[rufus]

Spent the better part of the afternoon trying to wrap my bars. Either I'd leave some bar showing around the lever, or I'd have loose spots in the wrap, or since I have Campy, I couldn't get the little tab at the bottom of the rubber hood to sit in the slot on the hood body. It would help if the little sections they provide to cover the lever clamps would acvtually stay stuck to them until you could wrap over them.

Eventually I tore the last foot or so right off the roll. It's jury-rigged for now, but I've got some new tape on the way, and so I'll give it another go when it gets here.

Just aggravating as hell to do, and do it well.

 

[C-40]

info...

Don't feel bad. Installing the cables, taping them to the bars, then installing the bar tape is the most time-consuming part of a bike build.

The latest Campy ultrashift levers don't have the tab at the bottom of the brake hood, but that does not make them much easier to wrap.

One trick with the the older ergos is getting the tape positioned so only 1/8 inch or so tucks up under the lower edge of the ergo body. That is a must, or the brake hood tab will never go back in place. With the ultrashift ergos, you must lap the tape over the ergo body by at least 1/4 inch, or you'll never cover the tape over the band clamp. Positioning the band clamp cover tape is critical.

Using some contact cement on the piece of tape covering the band clamp will help to hold it in place.

 

[TomBrooklyn]

There are some videos on YouTube on how to wrap bars. They might help more than any description I could write here.

 

[PlatyPius]

People who know how to wrap bars (ie: done it for years) don't use those little pieces of bar tape - they aren't needed.

 

[C-40]

really...

People who know how to wrap bars (ie: done it for years) don't use those little pieces of bar tape - they aren't needed.

Make us a video showing how to wrap the new Campy ultrashift levers and not use the section of tape that covers the band clamp, using the amount of tape supplied with all current brands of tape. While there are methods like the figure eight, that might work, they use up a lot of tape. I've never had that much left over. Using the minimun number of turns, the short piece of tape covering the band clamp can barely be covered, with that piece of tape perfectly positioned.

 

[rufus]

Using some contact cement on the piece of tape covering the band clamp will help to hold it in place.

I thought about using a little rubber cement, but wasn't sure how the composite lever bodies would like it.

 

[aengbretson]

Took me a few tries to learn how to wrap a bar properly. However I'm doing it with Shimano STI levers, so I can't speak for the differences between what I did and what you need to do. I don't use the little strips because I feel like they make the bar tape much thicker than the Ultegra 6600 shifter body. Given that Campy levers are a little thicker, you might actually want that extra tape, but that is all down to personal preference.

But as far as wrapping, I make sure the tape is overlapping the shifter body on both the top and bottom. I don't need to make a figure eight to cover the bar completely, I just use some tighter overlapping in the shifter area. It can be done!

 

[JacksonDodge]

Make us a video showing how to wrap the new Campy ultrashift levers and not use the section of tape that covers the band clamp, using the amount of tape supplied with all current brands of tape. While there are methods like the figure eight, that might work, they use up a lot of tape. I've never had that much left over. Using the minimun number of turns, the short piece of tape covering the band clamp can barely be covered, with that piece of tape perfectly positioned.

C'mon.....It's not that hard. I've done literally thousands(maybe pushing 5 digits) of tape jobs over ten years and I've never used the tape provided for covering the clamp bands.


Sounds like someone needs to go back to mechanic school.

 

[thesmokingman]

Keep practicing, think of it as a right of passage.

 

[C-40]

Ok...

Post pics of your ultrashift ergos taped with one continuous tape. I don't find bar taping that hard either, but I do use the piece of tape that covers the band clamp. I start at the ends and go all the way to the center with no reversals of direction or figure eights that would add bulk in the area of the brake hood.

 

[Marc]

C'mon.....It's not that hard. I've done literally thousands(maybe pushing 5 digits) of tape jobs over ten years and I've never used the tape provided for covering the clamp bands.


Sounds like someone needs to go back to mechanic school.

Oh. Snap.

 

[JCavilia]

Keep practicing, think of it as a right of passage.

Or a rite. You have a right to your rites.

Use double-sided tape to keep the little extra bit in place while you wrap.

