Finishing Bar Tape

[arazate]

Question for all of you; I'm currently building up a bike, bar tape going on soon.

Is there anything other than electrical tape or hemp cord that can be used to hold tape in its place?

I thought to have seen a rubber sleeve used; interested in reading other ideas.

Cheers, AJ

[Dead Man]

It would be kind of a PITA, but you could chop a couple inner tube cross sections and fight them on there ... you'd need to slide them on before you did shifters, route your cables through them, then slide them over the end of your bar tape. And it would probably look stupid, depending on your tape.

But it would be unique!

[choke]

I use these (https://www.biketiresdirect.com/product/arundel-bar-tape-clips) on nearly all my bikes and would never go back to electrical tape again.

[Dead Man]

Wrapping from the top down is a really nice clean look, but then your overlap is backwards. Some people like it, though.

[Black Dog]

I use a 5cm (2") piece if inner tube (700 25c) that I slide up the handle bar. You have to remove the brake levers, but only once. I run the tape over 1/2 of the piece of tube then fold the tube back over the tape. You have to run the cables under the tube. It gives a very clean finish. You can put the finish tape that comes with the bar tape if you wish or some coloured electrical tape.

[makoti]

I use these (https://www.biketiresdirect.com/product/arundel-bar-tape-clips) on nearly all my bikes and would never go back to electrical tape again.

They make EVERYTHING. Whodathunkit?

[choke]

They make EVERYTHING. Whodathunkit?They've been around in various versions for quite a while. The ones on these bikes were made by LeTour and sold by the old Brandford bike; I'd guess I purchased them around 1995 or so. They have a single opening but as you can see two cables will fit.

http://cycle.ciocctoo.com/cousins.jpg

[lovebird]

I use this stuff:

http://www.holabirdsports.com/gamma-guard-tape-1-x-25.html

Super tough, sticks well, a tiny bit of stretch. It does say "Gamma" though.

[arazate]

Many thanks for the very interesting options. Nice to see more than two options.

[guyintense]

Yeh, they like rubber too...shrink-tubing
With a hair dryer...

[nate2351]

I've heard of, but never tried, super glue.

[dave thompson]

I'll secure the ends with hockey (friction) tape then finish the job using narrow electrical tape for an accent.

[mg2ride]

I used clear Gorilla tape as a temp solution and it was pretty good.

I think with a little more care and skill it would be a viable option.

[msl819]

I use these (https://www.biketiresdirect.com/product/arundel-bar-tape-clips) on nearly all my bikes and would never go back to electrical tape again.

Do those come in bar sizes 26.0 or 31.8. It looks like they are one size fits all. Those looks like a great option but would need both size options.

[choke]

Do those come in bar sizes 26.0 or 31.8. It looks like they are one size fits all. Those looks like a great option but would need both size options.They work on either...handlebars are the same size where the bar tape goes unless they have flat tops.

[Peter P.]

How about dispense with finishing bar tape altogether?

I use the Tom Kellogg method (http://www.spectrum-cycles.com/mechanical.php). Scroll down to "Bar Tape Tricks".

I don't split the tape behind the brake levers, however.

I cut the end with scissors after drawing a cut line on the underside of the tape. The result is a nice, square edge. Admittedly, it took a few tries to get the method perfected but now I wouldn't do it any other way.

Thanks to Tom Kellogg and Spectrum Cycles for the idea.

[Louis]

I use the Tom Kellogg method (http://www.spectrum-cycles.com/mechanical.php).

Start your wrap at the end of either side of the bar making sure that your wrap goes over the top towards the outside of the bar, not the inside. This will assure that once you are finishing up at the stem, the tape will be wrapping over the top away from you as you ride.

I always heard that you started the tape at outside in the other direction, so when your hands were on the bars (say, while climbing) and you tended to cause the front of tape to go up and back that would tighten the wrap instead of loosening it, which is what you could get with Tom's method. (I've always done it as I describe, so I don't know for sure if having it wrap as he describes truly will come loose or not.)

Louis

[stephenmarklay]

This is a great thread. I have always just wrapped, shrugged my shoulders and said it looked pretty good. I have never had it come loose so its been pretty functional too.

In reality it looks lame with tape at the top and I always fight the levers. I am going to try the Tom Kellogg method.

[Peter P.]

I always heard that you started the tape at outside in the other direction, so when your hands were on the bars (say, while climbing) and you tended to cause the front of tape to go up and back that would tighten the wrap instead of loosening it, which is what you could get with Tom's method. (I've always done it as I describe, so I don't know for sure if having it wrap as he describes truly will come loose or not.)

Louis

This is the way I wrap the bars. As a result, gripping the bars on the tops naturally helps keep the tape tight and it doesn't unravel.

Near the stem, my wrap goes over the top and toward the rear of the bike. The end of the tapered cut is hidden on the back/underside of the bars.

