Bicycle Mechanics - question about bar-end shifters

i'm putting together a bike with bar-end shifters, and as i've never installed them before, i'm sort of confused. they take the place of the plugs that usually secure the tape after you've wrapped the bars, but to route the cable under the bar tape wouldn't i need to install the shifters before the tape? what am i supposed to be doing?

I always install the bar-end shifters first, then tape the bars. BTW, I tape bars starting at the shifter end and wind it toward the stem so maybe that's what's confusing you if you are doing it the other direction. Also, I anchor the bar tape at the start with a short piece of electrical tape then wrap it over itself one turn. I don't tuck the loose end into the handlebar.

I run the cable housing under the tape for about 4-6" then let the housing leave the tape and continue wraping the bars up to a couple of inches from the stem and anchor it there with electrical or finishing tape.

ok...i usually wrap from the end to the stem, but i leave overlap at the beginning to tuck in and plug. i guess i can just do what you said you do at the start though...that works.

I do essentially what HillRider does.

All the handlebar tapes I've ever bought came with tape so you can tape the ends near the stem as Hillrider explained. There is also a product that is made of plastic and works like a collar that you can use to fasten (clamp) the ends down; http://www.stellaazzurra.com/Accessories/Alpha-Zeta.php

I do essentially what HillRider does.

+1, except I run the shift cables under the tape all the way up to near the stem, using electrical tape in a couple of places to hold it in place until wrapping over with the bar tape. I like the cleaner look.

You can run the shifter cables underneath the bar tape either all the way up to the stem (may require extra-long tandem-specific cables and housing) or have the housing against the bar just against the flat part (before the curve or angled anatomical part starts) on the drops. I do the latter.

Generally, it's better to wrap your bars starting at the ends of the drops, not at the stem, because when your hands are in the drops they tend to slide downwards, not upwards, and if you've wrapped from the stem there's more chance of the friction from your hands rolling the edges of the tape back because those edges are facing up. If you wrap from the ends of the bars, those edges are facing down.

+1, except I run the shift cables under the tape all the way up to near the stem, using electrical tape in a couple of places to hold it in place until wrapping over with the bar tape. I like the cleaner look.

I've seen this done and it makes the bike look like it has Campy Ergos until you look closely. :)

The only possible negative is the extra friction caused by the longer cable and housing lengths and the additional bends. I've never done it that way but one guy I know who did said it worked fine so apparently the "problem" is more theoretical than real. Just be sure to keep the cables and housing clean.

Tim is right about the advantage of wraping the bars from the ends toward the stem. The tape's exposed edges face away from you and the tape lasts longer.

Tim is right about the advantage of wraping the bars from the ends toward the stem. The tape's exposed edges face away from you and the tape lasts longer.

i know. i was just asking how it was usually secured at the start, since it's not possible to start with some hanging over and plug it with the bar-end shifters. i just taped it there too.

I run my barend cables to the stem and out on my tour bike. The look is definitely cleaner. The only thing is you need to run longer cable housings than ones supplied with the shifters and in most cases the rear derailleur cable is quite not long enough also, therefore you might have to use a tandem length cable. But it's worth it.....:)

I also like the cleaner look of concealed cables all the way. Only problem : with my 25" frame and 46-cm handlebars, I definitely need a tandem-rear cable and a single-rear cable. So it's nice to keep a spare at home.