Brooks leather wrap

[dave thompson]

Has anyone wrapped their Brooks leather bar wrap yet? I'm dyin' to know how you started and how you finished it. Two bike are waiting your answer!

[Kevan]

refer to Sandy.

[dirtdigger88]

yes yes- I need some finishing ideas as well-

Dave I sent you an email with some thoughts

Jason

[NicaDog]

I trying to figure out how to best finish off my moustache bars with this lovely wrap.

Any help would be much appreciated.

[dbrk]

I got the wrap on Friday (but here I am in Houston teaching yoga...) but when I get home I'll put it on the new Kirk Terraplane. My idea for finishing (same as with Jitensha Fujitoshi leather wrap) is to take the last turn at the top of the bars and fold the wrap against itself in half, like you making a sandwich, so that the folded part is the edge (not the two loose ends). This will make the wrap half its size in width. Then use brown electrical tape so that the folded edge is about 2mm sticking out of the tape. Use only one width's worth of the electrical tape and go around only twice to keep it clean and simple.

I'm waiting on a new digital camera (so not pleased with the one I have) and I'll get some pictures. Oldirtpal has been asking for these for more than a month and I've been remiss but realllly it's 'cause the photos I am currently taking are not to my satisfaction (and I've had some experience with photography back when there was such a thing as film). Anyway, I'll get it together.

We are about to document the build of a Tournesol from frame to complete, one step at a time. There will be photos and a blog. The Tournesol will use Fujitoshi calfskin wrap.

My personal jury is out on whether the Brooks or the Fujitoshi is better. The Japanese always have a way of getting things right when they are doing oldschool bicycle bits, I mean, think Honjo fenders which are better than the original Lefol that they knock-off (by a long shot).

dbrk

[davep]

Why not do as Tom K does with cork tape - taper the last wrap and then use super glue to hold it in place. Works great and looks great - probably even better on leather. Of course, you might screw up a few times before you get it right, so you might need some extra tape - not too expensive, is it?

[dave thompson]

<snip>.... Of course, you might screw up a few times before you get it right, so you might need some extra tape - not too expensive, is it?
$50!

[vandeda]

So have any of you tried installing your Brooks handlebar wrap yet?

Also, how would it hold up to rain? I gotta imagine that I'll be caught in the rain at some point while riding .... how do you care for it? Not like you can put a saddle cover on ...

Dan

[dirtdigger88]

So have any of you tried installing your Brooks handlebar wrap yet?

Also, how would it hold up to rain? I gotta imagine that I'll be caught in the rain at some point while riding .... how do you care for it? Not like you can put a saddle cover on ...

Dan

It is so easy to wrap it is almost wrong- you can really pull on the tape to get it tight-

care- I dont care- hows that- its bar tape - yes its expensive tape but it is still bar tape- after 400 miles with mine through the snow - ice - and mud- it is showing some signs of age- not that it is not holding up - the stuff is very strong- but it just "ages" faster that a Brooks saddle

I am going to go out on a limb and say this is one season bar tape for sure- that is if you want it to look "good" to me- the aged look is "good"

I did apply some leather treatment that I use on my Red Wing boots to the tape - that seemed to add back in some moisture to the tape-

the best part is how the tape feels in your hands- it just feels so right- I am hooked on this tape

Jason

[vandeda]

So how did you decide to start and finish the tape Jason? I know that was one of the original questions. dbrk's idea for finishing sounds like a good idea to me, curious what you (and others) decided to do.

Can you clean it ... unlike regular tape?


Snow ... ice ... and mud are pretty harsh, this bike won't see any of that, just occassional rain really.

Sorry, just some curiousity questions that came to mind ...

d

[Serpico]

I still haven't decided on Fujitosha or Brooks. Dirt, can you post those close-ups you have of both--I'm interested in the pattern on the Fujitosha, does it look solid from a distance?

