Krygowski

On 24/01/2021 18:20, AMuzi wrote:
On 1/24/2021 10:28 AM, N8N wrote:
On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 10:54:21 AM UTC-5, jbeattie wrote:
On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 6:32:50 AM UTC-8, N8N wrote:
On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 9:29:51 AM UTC-5, N8N wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 1:59:51 PM UTC-5, jbeattie wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 10:24:40 AM UTC-8,
wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 2:50:48 AM UTC-8,
wrote:
Op dinsdag 12 januari 2021 om 07:12:58 UTC+1 schreef James:
On 10/1/21 5:53 am, N8N wrote:
On Saturday, January 9, 2021 at 1:47:09 PM UTC-5, N8N wrote:
time to retape... for some reason today I felt like playing
with my
Cannondale... I don't remember what bar tape is on it but it's
literally disintegrating. Meanwhile, the Velox cloth tape on my
Trek that I put on there when I "restomodded" it years and many
miles ago (that is undoubtedly older than the tape on the
Cannondale) is a faded tan color (was black when I put it on
LOL)
but is in fine shape otherwise.

Is it wrong to put cloth tape on a "modern" (sheeeit, it's
gotta be
close to 15 years old now) bike?

I see searching that now there are options. When I built the
Trek,
the only game there was was Velox Tressostar, of which I'm
obviously a big fan, but wish that a roll was just a tiny bit
longer. Now I see there's "Newbaum's" as the first thing that
comes
up searching for cloth bar tape. Opinions?

Any more modern styles I should look at or just say screw it and
use what I know works?

After searching for reviews of Newbaum's I saw mention of the
tape
that I used on the Cannondale that jogged my memory, it is
Fizik. I
liked how it felt fine, but it did curl up on the edges unlike
cloth.

Where I ride the bitumen is rough and the weather is often warm
and
humid. I've found Lizard Skin bar tape is good for my riding
conditions.

https://www.bikeinn.com/bike/lizard-...oducte=9829393


--
JS
I used that tape after installing new cables on one of my bikes.
Nice thick tape that is very easy to wrap. A little expensive
but I think it will last a long time.


Lou
Indeed, most of the copies do not stretch and you cannot get them
to lie flat. In this case the expense is worth it.
I've had good luck with this mid-priced Arundel tape:
https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...ar-tape?sg=500
On sale at BikeTires Direct (sister company of Western Bikeworks).
One of the commenters on the site didn't like the repeating name
graphic, but the graphic is basically a guide, and you wrap the
tape so that you lap over the graphic. It's the same color as the
tape, so if it peeks out, you can't see it. My bars look great,
and the stuff is really durable, and it has a light-mid cushion
feel and good wet weather grip. I'd buy again. The Lizard Skin and
Fizik are nice, but the top end stuff is ungodly expensive. I'm
done with cork. I blow through it, and its not great in rain.

-- Jay Beattie.
Might have to try that. I liked the Fizik but it's literally
disintegrating, although really it must be 6-7 years old now and
the last couple years that bike was in an unconditioned storage
locker.

Now I guess let's try another question. I like taping from the ends
up, although that means by necessity I will have to finish the tape
with electrical tape or similar at the stem. My reasoning for doing
so is that when I'm on the drops, my hands will not be trying to
curl up the exposed edges of the tape. Arguments for doing it the
other way?
I just looked it up and they sell a Rubber Gecko and also a "Synth
Gecko" I'm assuming you used the former?
I got the Gecko Grip, which is the synthetic tape. The rubber is
supposed to be nicer, but I haven't used it -- and it was not on the
deal of the day. The synthetic tape is holding up nicely so far. And
yes, you wrap from the bottom up and finish with electrical tape.
There are lots of YouTube videos with "around the levers" and
end-finishing techniques.

-- Jay Beattie.

I think the very first video I saw was from the top down and my
immediate response was "why?Â* WHY would you do it that way?"Â* I mean,
you don't need the electrical tape and it looks neater but then you're
relying on the adhesive to keep the tape edges from curling up, or at
least that's my thought.


A season spent watching the tape edges curl down will return you to the
normal bottom-to-top format.


Can't you go from the stem out and then turn the handlebars over...?

On 1/24/2021 12:45 PM, Tosspot wrote:
On 24/01/2021 18:20, AMuzi wrote:
On 1/24/2021 10:28 AM, N8N wrote:
On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 10:54:21 AM UTC-5,
jbeattie wrote:
On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 6:32:50 AM UTC-8, N8N wrote:
On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 9:29:51 AM UTC-5, N8N
wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 1:59:51 PM UTC-5,
jbeattie wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 10:24:40 AM UTC-8,
wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 2:50:48 AM UTC-8,
wrote:
Op dinsdag 12 januari 2021 om 07:12:58 UTC+1
schreef James:
On 10/1/21 5:53 am, N8N wrote:
On Saturday, January 9, 2021 at 1:47:09 PM UTC-5,
N8N wrote:
time to retape... for some reason today I felt
like playing with my
Cannondale... I don't remember what bar tape is
on it but it's
literally disintegrating. Meanwhile, the Velox
cloth tape on my
Trek that I put on there when I "restomodded" it
years and many
miles ago (that is undoubtedly older than the
tape on the
Cannondale) is a faded tan color (was black when
I put it on LOL)
but is in fine shape otherwise.

