Bar Wraping Top down?

[pcxmbfj]

Waiting for bar tape to arrive later today (Amazon Prime) so thought to do some research.

My road bikes have been neglected to pursue trail riding but just redone a ti road frame for the local greenway.

Any recommended videos for methods?

Always done ends to top but is tops to bottom any better?

Now to Google it.

[R3awak3n]

nah, just go bottom to top. Works the best, easiest. You can get a very clean look going that way as well.

[jmoore]

Top down is fine and it let's you forego the finishing tape. The only issue is that you can get some edge rolling around the hoods because the tape edge is facing the hood.

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[Veloo]

I think it was in a 90s issue of Bicycling that said top down is a big no-no cuz the tape will creep down.
I never did test it out. Just always did bottom to top.

[Cicli]

It causes the tape to roll at the seams. I don't do it for this reason.

[KarlC]

This video shows some good ways to do it if you watch it all the way thru.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MzIiv7pewE

[FlashUNC]

A bit like wearing your shirt backwards to work no?

[fiamme red]

http://velo-orange.blogspot.com/2014...ger-style.html

[Mzilliox]

handles first, wrapping outward to the tops, figure of 8 around the hoods so you end with tape rolling forward on the tops. cut em off in the same place and finish so you don;t have stupid gaps. easy peasy. if its not super clean the first time, do it 2 or 3 times. once the tape is wrapped a time or 2 it behaves better and forms to the bars a bit, so the 3rd attempt will be the easiest and best.

[john segal]

Data point of one: I've been wrapping top down for years (can't stand finishing tape) and not once has it creeped down.

[Dead Man]

Top down is coo if you're doing shellacked cotton..

But anything else maybe ain't gonna end well.

Just remember that your finishing tape of choice wraps the tape, not the bar. And I personally like to tuck the last wrap of tape and subsequent finishing tape under the cable housings, and bring it in toward the stem another inch or so. Just think it looks cleaner, and gives you more tape for riding the tops.

[pcxmbfj]

Good points from all.

[Dead Man]

If you haven't seen it already, there's some dudes here who do a nifty trick with cross-sectioned inner tube - cut it about 1.5-2" wide, slide it on prior to taping, put it up by the stem at your future end run... wrap as normal, up over half the tube section... wrap a narrow band of electrical tape over the end of the bar tape, then double back the exposed remainder of tube section over the end of the bar tape. Produces a slick finish - way better looking than ugly tape. Maybe someone will post a pic

Anybody ever done this with pink latex tube? Would look extra dope on the right bike pallet.. probably would rot out way sooner than butyl, but I have to think it'd last the life of the bar tape

[Spinner]

... works great for finishing.

[vqdriver]

depends on the tape.
cinelli cork would roll a bit then pull apart.
newer, think early fizik, would roll at the edges. especially around the turn to the hoods, but depends on your preferred hand position.

i don't like finishing tape either, but it avoids the above. i'm sure you could do it successfully by adding some more tension, but i've torn tape that way and hate making another trip to the lbs when i'm that close to finishing a bike.