tyrion

I'm redoing my cockpit and will have a somewhat unusual cable arrangement, and this cable arrangement will be easier wrap if I wrap from top down, the opposite way normally done.

So if I wrap from top down and finish at the bar ends I have to secure the end of the tape somehow. Normally you finish/secure the bar tape with electrical tape, but I don't like electrical tape and the bar end because this is a bad place to have a slippery spot. This area of the bar gets a lot more handling than the top center of the bar where the tape is usually finished.

So I was thinking of using twine instead of electrical tape as illustrated by this video by Rivendell:


Twine at the bar ends will have much more grip than electrical tape, I'm pretty sure. But if this twine is at the bar end it might slip off the end of the bar with wear and tear (there are bar end shifters, but this won't do anything to stop the twine from slipping off).

Has anyone done anything like this? I won't wind the twine to the bitter end of the bars, I'd leave about 1/8" of bar and bar tape sticking out, the twine would compress the bar tape, so the 1/8" of bar and tape at the end would provide a little something to keep the twine from slipping off. Might a little dab of glue on the very last turns of twine help?

xenologer

I like electrical heat shrink tubing instead
as a mechanic, I prioritize function over form, and twine is quite the opposite of this considering there are so many simpler and more effective ways of doing it...

BarryVee

IMO Vinyl electric tape works fine to temporarily hold cable housings in place. In a pinch it'll finish bar tape but isn't durable plus it gets sticky in the heat. Those 6" pieces of tape often included with bar tape for finishing are self fusing silicon. It can be found online and is available in hardware stores. Look for it in 1"x10' rolls in various colors including black, about $5. Up top it's OK, not sure it is durable enough for bar ends though?

tyrion

The whole point of the twine over tape would be for grip. I'd rather that last 3/4" of bar be grippier than tape or shrink tube. I thought about using shrink tube and then putting twine over that, but the twine would slip on the shrink tube more than over bar tape I think.

drlogik 

Tuck the tape into the end of the bar and install a bar plug, Velox if you can find a pair. FWIW, wrapping top to bottom is generally not a good idea because the leading edge will roll and unwrap the tape and make a mess of the bar. This will be even more pronounced and gooey with a sticky-backed cloth tape.

If you have a really weird cable arrangement as you've stated you can always wrap from the brake levers up and fasten with tape or string and then wrap from the lever to the bottom and tuck into the bar end and plug it. Make sure you overlap sufficiently behind the brake lever and maybe make a couple of wraps of electrical tape to fasten it there. This way where your hands are positioned most often the tape's leading edge will be below your hands and not cause a problem.

If you use string, hemp string is really good because it is strong and withstands abuse. Some folks shellac the string to.

This is a great link for cotton bar tape:

https://www.bespokeandwheel.com/2012/...atment-im.html

maddog34

ooooo... i LIKE that idea! i'll have to make a trip to the local electronic parts house to get some.... slip it on before mounting the brake levers.... no tape to deal with... they have various colors of shrink tube, and it's a LOT cheaper at the electro-place than at Auto parts stores, btw... i built more than my share of PA snakes... I used several yards of that tubing for each snake... and mic cords, speaker cords.... the occasional M/C wiring harness... etc.

Retro Grouch 

There is more to function than quick and easy. OP said he wants grip. I'm thinking the twine will do that for him. I doubt he'll have issues with the twine slipping off the ends of the bars.

HillRider

+1 The standard way to anchor the tape at the bar end when you wrap from the top down is to tuck the tape into the handlebar end and secure it with an end plug. No need to wrap it with anything.

