Flat top bar wrap question (handlebra related)

[firerescuefin]

I am starting one of those threads I usually roll my eyes at :rolleyes:

Gonna place an order for some handlebra. Putting it on a flat top carbon bar. I usually like the tops of the bars free from tape....and living in Colorado, I spend a lot of time climbing with hands on the top of the bar.

Curious if anyone who uses handlebra on this type of bar wraps it up onto the flat section...and how thick does the handlebra feel. One thing that attracts me to the wrap is that it looks relatively thin.

Feel free to roll your eyes :rolleyes: at any point....unless you have some good input. :)

[palincss]

It's thicker than Fujitoshi, especially in the center.

[Grant McLean]

Curious if anyone who uses handlebra on this type of bar wraps it up onto the flat section...and how thick does the handlebra feel. One thing that attracts me to the wrap is that it looks relatively thin.

I think you raise a great point.

What would be really helpful is a thread that listed the thickness of many
of the popular tapes in one place. My preference is for thinner tapes too,
and it takes a lot of time to try and find out what thickness a tape is,
sometimes impossible without a sample. If I have the time today, i may
measure a few i have and post them.

-g

[firerescuefin]

I think you raise a great point.

What would be really helpful is a thread that listed the thickness of many
of the popular tapes in one place. My preference is for thinner tapes too,
and it takes a lot of time to try and find out what thickness a tape is,
sometimes impossible without a sample. If I have the time today, i may
measure a few i have and post them.

-g


Thanks Grant :beer:

[jmoore]

HandleBra would be equivalent to unpadded cork tape in thickness.

If you know anything about leather, it's roughly 2.5-2.8oz leather which is roughly 1mm thick.

I'd say order the HandleBra and wrap the entire bar. Worst case is if you don't like it on the tops, unwrap it back to the bend and leave the tops bare.


Personally, I have big hands with long fingers and like padded bars. I also like leather wrap, so I wrap extra tight with a layer of unpadded cork and then go over top with the leather. It works great.

[sc53]

Although Handlebra may be as thick as cork tape (according to poster above), it feels much thinner on the bar. If you pull tight when wrapping, and don't "pad" under the bra with another type of wrap or gel pads or anything, you can still feel the fingerprint dents on those flat-top carbon bars that have fingerprint concavities on the underside of the flat section (like my 3T bars do). Handlebra feels natural--like wearing nothing at all!

[Ahneida Ride]

It is just not about the wraps thickness, a large component of the tactile feedback is how the wrap is beveled, i.e. how the edges are worked.

HB wraps rather flat. This is good.

[Ahneida Ride]

Although Handlebra may be as thick as cork tape (according to poster above), it feels much thinner on the bar. If you pull tight when wrapping, and don't "pad" under the bra with another type of wrap or gel pads or anything, you can still feel the fingerprint dents on those flat-top carbon bars that have fingerprint concavities on the underside of the flat section (like my 3T bars do). Handlebra feels natural--like wearing nothing at all!


This is true ! stuff wraps flat. you can pull on it for a form fitting experience.

[William]

The older versions of HB were a little thicker, but the version Ray has out now will lay quite flat, esp if you wrap it really tight. I agree, wrap it all the way. If you don't like the feel on the flats, back it off.




William

PS: Ask me how I know.... ;)

[steveo]

On the same note, does anyone have any suggestions on how to properly wrap "flat bars"?

I have a set of Nitto Jitenshas that I'm going to be building up in the next week or so and I'm unsure on how I should approach wrapping them. I'd prefer for them to be wrapped all the way (well, almost all the way) to the stem but I need to somehow maneuver around my Paul brake levers.

Thanks!

[palincss]

Maybe what I did with my Kogswell P/R shopper would work for you:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3431/3762704683_6265b0e620_z.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97916047@N00/3762704683/in/set-72157621865874116/

This is the Velo Orange Belleville bar.

[jmoore]

On the same note, does anyone have any suggestions on how to properly wrap "flat bars"?

I have a set of Nitto Jitenshas that I'm going to be building up in the next week or so and I'm unsure on how I should approach wrapping them. I'd prefer for them to be wrapped all the way (well, almost all the way) to the stem but I need to somehow maneuver around my Paul brake levers.

Thanks!

I'd say try a figure 8 around the brake levers. Heck, why couldn't you wrap it like you do brake levers on a drop bar? Put that little extra piece of wrap on there and go over top.

Maybe get some cheapo cork tape and try it out first. Once you get the technique down, pull it off and put on your preferred wrap. You can probably buy ultra cheap tape from Nashbar for $4 on closeout.

[Frankwurst]

On the same note, does anyone have any suggestions on how to properly wrap "flat bars"?

I have a set of Nitto Jitenshas that I'm going to be building up in the next week or so and I'm unsure on how I should approach wrapping them. I'd prefer for them to be wrapped all the way (well, almost all the way) to the stem but I need to somehow maneuver around my Paul brake levers.

Thanks!

I personally would do it in two pieces. Wrap up to the Pauls do some intricate cutting wrap it with hemp twine (and shellac it) and continue on to the other side. I don't care what anybody says about Grant Peterson, his hemp twine wrap is one helluva good idea in certain applications. I don't think you'll get around the Pauls with a solid wrap and make it look decent. Just my 2 cents worth but what do I know. :beer: