Classic & Vintage - Benotto cellophane tape application/maintenance?

hi i just got a roll of benotto cello tape and it seemed strange putting it on - is it supposed to have adhesive on the backing? there was a a slightly sticky residue on it, but I basically just wrapped it around tight and attached bar ends to lock the remainder in. There's still a bit of shifting when i twist my hands on the bars - is this normal, will it eventually stick to the bars? I'm kind of scared of climbing or mashing down on the bars, for fear that i'll push the tape and it'll slide around, causing me to lose my grip and fall. I'm running them on a pair of aluminum drop bars. im probably being overly paranoid, but i'm hoping someone here can help me. thank you

I stretched the heck out of mine when I put it on and haven't had any movement yet - maybe I need to work on my hand strength. As for the 'residue'... some sort of secret Italian slime? Mine was greasy when I put it on but it feels dry now. What are you putting it on?

i put them on some italian aluminum drop bars. the residue's gone, but it's still shifty - maybe i need to tighten it up. thanks for the info-

also, have you by any chance ridden in the rain with the tape on? i'd imagine the surface would get pretty slippery...

In the 80's, the "cellophane" tape was the stuff runnin'.

It will never adhere to itself, and when it was violated in a crash, that stuff would unroll into a curly "pigtail" in about 2 seconds!

Put it on tight, but you will not gain anything by going Hercules on the stretch.

Make sure the bar end inserts are nice and tight, and at the top, wrap the ends with electical tape as tight as is reasonable.

The trick is to contain the two ends as secure as possible. If the ends are very secure, you should not experience any shifting of the tape. After a few bike washings and some miles, the tape will settle down a bit, and the underside layer will slightly compress and prevent any shifting.

I have not run this stuff in ages, so my memory might be faulty, but this is how I recall the issue.

Performance? Pure looks, Baby! Slippery, with about zilcho road shock absorbtion, but who cares?

I concur with Erzulis Boat. I can't think of why it would be sticky unless it has started to break down. If anything it had reputation for being slippery. In the rain, and without gloves, it was the closest thing to riding handlebars made out of ice. On the plus side, it had the widest assortment of colors.

haha, thanks guys - aesthetics were important back in the day i guess! i got the tri colored italian themed tape...anyway, thanks for your help everyone

Yeah, the plastic tape we used in the old days was not sticky on the back. You had to put quite a bit of stretch into it so it would stay tight. Also, the correct way to tape bars (which I didn't know back then) is to start at the ends and finish in the middle, secured with some plastic adhesive tape. That way the pressure from your hands does not work on the exposed edge of the tape, opening a gap.

Some people didn't like plastic tape and used cotton rim tape instead. You first wrapped the bars with that sticky black fabric friction tape and ther wrapped the rim tape over it.

Also, the correct way to tape bars (which I didn't know back then) is to start at the ends and finish in the middle, secured with some plastic adhesive tape. That way the pressure from your hands does not work on the exposed edge of the tape, opening a gap.

Too bad nobody ever told Schwinn about that. All the Varsity and Continentals were taped with the thin Hunt-Wilde stuff in this "incorrect" fashion, without any adhesive tape whatsoever.

Funny thing - many of 'em are still holding tight after 30 years.

-Kurt

Also, the correct way to tape bars (which I didn't know back then) is to start at the ends and finish in the middle, secured with some plastic adhesive tape.

a slick finish for benotto (pun intended) is to melt the finishing end with a match or lighter and quickly smear it into itself, eliminating the need for tape. it works, but can't say how well!

If you wrap from the middle to the end...the overlapping edge points toward the middle...and your hand pressure (generally outwards) will push on the exposed edge. The other way...the overlapping edge points toward the outside, and hand pressure slides over the shingles. Either way will work...but wrapping towards the middle works better, in my experience. You can finish with tape wrap or, in better taste, wrap with twine and shellac, like TOG suggests. Search the archives for twine wrap.

Too bad nobody ever told Schwinn about that. All the Varsity and Continentals were taped with the thin Hunt-Wilde stuff in this "incorrect" fashionI believe most factory built bikes are taped the "wrong" way because it's quicker and easier.