Bar Tape Finishing Tape

bungle73

Just changed my bar tape (first time of doing it) from the stock basic tape, which was wearing, to some nice new plush Fizik Performance 3 mm bar tape. It came with two logoed strips for finishing off at the tops. I decided to forgo those in favour of using standard electrical tape, because I'd heard that these strips you get with bar tape aren't that good at securing it. When I'd done I investigated the possibility of putting the strips over the electrical tape, but when I tried it out I thought it looked a bit naff so I didn't bother. Does anyone actually use these things?

big_harv

Not here. Perfectly happy with electrical tape. If you're really artistic you can trim and overlay them to make national colours of your choice. There's a Park Tool video on this I think.

bungle73

Big Harv wrote:

Not here. Perfectly happy with electrical tape. If you're really artistic you can trim and overlay them to make national colours of your choice. There's a Park Tool video on this I think.

Yeah, I saw that video when I was researching how to do it.

proto

Nope. Throw them away.

National colours are easy. Just become an Australian.

redvee

proto wrote:

Nope. Throw them away.

National colours are easy. Just become an Australian.

Comes on a handy roll too

redvee

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Matthewfalle

no but you can use them for attaching the cables to bars before wrapping.

or use them as comedy moustaches.

mitchgixer6

I use car loom wiring type. It's a cloth type and I find it much nicer to look at than electrical tape. Very sticky too.

Jon T

I used color-coordinated silicone tape. The best part is it fuses to itself.
Jon

lincolndave

Matthewfalle wrote:

or use them as comedy moustaches.

airborneal

I have tried to use it before but not flexible enough. Never throw it away though as I'm a hoarder ! I like the idea above of securing cables under bar tape though.

OnTheRopes

I have found Lifeline Bar tape has usable finishing strips

drlodge

I use the exact same bar tape...affix using electrical/insulating tape which is trimmed a bit to make it narrower, then place the supplied tape over the top to make it look nice. Think which way you want the tape so that your hands don't catch the ends and lift it up.

dannbodge

As above.
With my Supacaz tape, I've used electrical tape to actually secure the bar tape, then put the nice Supacaz finishing tape over that.

step83

Think the clue is they call it "finishing tape" My old tape I used the electrical tape then the nice looking Cinelli tape over that to finish it.

Basically you use the electrical tape to hod down the cables an secure the ends of the bar tape, then the finishing tape to make it look nicer.

Vino'sGhost

i find the Fizik finishing tape fine though i tend to tag the bottom with a hot screw driver to keep it all together and looking the part. The key is to make sure the tape underneath is cut properly.

however, the last couple of times ive used tape because i think a simpler finish looks smarter.