Embrace the Curl!



I like cloth tape on some of my bikes. I like the clean look of cloth tape wrapped from the top. I also especially like a little bit of wear and fraying at the edge of the cloth tape after some usage--"beausage" as they say. Admittedly, the tape on the Cilo above was re-wrapped not long after that photo.

Most other non-cloth handlebar tapes, I will wrap from the drops up and finish with a bit of electrical tap (after cutting end at a long diagonal to avoid a bulge at the top). By the way, for those who use Benotto or similar cello tape, you can start at the drops and finish at the top by heating the end of the cello tape and fusing it to the tape under it. I press the flat side of a heated knife against the inside of the tape until it starts to melt and then quickly finish wrap the final bit.