Wrapping over old tape?

[jamin100]

Hi All,
I brought my defy composite new in July and the tape on the left side is pretty much coming off now (bit soon but hey)

I've brought some new GEL tape in an attempt to wrap it myself. My question is, should I take the old tape completely off or wrap over it?

My buddy reckons I should wrap over it ?

What do you think?

 

[User6179]

I always take it off the drops but leave the old tape on the hoods and tape over it .

 

[arch684]

Take the old tape off first and clean the bars.I would.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

how big are your hands? Mine are quite small and I find a couple of wraps of bar tape a tad uncomfortable for gripping my thumb around after a while, I get tendon ache from the added stretch which is more of a discomfort than the bit of extra road buzz that a double layer cuts out over a single.

 

[Hacienda71]

Depends on if you suffer on long rides etc. I remove old tape when I re-wrap bars, but some people prefer to leave it on to give some extra padding.

 

[User6179]

Take the old tape off first and clean the bars.I would.

I bet your chains gleaming

 

[John the Monkey]

My FSA wing bars are a bit thin on the parts below the levers, so I've double wrapped those. I don't double wrap as a matter of course though - I'd sooner use gel pads where I need the padding.

 

[arch684]

I bet your chains gleaming

only after i have cleaned it but not for long

 

[Roadrider48]

I double wrap the bars on my road bikes, but that's just personal preference.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I've just decided: I'm going to try double wrapping right now!

EDIT: Done. A classically messy job in marmosettian style. Besides, with me on the bike, nobody's going to notice a bit of shabby bar tape, believe me.

 

[jamin100]

is it any good though ?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

is it any good though ?

Hmm, I had to pop out and get some insulation tape to tidy up a bit of cack-handed tape end work, and I haven't ridden it yet but it feels better than before. And, of course, if it all unravels the moment I set out, there's still another layer of bar tape beneath.

 

[smokeysmoo]

I always take old tape off TBH and despite wrapping more bars than I care to remember I still always refer to these 2 vids when I'm doing it

 

[wam68]

Take it all off and clean the bars before replacing the tape. Never put new over old in any job.