Finishing Tape Recommendations

[GregL]

Looking for recommendations for good finishing tapes for road handlebars. I usually use Profile bar wrap, but don't care for their finishing tape. I haven't been pleased with electrical tape either, as it usually moves and gets sticky.

Thanks,
Greg

[leftsidedrive]

I wrap bars for a living.

It seems that the factory finishing tape is usually garbage, unless you are paid to ride that product, it's damn near useless.

High quality e-tape is the best. It needs to be high temperature, and not a cheap .99 cent roll. 3m makes a good product. It's usually 5-6 dollars a roll, and available in multiple colors if that's your thing.

Heat shrink is the ultimate terminating material. It looks amazing, is durable, and doesn't shift or walk. Here is the kicker, you have to slide it on BEFORE you mount shifters/levers/cable&housing. Extra points if you wrap colored e-tape under it and use a design punch to cut out holes/shapes in the heat shrink...

Lastly, GOOD e-tape wont walk or get sticky if you just cover the bar wrap itself. You start getting into trouble when you put it on the transition of the bar/wrap. The terminating piece should be exactly the width of the tape, no wider. 2 tight wraps, and then 1 not so tight wrap will always make it it nice..... Furthermore, cutting the beginning and end of the bar wrap at the correct angle will greatly decrease the chance of it walking or looking like garbage.

[batman1425]

Generic electrical tape or the good stuff? I find the 3M Super 33 or Super 88 to be far superior to the generic stuff in terms of holding and residue.

If you are set on a non-electrical tape option - you could try heat shrink tubing. I've seen some slick work done with old inner tubes.

[Tony T]

I also use Scotch Super 33+ w/o any problems.

[jamesau]

In addition to using a quality e-tape (Scotch here), the technique for applying it is important.
The tape should be wrapped in the direction of the bartape wrap and drawn/stretched when applied except for last inch or two of the end, which should not be stretched. Basically tape applied under tension, cut near end and let the end rebound/relax before smoothing it down.

[Cicli]

I tape with good electrical tape then cover the tape with a short piece of Newbaums cloth bar tape in black. Looks fantastic.

[tumbler]

I wrap bars for a living.

It seems that the factory finishing tape is usually garbage, unless you are paid to ride that product, it's damn near useless.

High quality e-tape is the best. It needs to be high temperature, and not a cheap .99 cent roll. 3m makes a good product. It's usually 5-6 dollars a roll, and available in multiple colors if that's your thing.

Heat shrink is the ultimate terminating material. It looks amazing, is durable, and doesn't shift or walk. Here is the kicker, you have to slide it on BEFORE you mount shifters/levers/cable&housing. Extra points if you wrap colored e-tape under it and use a design punch to cut out holes/shapes in the heat shrink...

Lastly, GOOD e-tape wont walk or get sticky if you just cover the bar wrap itself. You start getting into trouble when you put it on the transition of the bar/wrap. The terminating piece should be exactly the width of the tape, no wider. 2 tight wraps, and then 1 not so tight wrap will always make it it nice..... Furthermore, cutting the beginning and end of the bar wrap at the correct angle will greatly decrease the chance of it walking or looking like garbage.

^This. I don't understand why bar tape even comes with those horrible strips that are too short and have the adhesive strength of a post-it note. Get a good electical tape, 3M Super 88 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004WCCP/ref=pe_385040_127745480_pd_te_o_gr_im/180-6755586-7177700) is nice. Wrap it tight 2x around on the very edge of your bar tape and in a straight line. There is no need to cross over to the untaped portion of the bar and create additional seams that may get sticky over time. On the final go 'round, cut the tape to length so the end will rest under the bar... but... let it hang for a few minutes to let it resume it's natural state (unstretch itself) before pressing the final section down. This will keep it from unstretching and coming undone prematurely. Kelly Bedford has a nice Youtube video on this, and it has worked well for me.

[54ny77]

post some pics of your handiwork!

I wrap bars for a living.

It seems that the factory finishing tape is usually garbage, unless you are paid to ride that product, it's damn near useless.

High quality e-tape is the best. It needs to be high temperature, and not a cheap .99 cent roll. 3m makes a good product. It's usually 5-6 dollars a roll, and available in multiple colors if that's your thing.

Heat shrink is the ultimate terminating material. It looks amazing, is durable, and doesn't shift or walk. Here is the kicker, you have to slide it on BEFORE you mount shifters/levers/cable&housing. Extra points if you wrap colored e-tape under it and use a design punch to cut out holes/shapes in the heat shrink...

