Originally Posted by
fillthecup
Hola all. I have the darndest luck with my bar-tape, leading me to wonder...
What sort of bartape do you use, on what kind of handlebar, and how long does/should it last for you?
I use Nashbar Cork Tape:
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...s%2FBar%20Tape. It is comfortable, durable, comes in nice colors, and cheap... very good
It's on the thicker side of things, so if you want thin tape for some reason it's not for you. I use it on both of my road bikes, which have ergo aluminum handlebars:
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...d%20Handlebars I also use the same brand of tape on my girlfriend's bike.
On my most-used bike (commuter bike) the tape has lasted about 2 years, 4000 miles, including a lot of winter use. I even took it off once and rewrapped it after it was loosening around the edges. Other than one small tear (covered with electrical tape) it is feels very good, though is a bit faded in a couple spots. I expect I'll replace it in a year or so.
Originally Posted by
fillthecup
Mine seems to need replacement, or rewrapping, every 2-3 months. Whether I wrap it myself or the LBS. My bar wrapping technique has been given a thumbs up by my favorite bike technicians. Maybe I'm doing funky things with my hands while riding. Or does heat loosen things up? Very frustrating.
There are several things that I do to make the tape stay in place longer. The main thing is that I put loops of electrical tape STICKY-SIDE-UP along the handlebar every 2-5 inches underneath the bar tape. This helps greatly in retaining the tape postion.
Another thing that helps a lot is to make sure you're wrapping the tape in the right direction! Start at the bar-ends (where the tape is tucked in) and wrap the tape so that it crosses from the INSIDE of the bar to the OUTSIDE on the top. In this way, the pressure of your hands will be aligned to the direction that the tape goes, and your grip won't cause the tape to loosen and unravel around the edges.