What bar tape for a drop bar touring bike? Any wrapping hints?

[MidnightRider]

As title. I am also hoping to add cross levers to it.

Thanks for advice.

 

[Jameshow]

Something nice and cushioned. On a couple of my bikes it's double wrapped for extra cushioning!

 

[Brandane]

https://share.google/0k5dvZ86QmKS5jXUs

Cinelli gel cork bar tape. Feels nice, looks good, durable, easy to wrap. Used nothing else for years on many bikes, including touring bike (Ridgeback World Panorama - but I did away with the cross levers).

 

[biggs682]

From centre to outside is the only way

 

[Brandane]

From centre to outside is the only way

Now there's a thing. That's the way I did it in my youth, but now new bikes come with bars wrapped outside to centre, with an ugly piece of tape securing the end at the centre. All YT videos tell us that is the correct way to wrap bars. Why?

 

[Brandane]

Something nice and cushioned. On a couple of my bikes it's double wrapped for extra cushioning!

On bikes with standard diameter bars, I put a length of old inner tube along the tops, and tape it in place before applying bar tape. It adds a bit of comfort, IMHO..

 

[sevenfourate]

Now there's a thing. That's the way I did it in my youth, but now new bikes come with bars wrapped outside to centre, with an ugly piece of tape securing the end at the centre. All YT videos tell us that is the correct way to wrap bars. Why?

I believe it’s to do with which direction the ridge / how the overlap is, and the tape supposedly getting ‘caught’ less / wears better going from in to out on each side accordingly……

 

[Sharky]

I believe it’s to do with which direction the ridge / how the overlap is, and the tape supposedly getting ‘caught’ less / wears better going from in to out on each side accordingly……

You beat me to it. I was typing a similar answer.
However, when I used cloth tape, I always went from top to bottom and the final end of the tape could easily be tucked into the bar end.

 

[sevenfourate]

You beat me to it. I was typing a similar answer.
However, when I used cloth tape, I always went from top to bottom and the final end of the tape could easily be tucked into the bar end.

I’m new to drop bars - so wasn’t a million percent sure I’d remembered reading that.

Mine seems to have some fabulous feeling ‘Silicone’ tape. But is wrapped bottom to top and I’d rather not have the securing band / tape on the inside of the handlebars / end of the tape if I had a choice. Come replacement time I’ll definitely be trying inside-out 😉

 

[Punkawallah]

Careful of the tape thickness at the inside of the brakes, as it can interfere with the auxiliary set. I use the cheap ‘foam’ type from China, which seems to work fine for me. The self adhesive type has a strip of glue along the Center that helps with even wrapping ;-)
Good luck!

 

[Shearwater Missile]

I too recommend the Cinelli gel but have just gone over to Rockbros, less padding but more grip. Now, direction of travel. Some say clockwise RHS and anti LHS and other people say the reverse. I have just gone over to the latter RHS anticlockwise, LHS clockwise. To be perfectly honest I have not noticed any difference. The mention upthread about the reason not to start at the bar tops because of wear is a valid one. It looks neater perhaps and in my youth that is what I did. Then, the tape was just PVC, without much grip. My, how the tape has come along since then.

 

[rogerzilla]

Brooks leather tape is a lot better than it sounds. I wrap bottom to top, otherwise it feels horrid when you ride with your hands in the hooks.

 

[Jameshow]

On bikes with standard diameter bars, I put a length of old inner tube along the tops, and tape it in place before applying bar tape. It adds a bit of comfort, IMHO..

When I ride the Leeds Liverpool canal in one day I put pipe lagging across the tops and another layer of tape! My arms thanked me!