Lastly, GOOD e-tape wont walk or get sticky if you just cover the bar wrap itself. You start getting into trouble when you put it on the transition of the bar/wrap. The terminating piece should be exactly the width of the tape, no wider. 2 tight wraps, and then 1 not so tight wrap will always make it it nice..... Furthermore, cutting the beginning and end of the bar wrap at the correct angle will greatly decrease the chance of it walking or looking like garbage.

[mwynne]

[...]let it hang for a few minutes to let it resume it's natural state (unstretch itself) before pressing the final section down. This will keep it from unstretching and coming undone prematurely[...]

Why on earth did that never occur to me. Hello nice and tidy bars!

[Black Dog]

Read this thread:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=170029&highlight=tube%27

[dave thompson]

Here's a pic of some HandleBra I wrapped, using hockey tape to secure the ends and then some complementary/contrasting narrow 3M to finish. I do something like this on all my bikes, it lasts a long time.

[bikerboy337]

Agree...

3M tape works great, its expensive compared to the cheap stuff, but my $5 roll has lasted me about 5 years now... and keeps nice and clean in its plastic case...

I use cheap tape for taping my housing to the bars before i wrap and finish with the nice stuff.....

I wrap bars for a living.

It seems that the factory finishing tape is usually garbage, unless you are paid to ride that product, it's damn near useless.

High quality e-tape is the best. It needs to be high temperature, and not a cheap .99 cent roll. 3m makes a good product. It's usually 5-6 dollars a roll, and available in multiple colors if that's your thing.

Heat shrink is the ultimate terminating material. It looks amazing, is durable, and doesn't shift or walk. Here is the kicker, you have to slide it on BEFORE you mount shifters/levers/cable&housing. Extra points if you wrap colored e-tape under it and use a design punch to cut out holes/shapes in the heat shrink...

Lastly, GOOD e-tape wont walk or get sticky if you just cover the bar wrap itself. You start getting into trouble when you put it on the transition of the bar/wrap. The terminating piece should be exactly the width of the tape, no wider. 2 tight wraps, and then 1 not so tight wrap will always make it it nice..... Furthermore, cutting the beginning and end of the bar wrap at the correct angle will greatly decrease the chance of it walking or looking like garbage.

[Black Dog]

This is the inner tube finish. Uses a 2 inch section of inner tube. You can then put finish tape on it or leave it bare.

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/BlackDogryka/IMG_3011_zpsrmpz0ju2.jpg

[Tickdoc]

any good tape tutorials out there?

[Waldo]

So, you work a 2-inch section of a tube to the center of the bar, wrap the bar, then work the tube back over the edge of the tape to hold the end in place, and tape over it? Ingenious.

This is the inner tube finish. Uses a 2 inch section of inner tube. You can then put finish tape on it or leave it bare.

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/BlackDogryka/IMG_3011_zpsrmpz0ju2.jpg

[Black Dog]

So, you work a 2-inch section of a tube to the center of, wrap the bar, then work the tube back over the edge of the tape to hold the end in place, and tape over it? Ingenious.

Yes. You will have to remove the shifters and cables. You only have to do this once and you are set for many years. You wrap the tape over half of the tube then fold it back over the tape. Set the mid-point of the tube where the bar tape will end. Once folded back over it will hold the bar tape and you can leave it as is, or put finishing tape over the tube as I did. It is super clean looking when done and very functional.

[gaucho753]

^That inner tube section is a neat tip. Never seen that before.

+1 to 3M being a superior product.

When finishing with electrical tape, I do one section pulled taught, than add a second strip of finishing tape on top. Works well for me.

Sometimes I embellish a little with multiple colors.

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/gaucho510/ParkPre_Road-Conejo_Velo_Team_Issue/IMG_4575.jpg

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/gaucho510/LOOK%20KG86/Look%20KG86%20finished/IMG_2789_zpsse50faqm.jpg

If I'm using Benotto tape on a vintage bike (I realize it's not for everyone), I heat up a old kitchen knife or spackling knife, and apply it to the last couple inches of the tape. The cello tape starts to melt a little, at which point you can quickly finish wrapping the end and it will fuse to the tape below. Nice clean bars without any need for finishing tape.

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab69/gaucho510/LOOK%20Equipe%20Bernard%20Hinault%20Reynolds%20753/IMG_5964_zpsc533dc96.jpg

[cachagua]

I stick the last wrap of the bar tape down with fiberglass packing tape, and on top of that, 7/8" of pink Hello Kitty duct tape. It's right for the Eddy Merckx, right for the CRL, right for the Ciomboni, right for the Kirk... It's all I've used for years. Everybody knows my bikes by it.

But I dig the inner-tube idea! And I'll pile on with everybody else that electrician's tape is widely variable in quality.

