Changing Bar Tape

topher9

Seems fairly simple - sounds ridiculous but it's a bit like replacing the grip on a tennis racket isn't it?

Thing is, how do you get under the brake levers!? Is there a simple way or does it involve taking them off/loosening them which surely means messing about with cables?

Tried looking at the online tips videos but they all seem to just bypass this issue.

Quite fancy changing black bar tape and saddle to white.

Garz

Im thinking of going over the top of my existing grips as they seem too thin. Is this ok or would stripping it off and applying one thick layer be better?

CyclingBantam

When I did mine, I found you can peel back the rubber on the brake hoods to get the tape under them, you also get a small strip to slip under both sides of the hood and round the bar. When this is done it looks all covered.

That will be of absolutely no use to you but I did try!

P.s. If your other Bar tape is thin you should be able to go over it if you want to give you quite a lot of cushioning. Lots of people seem to have a double layer of tape. You will need to pull it quite tight though to ensure it does your whole bar.

Acelliott

look on you tube. There are videos that show you step by step

alfablue

Fold the rubber hoods back on themselves, put a small strip over the clamp.

The Bicycle Tutor video shows this.

volvine

i watched all the videos on youtube before i attempted it on an older Bianchi i picked up and to be honest i made a bit of a balls up of it lol so considering replacing it with proper Bianchi celeste tape but may well ask the LBS to do it for me lol

alfablue

volvine wrote:

i watched all the videos on youtube before i attempted it on an older Bianchi i picked up and to be honest i made a bit of a balls up of it lol so considering replacing it with proper Bianchi celeste tape but may well ask the LBS to do it for me lol

I kept making a ballsup of applying bar tape, the answer was to use this Profile Design tape - it is non-adhesive so you can keep re-applying till you get it right. It is good quality and comfy. Saved me money and frustration! Despite being non-adhesive it stays put, no problem.

Edit: it is available in lots of colours other than the white in that link.

Acelliott

I watched one vid on you tube and got some standard black cork tape and made a great job of my first attempt. But I guess we are all better at some things and bl00dy useless at others

neeb

Keep the tape slightly taught when you are winding it and overlap by about 5mm. When you are doing a curved bit of the bar you need to increase the overlap, at least on the inside of the curve. When you get to the hoods (rubber rolled back) don't skimp on the overlap, and if you are thinking "do I give it one more turn before looping it around the top of the hood or is this enough?" you want to give it one more turn. The classic mistake is to leave a little triangle of unwrapped bar that slicks out from underneath the rubber of the hoods and isn't completely covered by the little strip that goes behind the brake (which should be underneath the main tape obviously).

Ollieda

I used the Park Tools website to help me.
http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=71

They explain things quite well, I also had a small separate strip of bar tape in my pack already (I was using a Deda pack I got off ebay, theres a white one here: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DEDA-White-Cork-Effect-Handlebar-Tape-NEW_W0QQitemZ220406768334QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR?hash=item33514462ce&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1688%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50) so I placed them round the clasp of the shifters. Some people suggest if you're not provided with this to cut off a bit of the bar tape but be careful as you may not have enough to cover the bars then!

Anonymous

I think you should use Bhima's technique.


You'll have to scroll up. Priceless!

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=15393663#15393663

Bhimananman wrote:

It's double-sided foam tape with some electrical tape on top. At some point, i'm going to stick some "normal" bar tape over the top to finish it off. Very, very, very comfortable.

Pokerface

NapoleonD wrote:

I think you should use Bhima's technique.


You'll have to scroll up. Priceless!

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=15393663#15393663

Bhimananman wrote:

It's double-sided foam tape with some electrical tape on top. At some point, i'm going to stick some "normal" bar tape over the top to finish it off. Very, very, very comfortable.

The legend just continues to grow. There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's Bhima.

edhornby

bartape is a dark art !! I switched to a bar top brake lever to make it easier on my single speed...

oh yeah, put it on the radiator for a while before hand to get it soft and pliable, and don't be afraid to wind it on tight

have the (colour matched naturally) electrical tape ready in advance

at the flat ends of the bars (where you start) you never normally hold the bars so you don't have to do the winds so close together, this gives you a bit more tape to get the winds closer together at the tops