Wrapping bars - When did we switch techniques?

[Peter P.]

With the padded tapes which dominate the market now, finishing at the bar end is not possible because it's too difficult to tuck the overlapping last wrap into the bar, and secure it with the plug.

It was possible with cloth tape and Benotto "ribbon" tape.

[GOTHBROOKS]

the real faux pas is using the finishing tape thats included in the box.

[Joe Remi]

I tried top down last week on a Sycip JJ Bar, which I guess is "in to out". Yeah, trying to tuck the ends in the bar and plug it (thick fake-cork) was a no go.

[pasadena]

cut at an angle and fold in only half the width of the tape. It will plug.

[false_Aest]

back in the day people also put shellac on their bars and there was asbestos in brake pads. oh yeah, smoking to open up the lungs.


the asbestos counter acts the fire you started by smoking while re-wrapping + coating your bars.

[arthurlo]

Wrapping from the bottom up also allows for an easier change of the brake and shifter housings without having to unwrap the entire bar. Perhaps the change in wrapping techniques also shifted when brake levers transitioned from having the cables come out the top to cables being routed underneath the bar wrap?

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by arthurlo

Wrapping from the bottom up also allows for an easier change of the brake and shifter housings without having to unwrap the entire bar. Perhaps the change in wrapping techniques also shifted when brake levers transitioned from having the cables come out the top to cables being routed underneath the bar wrap?

If you're changing out cables and housing, it's probably a good time to do the bar tape too.

Especially if you're a sweaty person. That stuff gets NASTY if you don't change it regularly

N

[jmoore]

This thread made me go buy some new bar tape. I will wrap from bottom up and finish with some hockey tape. Electrical tape gets very gummy when it gets hot.

[MaraudingWalrus]

Originally Posted by jmoore

This thread made me go buy some new bar tape. I will wrap from bottom up and finish with some hockey tape. Electrical tape gets very gummy when it gets hot.

The grade of electrical tape you have in your tool box in your garage gets gummy. If you use higher grade stuff, like fancier stuff from 3M (Super 33+, but it's like $8 a roll...) it doesn't do that in any kind of normal timeframe.


I also like ESI's silicone tape - I prefer it to any other finishing tape. It is non-adhesive, only sticking to itself. And it's mad stretchy. Leaves no residue when you go to remove it, and doesn't get gummy at all, ever. Looks clean when installed.

[Seramount]

when I got my first 'real' bike (ca. 1975), used cloth tape, always did top-down. stuff didn't last very long, so wasn't a big deal to change it often.

the Specialized Allez Epic I bought in 1992 came from the shop with some kind of high-gloss bar tape wrapped from the top-down. whatever it was, it lasted a looooong time...like a decade or more.

now that I use Fizik tape, always go bottom-to-top and finish with the self-fusing stuff...it's really nice.

[thirdgenbird]

Originally Posted by GOTHBROOKS

the real faux pas is using the finishing tape thats included in the box.

Does anyone use that?

Originally Posted by MaraudingWalrus

The grade of electrical tape you have in your tool box in your garage gets gummy. If you use higher grade stuff, like fancier stuff from 3M (Super 33+, but it's like $8 a roll...) it doesn't do that in any kind of normal timeframe.

I was probably in elementary school when my dad taught me that Super 33+ was the only option. He was right. Cheap electrical tape is useless.

[Joxster]

I’m a top down wrapper, never been an issue with wrinkles. It’s always looked neater.

[martl]

Originally Posted by bpm

I've always found that if you start at the top, if you ride with your hands on the tops the tape will have a tendency to roll at the edges a bit. Doesn't happen if you start the tape in the drops.

Exactly. And that started being obvious with the first "cork" style handlebar wraps, which only are supported by a glue strip in the middle, as opposed to the Tressostar type cotton tapes. Therefore:

Thin tape, fully glued: top-bottom
thick tape, middle stripe glue: bottom-top

[Nomadmax]

Benotto Cello tape wrapped from the top down very nicely.

[Davist]

Originally Posted by thirdgenbird

Does anyone use that?



I was probably in elementary school when my dad taught me that Super 33+ was the only option. He was right. Cheap electrical tape is useless.

+2 if it's not UL labeled it's not electrical tape 33+ well worth it.. (and you can use it for... electrical stuff!)

I worked in a shop in the mid 80s and the cheapo bikes (Royce Union? I forgot, we bought a container or 2 of them) we sold had ribbon tape (like benotto but CN version) top down, the Peugeots (our main brand) had bottom up. I do kinda miss the harlequin patterns and all the stuff you could do with benotto, but it was always like a recipe: 2 layers of cloth, start with 2 colors of benotto going opposite ways, etc..

Of course I spent a day with a chain tool (the plier type one, don't know if they still make it) and 3 chains making a red white and blue chain for my bmx bike so time wasn't the issue it seems to be now..