Finishing Tape for Bar Wraps

[johnmdesigner]

Looking for a source for multi-colored durable tape (not electrical) to finish off my bar wrap. Looking for 1/4" and 1/8". All I seem to find is pinstripe tape. Would this work?
What kind of tape do you finish off your bars with?

Thanks!

[christian]

Electrical tape.

I have red, yellow, and black, in case I ever win the Belgian national championship, but I only ever use black.

Speaking of, have you read the instructions (#8, #9) on the back of the Arundel bar tape boxes?
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/images/reviews//021209/arundeltape4.jpg

[katematt]

3M standard electrical. Have begun to deviate from standard black with great success. It's flexible, don't have to cut it, just pull hard if your good and sticks to itself well. Only one strip wide though.

[old fat man]

electrical tape, white or black. don't over complicate the simple things

[johnmdesigner]

Electrical tape.

I have red, yellow, and black, in case I ever win the Belgian national championship, but I only ever use black.

Speaking of, have you read the instructions (#8, #9) on the back of the Arundel bar tape boxes?
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/images/reviews//021209/arundeltape4.jpg

Always liked this companies attitude.;) Have their cages on all my bikes.

[jlwdm]

Electrical tape, but not the standard. The higher quality stuff works much better. Can't think of the name of it though. By 3M also I think.

Jeff

edit: Scotch Super 33+ Vinyl is the tape I use. I found it by doing a forum search.

[Ahneida Ride]

there are different grades of 3M electrical tape .....

Get the best you can afford.

After you cut the tape .... Let it sit for a few minutes.
This will give the tape time to relax and resume it's natural length.

Then press it on. Now the tape won't want to contract and will seal better.

[nighthawk]

good quality electrical tape works for me. Cut the bar tape at an angle to line up proper on the last wrap. Electric tape over the end leave the last inch or so unaffixed for a bit... then finish it up. Keeps the tape from migrating after adhesion.. no sticky slime trail.

[johnmdesigner]

Trying to get this effect. This is 1/2" and 1/4". It's shiny tape though and seems more rigid than electrical.

[wasfast]

2 ways to cut the width; pre slit the tape on the roll for each color or cut in place. Based on how the edge looks, I suspect both were wrapped to the desired widths on the left and then slit in place.

One other note with electrical tape. Don't stretch the tape especially on the last section. The adhesive will soften in the heat and slide. Taut is fine. I also prefer to wrap the finishing tape from back to front (top tube side=back) and leave the cut end just below the peak of the cable housing under the bar.

[cfox]

TFX auto pinstripe tape. Works great/looks great, cleaner and more polished that electrical tape. I like 1/4 inch, but various widths are available. Used by the bike porn gods of Signature Cycles.

[old fat man]

you could get that affect by using a wide white tape then a narrow blue tape on top of it. two pieces of narrow tape seem like an unnecessary challenge

[johnmdesigner]

TFX auto pinstripe tape. Works great/looks great, cleaner and more polished that electrical tape. I like 1/4 inch, but various widths are available. Used by the bike porn gods of Signature Cycles.

That's beautiful stuff but $18-20 a roll might as well just go to Signature for a wrap.

[zennmotion]

Electrical tape also comes in a thicker woven cotton variety for better (electrical) insulation. Only black AFAIK, but it looks nicer for vintage look bar tape or leather. Also stretchy electrical tape is not ideal for holding your cables in place before you wrap- you want to hold things firmly in place especially around the brifter exits, a little slippage out of place can add friction to the cables. I usually just use packing tape to hold the cables to the bars before the bar wrap. Also, the cotton tape can be used to wrap around the seat tube in order to use a front derailleur clamp that's a little too big for the tube diameter, and the cotton tape also works well to protect the paint where lights and things are clamped on. I have a roll in my tool box and find it pretty useful.

[johnmdesigner]

http://www.identi-tape.com/vinyl1-4.html

I did find this source. Don't know about the quality but the roll prices are affordable.
Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions. Answers to questions great and small always found here!

[cfox]

That's beautiful stuff but $18-20 a roll might as well just go to Signature for a wrap.

100% true, but rationality goes out the window with me and bike stuff.

[christian]

That's beautiful stuff but $18-20 a roll might as well just go to Signature for a wrap.Having seen Justin wrap bars, I may just start doing that as a matter of course.

[johnmdesigner]

100% true, but rationality goes out the window with me and bike stuff.

Same problem here friend!

[Jaq]

Usually, when I finish off a set of bars, the tape looks something like this:

http://2.s3.envato.com/files/296610.jpg

I'll tell you what, though; instead of tape, you might consider getting creative and using something like twine, as in the following youtube:

http://youtu.be/tO8DcaOJzrA

I've been thinking about using a fine gauge of copper wire to finish off my faux-leather wrap, so that it'd match my Brooks Swift. The other thing I thought about was using different colored strands of insulated wire, like the fine-gauge telephone wire, laid in a repeating pattern of, say, orange-black-yellow-green.

[Dromen]

Colors are a little limited and not sure if you can buy separately, but lizardskin finishing tape works great and looks perfect with the same brand wrap. Basic colors(black, white, etc) should be perfiect with other wraps also.

[foo_fighter]

Self sealing silicone tape comes in colors and doesn't leave a sticky residue.

Looking for a source for multi-colored durable tape (not electrical) to finish off my bar wrap. Looking for 1/4" and 1/8". All I seem to find is pinstripe tape. Would this work?
What kind of tape do you finish off your bars with?

Thanks!

[esldude]

Saw the suggestion for automotive pin stripe tape on another forum. Also have used 3M reflective tape on one set of bars. Seems better than electrical tape though you are limited to red, yellow and white. The reflectivity looks nice in some cases.

But I did the last wrap with pin striping tape. It is way, way better than electrical tape. You can get various widths and colors. The least expensive stuff is fine. It seems to stick and stay put far better and weathers better. Even less expensive rolls are a few bucks, but you are getting a lifetime supply of finishing tape.

[54ny77]

what comes outta that shop is friggin' perfect. and i do mean perfect.

that reminds me, i need to get over there to drop a bike off for service. thanks!

maybe i'll have justin re-do my hack tape job while they're at it.

Having seen Justin wrap bars, I may just start doing that as a matter of course.

[dave thompson]

I use 3M color coded electrical tape to finish my bars. I end the wrap with hockey tape which is very secure then finish with the 1/2" 3M. Red/Yellow was very prevalent on our bikes as an honor to our son, a Marine.

(Note HandleBra product placement:) )

[johnmdesigner]

http://www.findtape.com/

Has good prices on 3M 1/8", 3/8" and 1/4" in lots of colors. I'll give it a go.

[Llewellyn]

I use hockey tape after it was suggested by someone on another forum. It doesn't shrink like electrical tape or leave sticky residue when you take it off. It has a cloth texture that I like, and it's great for putting on handlebars before you put leather wrap on, really holds the leather in place

I had to get it from Ebay as we don'y play hockey in this country (at least not enough of it to be be able to walk into a sports shop and get a roll of tape)

[johnmdesigner]

I received my tape and got to work. Wrapping bars is definitely a skill that requires practice.
Not as good as Signature but not bad for a beginner.
The 3M pinstriping tape is quite nice. Doesn't stretch that much.

Cheers!
John

[DHallerman]

Colors are a little limited and not sure if you can buy separately, but lizardskin finishing tape works great and looks perfect with the same brand wrap. Basic colors(black, white, etc) should be perfiect with other wraps also.

Quite true about that finishing tape. In fact, Lizard Skin is the only brand of finishing tape I don't discard. With all other brands, I just select from my color collection of 3M electrical tape.

But Lizard Skin bar wrap itself is poor stuff -- when being wrapped, that is.

Yesterday, in face, the Lizard Skin 2.5mm wrap I was trying to install on a bike tore in the process of wrapping it.

Yes, I know you're not supposed to put too much tension on Lizard Skin bar wrap, and so I was careful about that.

But the sucka still tore.

Now, when on a bike successfully, it's good stuff.

But temperamental bar wrap -- especially as high priced as the Lizard stuff -- is not on my bike-love list.

Dave, who instead switched to Cinelli Gel bar tape which is pretty decent stuff

[DHallerman]

Wrapping bars is definitely a skill that requires practice.

Oh yes. Over the past quarter century, I've built up scores of bikes from bare frames.

And the only task that still generally can be -- not always, but too often -- a PITA is wrapping bars.

[merlincustom1]

Tom Kellogg method here. No finish tape, just a longish dagger on the bar tape secured by crazy glue at a vanishing point into the bars.