[dirtdigger88]

Start-

Instead of tucking the first part of the tape inside the bars I started the wrap flush with the ends of the bars- I did cut the firt few inches of the tape to a blunt point as most do- I had tried to tuck it in at first- but it really didnt have a nice look IMHO- the tape it thick- by time you roll it inside the bar and inset the plug- it was a real tight fit- too tight- At first I wasnt sure that I liked the look- but now I really do

Finish-

I was going to do the roll method dbrk spoke of- but my bars are 46cm wide c to c- by time I got to the end of the bars- I didnt have enough tape left to do it- so I just finished it off as you would any other tape- only I used brown electric tape rather than black-

I didnt not do any kind of hemp wrap like I spoke of before - yet- the reason is that I am changing out the bars in the near future- going for some deep drop 66's - so I didnt want to waste my time doing that- but I do have some hemp twine to finish off the tape after that-


Jason

[dirtdigger88]

I still haven't decided on Fujitosha or Brooks. Dirt, can you post those close-ups you have of both--I'm interested in the pattern on the Fujitosha, does it look solid from a distance?


http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=133996&postcount=11

you dont really notice the pattern in the fujitsha tape-

you wouldnt go wrong with either-

Serpico- dont you have a black saddle though? Black Brooks tape my brother-

Jason

[Serpico]

that black saddle is off my other bike, I'll probably get antique brown--possibly honey (but it looks too orange, imho)

for some reason I don't want the tape and saddle to match, so maybe black tape with brown saddle--who knows, I don't have to decide for a couple more weeks.

[dave thompson]

Jason: It would be terrific if you would post pics of your bar tape job!

[bironi]

Are these tapes available online?

Thanks,
Byron

[dirtdigger88]

Jason: It would be terrific if you would post pics of your bar tape job!


will do later on tonight-

Jason

[dirtdigger88]

Are these tapes available online?

Thanks,
Byron


http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/handlebars.html#tape

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=&subcategory=&brand=5127&sku=15729&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

http://www.yellowjersey.org/brooksmr.html

just to name a few

Jason

[bironi]

Jason.

[Serpico]

jitensha.com is the only place I've seen the Fujitoshi tape

http://jitensha.com/eng/tape_e.html

[dave thompson]

And here too: http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-BROOKS-LEATHER-HANDLEBAR-WRAP-BROWN_W0QQitemZ7210648238QQcategoryZ27951QQrdZ1QQc mdZViewItem

[Ahneida Ride]

Peter White has Brooks leather in stock. Tan or Black.

I visited Peter in NH a few weeks ago and purchased the black version.
It sure is pudry. I worked some proofhide into the leather with my hands.
This seems to melt the tape together. I suspect it has a long lifespan.
We'll see.

Price = 60 frn

[H.Frank Beshear]

it in the rain? Some tape is a lot better than others when it gets wet. Is it comparable to a good cork tape for comfort? I liike the look of it. Frank

[vandeda]

Well ... I'm convinced ... I bought some Brooks brown handlebar wrap .... it should look sweet on the Vanilla with the Brooks Swift, and I hope to get some Brooks mudflaps too ... maybe a handlebar bag ... maybe not, not sure.

I just feel bad because Ben at Vanilla did a beauuuuutiful job wrapping the handlebars, and the tape he put on will see all of 12 miles before being replaced :( I'm going to try and be real careful so I can re-use it when it's time for new wrap for my Centurion though .........

Thanks all for the replies :banana:

Dan

[dirtdigger88]

tape pix

when I tape the new bars- I will be more careful to trim the edges more even- if you're not seeing a picture taken on a macro setting it doesnt stand out like it does in the pix-

Jason

[OldDog]

Very nice job Jason. I like the looks.

[dave thompson]

Jason: How did you fasten the wrap at the bar end? Does the Brooks tape have an adhesive strip?

Thanks for the pics.

[dirtdigger88]

Jason: How did you fasten the wrap at the bar end? Does the Brooks tape have an adhesive strip?

Thanks for the pics.

yes there is an adhesive-

tape and pressure- it has not moved

oh and Frank- remember the old Wilson tennis raquets- with the leather grips- thats what this tape feels like- I have not had it "the rain" but I have seen it very wet- it feels just fine and does not get slick-

Jason