Is it wrong to put cloth tape on a "modern"
(sheeeit, it's gotta be
close to 15 years old now) bike?

I see searching that now there are options. When
I built the Trek,
the only game there was was Velox Tressostar, of
which I'm
obviously a big fan, but wish that a roll was
just a tiny bit
longer. Now I see there's "Newbaum's" as the
first thing that comes
up searching for cloth bar tape. Opinions?

Any more modern styles I should look at or just
say screw it and
use what I know works?

After searching for reviews of Newbaum's I saw
mention of the tape
that I used on the Cannondale that jogged my
memory, it is Fizik. I
liked how it felt fine, but it did curl up on the
edges unlike
cloth.

Where I ride the bitumen is rough and the weather
is often warm and
humid. I've found Lizard Skin bar tape is good for
my riding conditions.

https://www.bikeinn.com/bike/lizard-...oducte=9829393


--
JS
I used that tape after installing new cables on one
of my bikes. Nice thick tape that is very easy to
wrap. A little expensive but I think it will last a
long time.


Lou
Indeed, most of the copies do not stretch and you
cannot get them to lie flat. In this case the
expense is worth it.
I've had good luck with this mid-priced Arundel tape:
https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...ar-tape?sg=500
On sale at BikeTires Direct (sister company of
Western Bikeworks). One of the commenters on the site
didn't like the repeating name graphic, but the
graphic is basically a guide, and you wrap the tape
so that you lap over the graphic. It's the same color
as the tape, so if it peeks out, you can't see it. My
bars look great, and the stuff is really durable, and
it has a light-mid cushion feel and good wet weather
grip. I'd buy again. The Lizard Skin and Fizik are
nice, but the top end stuff is ungodly expensive. I'm
done with cork. I blow through it, and its not great
in rain.

-- Jay Beattie.
Might have to try that. I liked the Fizik but it's
literally disintegrating, although really it must be
6-7 years old now and the last couple years that bike
was in an unconditioned storage locker.

Now I guess let's try another question. I like taping
from the ends up, although that means by necessity I
will have to finish the tape with electrical tape or
similar at the stem. My reasoning for doing so is that
when I'm on the drops, my hands will not be trying to
curl up the exposed edges of the tape. Arguments for
doing it the other way?
I just looked it up and they sell a Rubber Gecko and
also a "Synth Gecko" I'm assuming you used the former?
I got the Gecko Grip, which is the synthetic tape. The
rubber is supposed to be nicer, but I haven't used it --
and it was not on the deal of the day. The synthetic
tape is holding up nicely so far. And yes, you wrap from
the bottom up and finish with electrical tape. There are
lots of YouTube videos with "around the levers" and
end-finishing techniques.

-- Jay Beattie.

I think the very first video I saw was from the top down
and my immediate response was "why? WHY would you do it
that way?"Â I mean, you don't need the electrical tape
and it looks neater but then you're relying on the
adhesive to keep the tape edges from curling up, or at
least that's my thought.


A season spent watching the tape edges curl down will
return you to the normal bottom-to-top format.


Can't you go from the stem out and then turn the handlebars
over...?




Only after a drunk driving conviction:
https://live.staticflickr.com/7215/2...a91eaf99_z.jpg

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 1:20:42 p.m. UTC-5, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 1/24/2021 9:29 AM, N8N wrote:

Now I guess let's try another question. I like taping from the ends up, although that means by necessity I will have to finish the tape with electrical tape or similar at the stem. My reasoning for doing so is that when I'm on the drops, my hands will not be trying to curl up the exposed edges of the tape. Arguments for doing it the other way?
I suspect people who wrap bar tape from top to bottom must apply roofing
shingles the same way.

--
- Frank Krygowski

Some people start at the brake lever and tape up to the stem and then start at the brake lever again and tape down to the end of the handlebar. The reason for that is they feel that the ridges on the tape going to the end of the handlebar will help prevent their hands slipping on the hooks or drops..

Cheers

Sir Ridesalot writes:

Some people start at the brake lever and tape up to the stem and then
start at the brake lever again and tape down to the end of the
handlebar. The reason for that is they feel that the ridges on the
tape going to the end of the handlebar will help prevent their hands
slipping on the hooks or drops.

My reason for splitting is that I neither want a curled up tape on the
drop nor on the tops. So I change from left-handed helix to right-handed
helix at the brake levers.

