Wrapping bar tape

[slowmotion]

I need to do this because I have bought some new bars. There are loads and loads of YouTube clips that offer advice. I must have watched about twenty over the last four days. They all give advice about starting and finishing which is useful.......but they are all pretty much useless about the magic "Figure of Eight" trick round the shifters. They either do that bit too fast, or the lighting is rubbish so you can't see what they are doing.

Well, here is a clip that finally and clearly shows you how to do it.

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View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCjAno92xbI
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Edit: Please post any clips that are better.

Good luck. I'll need it too when the time comes in the next few days.

 

[RWright]

That one you posted is very good, just keep stopping it and running it back if you need to. I used this one to learn, he says what he is doing while he does the eight but I still had to stop it several times and watch the figure 8 again while I was doing it. If you can have your bike close to your computer while you wrap them it may make things a little easier, I mean very close, having everything you need within arms reach helps too. It isn't that hard to do, if you are using a tape that does not have adhesive backing it is easier to do it over if you don't like the way it turns out. Like having one side end up closer to the stem or whatever. Have fun.

 

[slowmotion]

@RWright, thanks for the clip. Yes indeed, I keep playing bike clips backwards and forwards as I try and work out what to do. I think that there is more oil and road cr@p on the keyboard than the bike!

 

[Doyleyburger]

I like this one personally

View: http://youtu.be/P7KwGCDWlUk

Very good clear instructions.
Iv wrapped new tape on various bikes a number of times now with all sorts of different tape......generally I find that going in a clockwise direction from the start is the best. Some tapes reccomend keeping it tight but not stretching but others you really have to pull tight and stretch to even get past the bend on the bars. I tend not to use the small pieces supplied to stick over the clamp on the hoods as the figure 8 works great with the best coverage. Iv just bought some cheap deda tape and it was a nightmare to wrap. I had to pull it to the point where I thought it was going to snap to get it where I wanted it. Looks good once finished though !

 

[youngoldbloke]

I've found the Parktool advice helpful. Personally don't bother with the figure of 8, either use the short bits supplied or not at all. You don't need a lot of tape there.

 

[potsy]

That one you posted is very good, just keep stopping it and running it back if you need to. I used this one to learn, he says what he is doing while he does the eight but I still had to stop it several times and watch the figure 8 again while I was doing it. If you can have your bike close to your computer while you wrap them it may make things a little easier, I mean very close, having everything you need within arms reach helps too. It isn't that hard to do, if you are using a tape that does not have adhesive backing it is easier to do it over if you don't like the way it turns out. Like having one side end up closer to the stem or whatever. Have fun.

Watched the videos as I have a bike that needs new bar tape and it is a job I've been avoiding for ages, had to stop yours though as soon as it said 'rap' instead of 'wrap'

 

[HovR]

When I first wrapped bars I found that the videos didn't really convey how much tension you need on the tape, so my first wrap didn't conform to the curves of the bars very well. It was no problem, I just unwrapped it and started again (even with adhesive tape). But don't be afraid to give it a good bit of tension whilst wrapping, all the tapes I've used take a fair bit of effort to break.

 

[biggs682]

i was always told to wrap from centre not from the ends

 

[smokeysmoo]

I like this one personally. Very good clear instructions.

This is the one I use as well

i was always told to wrap from centre not from the ends

That's because you Sir are properly old school

I've heard of this before and I might try it one day for a change. Damn I could have tried it on the RR Sprint

 

[RWright]

Watched the videos as I have a bike that needs new bar tape and it is a job I've been avoiding for ages, had to stop yours though as soon as it said 'rap' instead of 'wrap'

yep I noticed that first thing, I have watched a lot of youtube bike videos and found out some of the ones that have helped me most are sometimes some of the most goofy ones. That might have something to do with me too though. I guess the serious ones make me a little nervous. ...actually I used it because it was short and the part I was most concerned with, the figure 8, was done clearly.

 

[RWright]

i was always told to wrap from centre not from the ends

I think it is fine for thin tape but for thicker gel tape you are more often rubbing against the ridge it creates, making it wear the edges quicker.

 

[Smokin Joe]

One useful tip for getting the cables tight into the bends of the bars before you secure them with insulating tape is to use cable ties. After you've routed the cables and applied the strips of tape you can cut them off.

 

[ayceejay]

[QUOTE 3243217, member: 45"]The hardest bit I find is getting gel tape to look neat around the bar ends. I usually resort to carpet tape and screw-in bungs.[/QUOTE]
The best bit of advice I had was to forget about tucking a bit into the 'bars and holding in place with a stop just start neatly at the end and wrap outwards from there then you only have a problem at the other end

 

[dinkydexy]

Stick your tongue out, to one side, while you're doing it. That always helps.