Yeah.

Colorado Cyclist has a ring that covers the ends of bar tape. I don't know if it would work with your particular bar.

http://www.coloradocyclist.com/comm...RFNBR=21411&S=21411,32447,12391,24741,28262,29778,20473,31674,31665,31655,13591

 

Not a stupid question at all. If you look at pictures of the pros, you never see the electrical tape touch bare bars. That's the key. Here's how to avoid the mess:

1. Wrap the bars so that the shock/vibration-induced rotation of your closed fist around the bar tightens the tape as you ride. For most riders, that's wrapping toward the rear of the bike.

2. Finish the job by laying electrical tape onto the last wrap of handlebar tape. Make sure to place the electrical tape so that about 3 mm of handlebar tape is showing past the edge of the electrical tape. DO NOT run the electrical tape onto your bare handlebar section.

Quick back-of-the-envelope sketch might help.

 

There are a number of other things you can do besides using electrical tape.

-Contact cement down the last 1" or so of the tape. Just make sure to mask off the area you don't want the glue on.

-Heat shrink (wrap) works really well, but you have to slide it in place before you put on brifters. Available in colors too.

- Other tapes like 'Tear Aide' will not peel back on you like electrical tape does.

I would try electrical tape with the 3mm gap, as the previous poster mentioned, before I tried anything else. Use good quality electrical tape like 3M or Scotch Brand. Make sure what you are taping is free from oil and grease. Try not to touch the adhesive side of the tape when you are installing it, don't stretch it too much, and cut the piece you want from the roll (don't tear, bite, rip, etc.).

 

Pull tighter

Stupid question but is there anything else to use to tape the end of the bar tape other then electrical tape? Is one kind any better then others? I find my grip (I use a K wing so the bar tape does not go all the way to the end) causes the tape to slip and move. I wind up with a sticky gunky mess.... any ideas?

A lot of people I know that tape their own bars simply don't pull the tape tight enough. Almost all tape I've used on bars except for Cinelli can be wrapped tighter than you might think without ripping (Deda and Planet Bike are my favorites, Cinelli is poo). With each pass pull the tape tight, then hold it their with your finger as you switch hands to go under the bars and repeat. The finishing adhesive tape (whatever you use) really doesn't do anything but to keep the tape from unraveling. Tight tape stays put.

 

The key to this is don't stretch the electrical tape If you stretch it, it contracts slowly leaving a gummy residue. Just cut it and stick down.