It takes practice and care, but you should be able to learn. I enjoy doing a nice tape job. I customize my bar shape and padding by putting bits of old cushioned tape underneath in strategic places, then taping over them.

 

[Bill Bikie]

I always start at the bar end and finish at the stem

I always start at the bar end and finish at the stem, and add a second layer from the brake to the stem. I find the extra padding more comfortable than just one. When this layer gets dirty ot frayed, it's the only one I need to replace a couple times a year.:thumbsup: I can't recall the last time I used the drops. I always use white tape!

-Bill

2006 Bianchi 1885 alum/hydro/carbon (celeste)
2010 Bianchi San Jose single speed (dark green)
Vintage Klein Quantun Race in "Very Fast Red"
Basso Gap: sold
Bianchi TSX Ultra Lite: sold

 

[brblue]

Spent the better part of the afternoon trying to wrap my bars. Either I'd leave some bar showing around the lever, or I'd have loose spots in the wrap, or since I have Campy, I couldn't get the little tab at the bottom of the rubber hood to sit in the slot on the hood body. It would help if the little sections they provide to cover the lever clamps would acvtually stay stuck to them until you could wrap over them.

Eventually I tore the last foot or so right off the roll. It's jury-rigged for now, but I've got some new tape on the way, and so I'll give it another go when it gets here.

Just aggravating as hell to do, and do it well.

using non-adhesive tape for starters should help (if you're not doing that already). You could try and solve the loose spots or bar showing first as it's the easiest part (i guess concentration and check after each 2 inches of tape are the key)

Regarding taping around the lever, I've also done it with Shimano only but that's pretty straight forward (ok I undo and redo at least once for each side but the end result is ok)..
I'd get aggravated too though if I couldn't redo i.e. if I used sticky tape.

 

[Guppie58]

I did my first ones thanks to you tube. I re-used my existing tape since it was on a new bike, I was just replacing the shifters (actually whole group). The Force shifters had integrated shifter and brake so that was all new too me. Too me a few times but I finally got it done.

I can appreciate your frustration. There were a few times I wanted to watch the tape die a slow miserable death.

 

[PlatyPius]

Make us a video showing how to wrap the new Campy ultrashift levers and not use the section of tape that covers the band clamp, using the amount of tape supplied with all current brands of tape. While there are methods like the figure eight, that might work, they use up a lot of tape. I've never had that much left over. Using the minimun number of turns, the short piece of tape covering the band clamp can barely be covered, with that piece of tape perfectly positioned.

Oddly enough, I have better things to do with my time than to record myself wrapping bar tape.

I have never had an issue with the tape being too short, unless I was wrapping a 46cm bar with wide flat areas on the top.

 

[Mr. Versatile]

IME Deda sure doesn't give you any exta tape.

 

[davcruz]

IME Deda sure doesn't give you any exta tape.

I would agree with that for sure! Cinelli does though and I like it better than the Deda. 44cm bar and I had to cut off 6 inches of spare.

 

[rufus]

I've been using Torelli Moda Chunky, bought some white off Ebay, but it's smooth white, not cork-like. Ordered some 'Natural White' from a Torelli dealer, which came today, and that is the cork-like stuff. Also have some Cinelli coming, which I want to try out.

 

[voodooguy]

Wrapping w Brooks tape

Just got my Brooks handlebar tape. Never taping a bar before, I'm sure I'm in for a good time. I have the old tape to use as practice and will work towards not using any extra pieces around the shifters (Chorus 11). Besides, Brooks doesn't supply any extra pieces! A couple of questions about Brooks:
1) The tape comes with the diagonal cut precut. Everything I am seeing on videos shows the diagonal cut is used at the end of the tape, by the stem. (I will go plug to stem) Is this intended for me to start with at the plug end? If so, do I not overlap a bit to tuck in with the plug?
2) Or, do I unravel the entire role out of the box and start with the uncut end at the plugs, like videos show, and end with the cut end at the stem?
3) The figure 8, to me, just looks so much cleaner. I should have enough leather to take it where it needs to go, right?

Thanks for your input and helping save some time in getting this right!