[R3awak3n]

I also always have done it that way and never had any unwrapping. I do admit that sometimes the electrical tape starts coming out or does some weird things but I usually use black bar tape so the electrical tape matches and doesn't look bad. I have wanted to try those arundel things but just never have them when it's time to wrap and then it's too late.

[Black Dog]

Here is a pic of the inner tube finish:

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/BlackDogryka/IMG_3011_zpsrmpz0ju2.jpg (http://s900.photobucket.com/user/BlackDogryka/media/IMG_3011_zpsrmpz0ju2.jpg.html)

[cderalow]

Here is a pic of the inner tube finish:

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/BlackDogryka/IMG_3011_zpsrmpz0ju2.jpg (http://s900.photobucket.com/user/BlackDogryka/media/IMG_3011_zpsrmpz0ju2.jpg.html)

think I've just found my new way since I need to replace my tape soon anyway. That looks nice and clean.

I noticed something a few days ago watching some pro mechanics doing bar tape on youtube... it seemed like all of them wrapped the bars with low tack electrical tape from the hoods all the way to the bar middle or so to hold the cables in place.

[aosty]

I use self-fusing silicone tape... works well and no sticky melting goo (vs. electrical tape).... purchased from Amazon.

[Black Dog]

think I've just found my new way since I need to replace my tape soon anyway. That looks nice and clean.

I noticed something a few days ago watching some pro mechanics doing bar tape on youtube... it seemed like all of them wrapped the bars with low tack electrical tape from the hoods all the way to the bar middle or so to hold the cables in place.

I also tape down the cables with e-tape before I put on the handle bar tape. Really helps and if you need to move the cables up or down it will yield and allow you to reposition the cables to get them just right.

[Dead Man]

I wrap the entire thing with electrical tape, before wrapping with bar tape...

[Auk]

I noticed something a few days ago watching some pro mechanics doing bar tape on youtube... it seemed like all of them wrapped the bars with low tack electrical tape from the hoods all the way to the bar middle or so to hold the cables in place.

Only part of this is to hold cable housing in place. The biggest benefit is that it allows very fast removal of the tape when it comes time to replace. No more of the adhesive and wrap material getting stuck to the bars and needing picked and scrapped away.

[Bradford]

I switched over to shrink tubing for my bars and cable ends. It is great for cable ends and the best solution I've found for finishing tape at bar end shifters.

For the top part, it works perfectly, but you have to take the brakes off to get the shrink tube up there. The bonus is that if you hunt around, you can find a decent selection of colors. A little extra work, but it looks really good.

[OtayBW]

I always heard that you started the tape at outside in the other direction, so when your hands were on the bars (say, while climbing) and you tended to cause the front of tape to go up and back that would tighten the wrap instead of loosening it, which is what you could get with Tom's method. (I've always done it as I describe, so I don't know for sure if having it wrap as he describes truly will come loose or not.)

Louis

This is the way I wrap the bars. As a result, gripping the bars on the tops naturally helps keep the tape tight and it doesn't unravel.

Near the stem, my wrap goes over the top and toward the rear of the bike. The end of the tapered cut is hidden on the back/underside of the bars.

I also always have done it that way and never had any unwrapping.
I start the wrap to the outside as per Tom's method, but I wrap the horns in such a way that the tops do come out overlapped correctly - e.g., tightened when gripped. Cut/taper both the bar and finishing tape as described and you're good to go...

[Grant McLean]

My local tennis pro shop has a tape that's designed to finish off the
racquet grip, not unlike our handlebars. This stuff comes on a roll
like electrical tape, but stretches only half as much, and has a stronger
adhesive, it stays in place and doesn't "retreat" around the bar like
electrical tape does over time.

-g

[merlincustom1]

Modified Kellogg here, figure 8 around the hoods. Left clockwise, right counter has the tape come over the tops front to back. Dagger point with super glue under the bar has the tape vanish into the stem when done right. Done wrong, you want to hang yourself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SpokeValley]

I use a 5cm (2") piece if inner tube (700 25c) that I slide up the handle bar. You have to remove the brake levers, but only once. I run the tape over 1/2 of the piece of tube then fold the tube back over the tape. You have to run the cables under the tube. It gives a very clean finish. You can put the finish tape that comes with the bar tape if you wish or some coloured electrical tape.

Thanks for sending pix. VERY slick. Thanks for the tip! I'm going to try this for sure. :banana:

[JWDR]

I use self-fusing silicone tape... works well and no sticky melting goo (vs. electrical tape).... purchased from Amazon.

I use the same and agree it is much cleaner than electrical tape

[aosty]

I switched over to shrink tubing for my bars and cable ends. It is great for cable ends and the best solution I've found for finishing tape at bar end shifters.


If you haven't tried already, adhesive-lined heat shrink works even better on cable ends.

[staggerwing]

Another tape to know is 'gaffers' tape AKA photographers friend. It is a cloth tape, with strong, non-slipping adhesive. It is designed not to leave a nasty tacky residue upon removal.

Black is standard, but a quick look will show it is now available in many colors.