Axel

On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 10:45:47 AM UTC-8, Tosspot wrote:
On 24/01/2021 18:20, AMuzi wrote:
On 1/24/2021 10:28 AM, N8N wrote:
On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 10:54:21 AM UTC-5, jbeattie wrote:
On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 6:32:50 AM UTC-8, N8N wrote:
On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 9:29:51 AM UTC-5, N8N wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 1:59:51 PM UTC-5, jbeattie wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 10:24:40 AM UTC-8,
wrote:
On Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 2:50:48 AM UTC-8,
wrote:
Op dinsdag 12 januari 2021 om 07:12:58 UTC+1 schreef James:
On 10/1/21 5:53 am, N8N wrote:
On Saturday, January 9, 2021 at 1:47:09 PM UTC-5, N8N wrote:
time to retape... for some reason today I felt like playing
with my
Cannondale... I don't remember what bar tape is on it but it's
literally disintegrating. Meanwhile, the Velox cloth tape on my
Trek that I put on there when I "restomodded" it years and many
miles ago (that is undoubtedly older than the tape on the
Cannondale) is a faded tan color (was black when I put it on
LOL)
but is in fine shape otherwise.

Is it wrong to put cloth tape on a "modern" (sheeeit, it's
gotta be
close to 15 years old now) bike?

I see searching that now there are options. When I built the
Trek,
the only game there was was Velox Tressostar, of which I'm
obviously a big fan, but wish that a roll was just a tiny bit
longer. Now I see there's "Newbaum's" as the first thing that
comes
up searching for cloth bar tape. Opinions?

Any more modern styles I should look at or just say screw it and
use what I know works?

After searching for reviews of Newbaum's I saw mention of the
tape
that I used on the Cannondale that jogged my memory, it is
Fizik. I
liked how it felt fine, but it did curl up on the edges unlike
cloth.

Where I ride the bitumen is rough and the weather is often warm
and
humid. I've found Lizard Skin bar tape is good for my riding
conditions.

https://www.bikeinn.com/bike/lizard-...oducte=9829393


--
JS
I used that tape after installing new cables on one of my bikes.
Nice thick tape that is very easy to wrap. A little expensive
but I think it will last a long time.


Lou
Indeed, most of the copies do not stretch and you cannot get them
to lie flat. In this case the expense is worth it.
I've had good luck with this mid-priced Arundel tape:
https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...ar-tape?sg=500
On sale at BikeTires Direct (sister company of Western Bikeworks).
One of the commenters on the site didn't like the repeating name
graphic, but the graphic is basically a guide, and you wrap the
tape so that you lap over the graphic. It's the same color as the
tape, so if it peeks out, you can't see it. My bars look great,
and the stuff is really durable, and it has a light-mid cushion
feel and good wet weather grip. I'd buy again. The Lizard Skin and
Fizik are nice, but the top end stuff is ungodly expensive. I'm
done with cork. I blow through it, and its not great in rain.

-- Jay Beattie.
Might have to try that. I liked the Fizik but it's literally
disintegrating, although really it must be 6-7 years old now and
the last couple years that bike was in an unconditioned storage
locker.

Now I guess let's try another question. I like taping from the ends
up, although that means by necessity I will have to finish the tape
with electrical tape or similar at the stem. My reasoning for doing
so is that when I'm on the drops, my hands will not be trying to
curl up the exposed edges of the tape. Arguments for doing it the
other way?
I just looked it up and they sell a Rubber Gecko and also a "Synth
Gecko" I'm assuming you used the former?
I got the Gecko Grip, which is the synthetic tape. The rubber is
supposed to be nicer, but I haven't used it -- and it was not on the
deal of the day. The synthetic tape is holding up nicely so far. And
yes, you wrap from the bottom up and finish with electrical tape.
There are lots of YouTube videos with "around the levers" and
end-finishing techniques.

-- Jay Beattie.

I think the very first video I saw was from the top down and my
immediate response was "why? WHY would you do it that way?" I mean,
you don't need the electrical tape and it looks neater but then you're
relying on the adhesive to keep the tape edges from curling up, or at
least that's my thought.


A season spent watching the tape edges curl down will return you to the
normal bottom-to-top format.
Can't you go from the stem out and then turn the handlebars over...?
Huh, What do you think that would do?

On Sunday, January 24, 2021 at 12:03:44 PM UTC-8, Axel Reichert wrote:
Sir Ridesalot writes:

Some people start at the brake lever and tape up to the stem and then
start at the brake lever again and tape down to the end of the
handlebar. The reason for that is they feel that the ridges on the
tape going to the end of the handlebar will help prevent their hands
slipping on the hooks or drops.
My reason for splitting is that I neither want a curled up tape on the
drop nor on the tops. So I change from left-handed helix to right-handed
helix at the brake levers.

One of the things I've never mastered save by accident was wrapping the bar take around the levers. Done right the bar tape does indeed reverse direction but I mostly end up with a section of the tape running straight along the lever bottom. I used to be able to wrap tape properly without thinking about it when I was using cork. but since the new hard tapes came out it is always a mess.