A little bar wrapping advice please

[mikeymustard]

I've got a '89 Raleigh Elan which I'm just about to sell to someone who's a fair bit taller than me, so he's going to need the bars raised a little. The bars still have what looks like the original green, spotty tape on the bottom and I'd like to leave it on if I can (even though I don't actually like it myself)

So, my question (finally) is: How do you tape from the middle to the levers? How do I start it, how do I finish it off?
Also it does a natty thing where the cable exits a couple of turns before the end which looks quite tidy.
I've had a little trawl through the net but most mentions of wrapping this way state that it's very hard and they never got on with it! Can anyone point me in the right direction of a video/photo instructional or give me some pointers? I haven't even been brave enough to take the tape off to see how it's done yet!

 

[mikeymustard]

oh, forgot to mention I have to do something to the bar tape cos someone's been really stingy with the damn' [aero] brake cable!

 

[biggs682]

Centre outwards for me, just overlap first bit and then I normally go a couple of turns before including cables then tuck any excess inside bars then fit the plugs

 

[raleighnut]

^^^^^^+1 Its the plug that keeps it from unravelling.

 

[mikeymustard]

I don't think I've explained this properly, I rewrote it cos it was getting long-winded and obviously took the relevant info out! It seems to be two separate pieces of tape, the original green spotted going from barends to brakes, and the bit I want to replace going from centre to brakes. I know some clever souls used to wrap like this.
Thanks for the advice Martin, I was hoping the first bit was just a couple of winds before taking up the cable, do you use anything like double-sided or upside down tape to hold the first bit, or does the overlap hold it all?

 

[biggs682]

The over lap holds it. And I think its all one roll of tape @mikeymustard

 

[mikeymustard]

I bow to your superior knowledge! I assumed it must be two pieces because I couldn't believe it could be the original tape. Maybe the bike really has been used that little!
Okay so I'll take a look tomorrow and see if I can get it off without damaging it, I've just been into the garage and pulled the plug out and it's sticky-backed so this could get messy!

 

[MichaelW2]

I've never heard of a 2-piece bar tape.
If you tape for middle->bar ends, the overlap is the wrong side to resist the edge curling over at the bends, as your hand slides forward.
With your fancy-pants aero-cable exit, i would take a couple of photos to record the pattern.

 

[mikeymustard]

Thanks for setting me straight folks, when I cleaned the tops and they come up like new, I thought the top must've been replaced several times at least!
I have read that some people wrap from the bottom to the brakes and then from the centre to the brakes, haven't I? I'm sure I'm not just imagining it! I'm thinking that could be an option if the new buyer wanted to keep it original and clean (though he's an 18yr old lad and will probably not care - I've told him he's gotta look after it and I'll help him, one gets quite attached to these old birds).
I'm off to the garage to sort it now - @MichaelW2 a photo's a good idea, I'm hoping I'm only going to have to do the rh side so I'll have the left side for reference