Wilfred Laurier

The reason for bottom-up wrapping is for better performance while riding. It might seem simpler to wrap top-down with some configurations, but IMO you should set up your bike for riding, not for ease of assembly to the detriment of riding performance.

leob1

Use cotton twine, such as butchers twine, to finish the bar ends. Then coat the twine with varnish, 2 or three coats should do. This will adhere the twine to the tape, and help prevent it from unraveling. And it will have a classic look.

bulldog1935

yes, use twine.
Also you want to shellac the twine to make it a composite. Two light coats of shellac will make it solid underneath and still feel like fabric on the surface.
It will also peel later without any residue on your bar, etc.
Here are my twine-wrap spacers which feel great on your thumbs.

tyrion

I have bar end shifters.

wschruba

I've done it with bar ends on a bike that I ride frequently (on the end of the drops). Unless you wrap it tight as hell, do a long bury (3/4 of the wrap, or so), and then shellac over it, it has a tendency to unravel itself. Other than that, yeah, no problem.

All that said, the traditional way is still to wrap from the ends up. Put a turn of double-stick tape on the end of the handlebar before you install the shifter, then run your shift line to wherever you are going to have it exit the bar tape, holding it in place with a few key bits of electrical tape (or double stick, I guess, since you have it out already). When you're going to start the tape, bevel it as you would when ending the wrap near the top, then cut off the pointed tip, leaving a perpendicular flat section about 1/2 the width of the tape. Between capturing that, and the double stick tape, there will be no problems retaining the tape. After you're done wrapping it up, you can twine it for extra security, if you desire.

fietsbob

I start at the Bar end shifter , so the tape wrap 'shingles' in the right direction around the top curve so when I shift my grip from the tops to the Brake hoods,
I don't pick up the edges of the Tape, and peel them up.

You'd be better with your Twine Art at the Top Center of the bar tape Job. (perhaps, but do as you will )

Navy Ships have rope wrapped hand rails.. Going back centuries..





https://doit101.com/knots/fancy.htm

tyrion

Tight, long bury, shellac. Thanks.

I've read a lot of the arguments why you should wrap starting at the bar ends, but I think I'll give the "wrong" way a try. If it doesn't work out I'll rewrap them the conventional way.

tyrion

That's interesting. I like the extra texture/grip the half-hitches provide. I might try something like that. The question is how to handle the twine loose ends. I suppose trick for burying them shown in the video would work.

fietsbob

BITD in the Boy Scouts we learned how to Whip the Ends of Ropes , of Natural Materials.


Common Whipping | How to tie a Common Whipping Knot animated and illustrated.

the free end is Pulled under the wrapped cord.

wschruba

Also, there are two directions you can wrap the twine, and only one is correct; if you wrap towards the center of the bike, it will unravel no matter how tight you make it, since your hands (well, most people...I don't know about you) have a tendency to roll towards the outside of the bike.

tyrion

Thanks. (I think I've wrapped by handlebars about 500 times in my head over the last few days. 3 real-life wraps + 500 virtual wraps and I think I'm ready!)

sunburst

OK, a side question. Who makes this shifter? I need a quality shifter like this for my vintage bikes with upright handlebars. I've got a cheap version that loosens all the time.

bulldog1935

That's Microshift - Universal and Jenson will have them.
(Shimano compatible, and I'm shifting Microshift R10 RD with Miche-Shimano custom cassette)
Mine is the 9, the 10 and 11 work great also.
They're actually the same shifter that's sold as SR, but but higher-grade finish and mount hardware.
Haven't tightened anything in 8000 mi. In fact, you don't want to over-tighten the shifter bolt - the red one we're looking at - so it can easily drop down to the detente with the RD spring.

Rock wrist so your knuckle shifts to smaller cog, pull with your thumb to climb larger cog.
Here's another view

asmac

Acrylic paint does a good job too. Keeps the string feel but matches the color.

bikeman715

Remove the barends ,tuck the tape into the bar and replace the barends , they will keep the tape in place . no need for tape or twine .

tyrion

The bar ends fit tightly in the bar. No way could the tape be tucked in there.

Leisesturm

In another recent thread we are discussing the "individualism" of Americans... sometimes its a good characteristic to possess, other times... not so much. As for re-wrapping if it doesn't work out... you won't. First of all it won't be apparent right away, and second, it will be too much of a hassle, unless you simply don't have much of a life. You will be 'that guy' with the ratty handlebars.