non-scum substitute for electrical tape to secure cables to bars?

[eddief]

the question says it all. When you change your mind and bikes as often as I do, removing the electrical tape scum from barse is a pain in the arse.

some miracle product that don't do that?

[thwart]

Maybe it's the cool weather of the North country, but the tape I use leaves nothing behind... heck, I frequently use the pieces again on the 'rebuild'...

But I use Campy-approved tape. :D

[93legendti]

Maybe it's the cool weather of the North country, but the tape I use leaves nothing behind... heck, I frequently use the pieces again on the 'rebuild'...

But I use Campy-approved tape. :D
I'm in the same boat-my electrical tape comes off very easily.
To the OP, what bars are you using?

[eddief]

do you think nitto attracts scum? maybe I am confusing the electrical tape with the actual bar tape. I mostly use Deda tape. One or the other tape always leaves junk on the bars when tape is removed.

[93legendti]

My bars are all black and the tape comes right off, but they aren't shiny like Nitto's. I wonder if that's the difference.

[Blue Jays]

In my experience, electrical tape has insufficient tackiness and becomes messy and loose (especially during hot weather months) where it holds bar tape near the stem.
I'd like to find something a little cleaner with a stronger bond, perhaps hockey tape?

[Ken Robb]

WD-40 and a paper towel and it comes right off. :beer:

[dekindy]

Is this what you had in mind?

http://www.bikeribbon.com/UK/Components-Lock-Rings.php

[bumpin]

I've never used it but hockey shinpad tape might be worth an option ? Only used it for it's purpose and always comes off clean.

[eddief]

too much time on the net.

some tape talk:

x10 on the gorilla tape. It's one of the stickiest ones I've ever used. Sometimes a little too sticky. Gaffers tape is a cloth backed tape very similar to duct tape, and it won't leave the sticky residue all over the place. The only problem is it's pretty pricey at $20 a roll for the good stuff. There's also 100mph tape, which is similar to gorilla tape but a little thinner and stronger, the only issue I had with it is you can't rip off a piece, you had to cut it because it wouldn't tear easily.

For electrical tape, I actually started using this new self sealing silicone tape intended for plumbing repairs.

http://www.rescuetape.com/

It's not even a tape, there's really no adhesive because it will only stick to itself. It handles similar to electrical tape, only stretchier, and when you wrap it around something, it will eventually fuse itself into a solid piece, and the only way to take it off is by cutting it off. The best thing is, it won't leave ANY residue at all. It's better than standard electrical tape in almost every way, you can even use it to repair a leaky pipe or heater hose on a car.

or maybe this gaffers tape:

http://www.identi-tape.com/gaffer1.htm

[Louis]

I know I'm not going to be of any help on this question - I use electrical tape to hold down my black Cinelli cork tape that's torn completely through in a few spots. I've managed to extend the life of my current tape job by at least a year or two...

I'm waiting for the day when I have more electrical tape than cork tape...

[slowgoing]

Not all electrical tape is the same. Some leaves scum behind, some does not. You gotta figure out which is which.

[JD Smith]

In my experience, electrical tape has insufficient tackiness and becomes messy and loose (especially during hot weather months) where it holds bar tape near the stem.
I'd like to find something a little cleaner with a stronger bond, perhaps hockey tape?

I've found hockey tape to work the best. It's tacky at first, then wears smooth. It doesn't come loose if you wrap it towards you, with it ending at the bottom of the bars (when facing the drive side, wrap it counterclockwise).
It doesn't stretch out, and it adheres to itself, without the gooey residue of electrical tape.

[nicrump]

better quality, heat resistance electrical tape. get it at the lowes or an elec supply place. and dont pull it so damn tight

http://www.wiringproducts.com/contents/media/3m_super88.jpg

[Steve in SLO]

Maybe Velox rim tape?

[Kevan]

fold a 2-3" section of a 10" length (I'm guessing) of tape on itself and carefully bring the rest of the tape on itself as you secure the cable to bar. Should work.

You'll have to kinda picture this stunt in your mind before starting. Apply as many as necessary.

[cadence90]

fold a 2-3" section of a 10" length (I'm guessing) of tape on itself and carefully bring the rest of the tape on itself as you secure the cable to bar. Should work.

You'll have to kinda picture this stunt in your mind before starting. Apply as many as necessary.
What Kevan said, except that I wrap the initial "folded-over" (non-sticky) portion around the cable housing first, midway in the "folded-over" portion, so that when you then cinch the electrical tape against the bar and wrap the sticky remainder over the non-sticky initial loop touching the bar, the cable housing won't ever slip.

You'll need more like an 8" (2 x 4", "folded-over") length tape in order to completely go around a 31.8mm bar once + an additional 4"/5" min. to wrap over the "folded-over" non-sticky loop; about 7" + 3.5" min. for a 26.0mm bar.

[Peter P.]

You're looking to remove the adhesive left behind from electrical tape used to hold brake/shifter cables to the bars prior to taping, right?

