Yahoo I've done my first (of many I'm sure) bar tape
Well I got Cinelli. And if I knew then what I know now I wouldn't have screwed it up. The first time I overlapped just a bit too much on the wrap and didn't leave enough at the beginning for the plugs and didn't stretch the tape enough as I wrapped and came up too short on the first side. It doesn't un-wrap without destroying itself. So I went to my LBS found the red-white-blue Splash Cinelli in the 50% off bin and took another stab at it. It came out beautiful. Just like many things I encounter in life, I usually have to do it more than once to understand the little nuances. I saved some of my old spongy rubber bar tape, cut it into strips applied rubber cement to one side and on the top of the bar to keep it in place, layed it along the top flat of the bar and wrapped the new tape over it to provide a little extra cushion there.
It really does give the bike a different look for so liittle money. I will be keeping my eye pealed for bargains and squirrel some away for the next change.
Thanks for the advice,
jw