Double wrap bar question

seanorawe

I love a nice soft and thick bar and my new bianchi via nirone cane with pretty thin, very uncomfortable bar tape. So my question is. Will wrapping over the existing tape with gel Cork bar tape be too much? Or would it be just as beneficial to take the bianchi tape off and put on some gel cork tape? It's the Cinelli gel Cork tape.

cougie

I know pro teams double wrap at Paris Roubaix - personally I'd just get the nice bar tape that you had before and use one wrap of that. Are you using mitts with it ?

debeli

I've used all sorts of tapes on all sorts of bars over the years and I do not recall any particular tape type striking me as either notably good or noticeably bad.

There are people who swear by double tape, but I think its benefit (apart from on daft surfaces) may be more psychological than physical.

For me bar angle, width and profile are the key elements - along with basic bike geometry, stem length and bar height. Gloves with some nice padding on the heel of the hand also help.

Tape is something I barely notice. Having said that, I do wind it onto my bars with a big, fat overlap. That might explain in part why I don't notice it.

Double-wrapping will prevent you from re-using the tape - I usually get two or three wraps out of mine before I chuck it. I'd stick with what you have. You'll get used to it and then you won't want to change it.

seanorawe

cougie wrote:

I know pro teams double wrap at Paris Roubaix - personally I'd just get the nice bar tape that you had before and use one wrap of that. Are you using mitts with it ?

Yeah I use padded mits. the tape that came with the bike is ridiculously thin.

noodleman

I disagree about there not being much difference between tapes. Fizik for example. Their lightweight tape is very different from the more rubbery version they produce. The latter is way more comfortable and a lot more grippy than the former, which offers very little in the comfort or grip department.

chris_bass

I had some thin bars on my commuter/bad weather/winter bike and double wrapped the bar tape on that, the extra padding was actually really nice, I thought it was just a sign that I am getting old.

iPete

Cinelli avs gel pads? They do a good job on my bull horns.

86inch

For my carpal tunnel, it helps if i double-wrap the bars. I use a cheap gel tape first wrapped with a small overlap, then i use a 2mm Fizik tape over it, aiming to get the centre thick part of it in the "grooves" created by the first wrap, you then get a consistent cushioned wrap which is bit thicker than usual.

Gel gloves definitely aggravate my symptoms and i did try the gel pads under tape, but didn't get on with those either.

For my new bike build i'm putting on Pro Vibe 7s bars which have a 31.8mm section across the full width of the bar tops so i'm going for single run of 3mm Fizik Performance tape, will be interesting to see how i get on with that.

Back in the day (80's) Benotto tape was all the rage, and that had zero comfort factor, although it did look quite fetching. I wouldn't like to go back to that!

seanorawe

iPete wrote:

Cinelli avs gel pads? They do a good job on my bull horns.

No, the Gel Cork bar tape on Wiggle

colinsmith123

Double wrap or double touch?

This...

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/prologo/double-touch-bar-tape-ec055026

Monty Dog

Rather than double-wrap, I have used a whole roll on each side but keep the pitch a lot tighter and don't pull the tape so hard

turbo1191

lizard skins DSP 3.2mm.. brilliant, but quite expensive!

dilatory

Potentially daft question but why don't you just take the old tape off and put the new tape on?

Rod11

All depends on personal preference. I've tried various options (double wrap, Fizik gel pads etc) and settled on single wrapped Zipp CX tape, it's fantastic stuff. Both the gel and double wrap, whilst slightly more comfortable, didn't give me as good a 'feel' on the bike, just felt a bit too disconnected if that makes sense.

priory

I double wrap all my bars but I don't fuss about the tape . sometimes I use old inner tube , but modern cork or foam tape is comfier .It need not be expensive .
I think the reason it is more comfortable is not only softness but a bigger thing to hold is better, as so often in life.

http://www.dx.com/p/cycling-bike-bicycl ... pcs-158770

seanorawe

priory wrote:

a bigger thing to hold is better, as so often in life.

:shock:

t4tomo

I double wrap mine with standard Bianchi tape, as yes it makes a noticable difference to comfort. the undertape finished just short of the bar end and is finished with insulation tape so you only have one layer of tape to finish with the bar end bungs.

jonomc4

I like soft bars - I am such a gentle soul.

I use Gel inserts and lizard skin tape.