[sg8357]

Newbaums hemp twine, is assorted colors.
http://store.somafab.com/nehetw.html

[MagicHour]

Cool tip, thanks! Gonna bookmark this one somewhere for next time I need to wrap bars.

This is the inner tube finish. Uses a 2 inch section of inner tube. You can then put finish tape on it or leave it bare.

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/BlackDogryka/IMG_3011_zpsrmpz0ju2.jpg

So, you work a 2-inch section of a tube to the center of the bar, wrap the bar, then work the tube back over the edge of the tape to hold the end in place, and tape over it? Ingenious.

Yes. You will have to remove the shifters and cables. You only have to do this once and you are set for many years. You wrap the tape over half of the tube then fold it back over the tape. Set the mid-point of the tube where the bar tape will end. Once folded back over it will hold the bar tape and you can leave it as is, or put finishing tape over the tube as I did. It is super clean looking when done and very functional.

[one60]

remember to apply even tension when wrapping...pictured is fizik tape

[-dustin]

High quality e-tape is the best. It needs to be high temperature, and not a cheap .99 cent roll. 3m makes a good product. It's usually 5-6 dollars a roll, and available in multiple colors if that's your thing.

Lastly, GOOD e-tape wont walk or get sticky if you just cover the bar wrap itself. You start getting into trouble when you put it on the transition of the bar/wrap. The terminating piece should be exactly the width of the tape, no wider. 2 tight wraps, and then 1 not so tight wrap will always make it it nice..... Furthermore, cutting the beginning and end of the bar wrap at the correct angle will greatly decrease the chance of it walking or looking like garbage.
This is the best, simplest advice. I typically do 3 tight wraps, 1 not so tight, and one to just lay it over so that nothing is wider than the unstretched tape. if that makes sense. end on the bottom, cut at an angle. if I'm stuck with cheap tape, i'll grab an awl, heat it up, and lay it over where the tape ends so that it melts it all together in one or two little spots.

[yakstone]

I've really appreciated that inner-tube technique for awhile but have been reluctant to take the time to re-wrap.

May give in this weekend.

[carpediemracing]

I use better/best quality electrical tape. Since I moved into this area I just get the nicest stuff offered at the local hardware store ($4.99 per roll I think).

For tape tutorials (post, not a video):
http://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.com/2007/11/how-to-handlebar-tape.html

For finishing do one or two "tight" rounds as previously suggested, but use the tension to gently wrap the edge of the handlebar tape. Then do a lap with no tension, then cut. It's in my post above.

Picture of finished product, from post above:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TbmplkIYLx8/RzsSD_ZakvI/AAAAAAAAAS8/gvK8PAw_dB4/s800/100_2792.JPG

Note how you can't see the edge of the bar tape. It's all electrical tape.

Taught to me by the guy that taught me much of bike stuff, Mike H who is now up in Camden, ME.

[donevwil]

remember to apply even tension when wrapping...pictured is fizik tape

You're not kidding, especially with Fizik tape. With proper (less than one thinks) tension the tape will almost last forever. Too much and it'll die a relatively quick death. I love me some Fizik tape.

[Peter P.]

Finishing tape is for amateurs. BLACK finishing tape, doubly so.

Bar Tape Tricks (http://www.spectrum-cycles.com/mechanical.php), by Tom Kellogg of Spectrum Cycles.

This is my bike and not a Spectrum.

[Ronsonic]

I'm definitely going with the inner tube gimmick next time. :hello: I've done heatshrink and it's great but you have to plan ahead and tear down the bars each time. The inner tube is good for more than one use too.

I'll report back later.

[PacNW2Ford]

I use black self-fusing tape, only sticks to itself, so it can be cut off easily with no residue.

[eddief]

Seems like a good sub for electrical tape when finishing bars:

http://www.esigrips.com/SiliconeTape.htm

[oldpotatoe]

remember to apply even tension when wrapping...pictured is fizik tape

Cept that's wrapped backwards. You hand pressure will curl the edges back, IMHO-should be bottom of bar(bar ends) on up, not the other way around..

IMHO, it's bicycle handlebar tape after all..

[OtayBW]

^ Yeah - he acknowledged that. Not my cup of tea either, but you're right.

[Red Tornado]

Good quality elec tape has worked well for me for 21 years. Never has problems with stickiness, etc.
FWIW Fizik finishing tape is the one brand I can get to look decent. Only done a couple times tho. Generally I just throw the fin tape away.

[Cicli]

Seems like a good sub for electrical tape when finishing bars:

http://www.esigrips.com/SiliconeTape.htm

That tape works well.

[Jcgill]

I use Scotch Super 88 Electrical Tape. Works great and holds up really well in both hot and cold weather!