I agree with another poster; try WD-40. Another good choice is Goo-Gone, which is available usually in the paint section of large hardware stores. It quickly removed bubble gum which got all over my frame, rear brake, and rear rim, recently.

Afterwards, wipe the bars with alcohol so new electrical tape will adhere well.

[tsarpepe]

It quickly removed bubble gum which got all over my frame, rear brake, and rear rim, recently.

I'd be curious to know how bubble gum got all over your bike. Pray tell!

[Kines]

people - PEOPLE!!!

you've all probably thought of this before, but here's my trick - PUT NEW BAR TAPE ON!

lol.

KN

[Bob Ross]

I'm gonna turn y'all on to something that will blow yer minds...and years from now (or perhaps days, if anyone is brave enough to trust me & go fer it) yer gonna thank me:

3M 8402 polyester tape

You saw it here first. Tell 'em Bob sent you.

[eddief]

sounds good. could you send me 20 feet?

holy crap, that stuff costs as much as two packages of bar tape.

i bet it's good.

[Louis]

I'd be curious to know how bubble gum got all over your bike. Pray tell!

Once it's happened to you you'll never forget: Some slob spits out a wad of gum onto the road. On a nice warm day with the gum all sticky, you ride over it with your front or even worse, your rear tire. As the tire rotates up and away from the road you get a nice long string of gum between the spot on the tire and the original spot on the ground. At the tire rotates round and round and round that long string of gum is wrapped around your spokes, and a bunch of other stuff on the frame. A real PITA to clean up.

[Steve in SLO]

I'd be curious to know how bubble gum got all over your bike. Pray tell!
He ran over a teenager. SHH! Don't tell anyone!

[bigbill]

In the excitement of building my commuter in Hawaii, I didn't realize I was out of electrical tape. I had a bag of small zip ties so I used those and clipped them off as I wrapped the tape. It worked.

[DHallerman]

+1

Quality matters a lot. 3M, various colors, Home Despot gets my bike dollars for that.

better quality, heat resistance electrical tape. get it at the lowes or an elec supply place. and dont pull it so damn tight

http://www.wiringproducts.com/contents/media/3m_super88.jpg

[DHallerman]

I'm gonna turn y'all on to something that will blow yer minds...and years from now (or perhaps days, if anyone is brave enough to trust me & go fer it) yer gonna thank me:

3M 8402 polyester tape

You saw it here first. Tell 'em Bob sent you.

Heck, you can get a mere 24 rolls of this stuff for less than the cost of most bikes owned by list members.

3M 8402 Polyester (http://tinyurl.com/3M-polytape)

If you love your bike...

[Bob Ross]

Heck, you can get a mere 24 rolls of this stuff for less than the cost of most bikes owned by list members.


I'm seriously thinking of trying to get a Group Buy thing going on. I've been trying to find a place that sells individual rolls of 8402 for years now, with no luck. But at the rate I use it, 24 rolls would probably last me over 400 years! Really; I am just about out of the one roll someone graciously gave me...in 1989.

Still, it is the ultimate adhesive tape when lack of residue is a concern.

[WadePatton]

I'm seriously thinking of trying to get a Group Buy thing going on. I've been trying to find a place that sells individual rolls of 8402 for years now, with no luck. But at the rate I use it, 24 rolls would probably last me over 400 years! Really; I am just about out of the one roll someone graciously gave me...in 1989.

Still, it is the ultimate adhesive tape when lack of residue is a concern.

is it all green?

liking the silicon tape option. colors and chit.

[nicrump]

I'm seriously thinking of trying to get a Group Buy thing going on. I've been trying to find a place that sells individual rolls of 8402 for years now, with no luck. But at the rate I use it, 24 rolls would probably last me over 400 years! Really; I am just about out of the one roll someone graciously gave me...in 1989.

Still, it is the ultimate adhesive tape when lack of residue is a concern.

used heavily in composites industry. i use it as it is intended, flashbreaker tape.

you can buy individual rolls from fiberglast.com at a whopping $27 a pop. i don't like it on bars because of cost and it doesn't stretch or flex.

edit... oops, wrong tape

[Brian Smith]

One of the items passed along to me years ago by the experienced and wicked is one that deals with attaching bar tape to handlebars.
It's like this: don't use tape that can stretch, or else under cable tension, the housing will migrate.
You need to tell that housing that you placed it there and taped it for a darned reason, and you want to good and well stay there or else.
If you choose to do otherwise, any kind of cosmetic goodness you do on top of migrating tape is going to suffer the consequences of your poor foundation.

The goons are on their way now, I'm sure, to brake my knuckles (pun) for typing that online, like I just gave away a secret handshake, so I hope that at least helps someone out there.

[Sam in VA]

When using electrical tape as finishing tape, do not stretch the last few inches. If the last few inches (last turn or so) are stretched, the tape will contract over time, and leave the portion it once covered sticky. Stretch all you want for the first few wraps, but finish up with little to no tension.

[totally_fixxate]

no tape.

http://velo-orange.blogspot.com/2006/03/wrapping-handlebars-alex-singer-style.html