On Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:55:38 -0700, Michael Press wrote:

> Some people say that when cotton twill bar tape is wrapped 
> from the stem to the bar ends the hands on the top bend 
> constantly abrade against the exposed edge of the bar
> tape making it fray and degenerate more rapidly than if
> the wrap job is done from the bar end to the stem. Have
> any of you seen this kind of fraying? I have not.
> For a while I wrapped from bar end to stem, but hated the 
> necessary sticky tape wrap at the stem because it was
> bulky and not as pretty as a tucked bar tape start, so I
> went back to wrapping from the stem out. I have never had
> the tape fray at the edge. The tape eventually deteriorates
> but the edge remains fine. The tape typically fails where
> it wraps over the underneath edge as in these photographs. 
> 
> <http://gallery.me.com/spress#100093>
> 
> You might observe that these bars are typically ridden
> without gloves.
> 
> The rupture in the tape is underneath the lateral, proximal 
> area of my palm when on the hoods. The area is designated
> by Luna mount in palmistry and chirognomy.
> 
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chirognomy>
> 
> I do not know how others wrap bar tape. Differences in
> technique may account for different results.

It depends on the tape - but there is a neat, simple, cheap solution.

Put short sections of inner tube on the bars next the stem.  When wrapping,
you start at the end and wrap towards the stem.  At the stem, fold the tube
back towrds the stem, finish wrapping, and unfold the tube over the ends of
the wrap.

_ wrote:

> It depends on the tape - but there is a neat, simple, cheap solution.
> 
> Put short sections of inner tube on the bars next the stem.  When wrapping,
> you start at the end and wrap towards the stem.  At the stem, fold the tube
> back towrds the stem, finish wrapping, and unfold the tube over the ends of
> the wrap.

Well, I've spent a few years working in a bike shop, wrapped a few 
handlebars and now work where my job is(supposed to be) to have good 
ideas, but I've got to say..
"I wish that I'd thought of that."

On Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:01:26 +0100, Roger Thorpe wrote:

> _ wrote:
> 
>> It depends on the tape - but there is a neat, simple, cheap solution.
>> 
>> Put short sections of inner tube on the bars next the stem.  When wrapping,
>> you start at the end and wrap towards the stem.  At the stem, fold the tube
>> back towrds the stem, finish wrapping, and unfold the tube over the ends of
>> the wrap.
> 
> Well, I've spent a few years working in a bike shop, wrapped a few 
> handlebars and now work where my job is(supposed to be) to have good 
> ideas, but I've got to say..
> "I wish that I'd thought of that."

That's ok.  It was probably the umptieth time that I did a set of bars that
the idea popped into my head - had been thinking about heat-shrink tubing
but that would have been a every-use bother; inner tube is fit and
forget...

Jay Beattie wrote:

>>> It depends on the tape - but there is a neat, simple, cheap
>>> solution.

>>> Put short sections of inner tube on the bars next the stem.  When
>>> wrapping, you start at the end and wrap toward the stem.  At the
>>> stem, fold the tube back toward the stem, finish wrapping, and
>>> unfold the tube over the ends of the wrap.

>> Well, I've spent a few years working in a bike shop, wrapped a few
>> handlebars and now work where my job is(supposed to be) to have
>> good ideas, but I've got to say...  "I wish that I'd thought of
>> that."

> Keep in mind that putting short sections of inner tube on the bars
> near the stem means that you have to remove the brake levers and
> untape the cables -- unless you have split-center bars (usually
> considered a factory defect).  I think a couple inches of black
> electrical tape is more simple.

That is a reasonable way of doing it in my estimation and it is less
arcane so it isn't a conversation piece.  When Cinelli cork tape first
came along, we wondered why they used such stiff (non stretch) black
tape to secure the end of wrap.  I stayed with plastic tape.

Jobst Brandt

On Wed, 1 Oct 2008 11:14:50 -0700 (PDT), Jay Beattie wrote:

> On Oct 1, 10:01 am, Roger Thorpe 
> wrote:
>> _ wrote:
>>> It depends on the tape - but there is a neat, simple, cheap solution.
>>
>>> Put short sections of inner tube on the bars next the stem.  When wrapping,
>>> you start at the end and wrap towards the stem.  At the stem, fold the tube
>>> back towrds the stem, finish wrapping, and unfold the tube over the ends of
>>> the wrap.
>>
>> Well, I've spent a few years working in a bike shop, wrapped a few
>> handlebars and now work where my job is(supposed to be) to have good
>> ideas, but I've got to say..
>> "I wish that I'd thought of that."
> 
> Keep in mind that putting short sections of inner tube on the bars
> near the stem means that you have to remove the brake levers and
> untape the cables  -- unless you have split-center bars (usually
> considered a factory defect).  I think a couple inches of black
> electrical tape is more simple. -- Jay Beattie.

Yes it is - but the tube is neater, lasts better and is not sticky - and if
you are taking the tape off anyway it's five minute to pop the levers off
as well.