What do you think of this product as a finishing tape for bar wraps in place of vinyl electrical tape? No residue and fuses to itself. I can think of lots of other uses as well, like taping down wires for wired computers, protecting rub prone areas like the drive side chain stay, shimming under loose light or other accessory mounts, underwrap for handlebar tape esp around brake/brifter mounts, etc.



https://www.ecrater.com/p/454202/self...-silicone-tape

It could be a royal PITA to remove from your chainstays, despite the website blurb, but I agree it is probably better than insulation tape for bar tape finishing. Where did you see it?

i've finished bar tape with electrical tape, then wrapped a second layer of the self fusing stuff on top as a prevention from when the electrical tape gets old and 'unravels' from the end. dunno if it would hold the bar tape by itself tho considering its so stretchy and gell-like.

have wrapped it around cable houseings where frame gets rubbed, a convenient substitute for the rubber boots you have to slide on.

for everyplace else, you cant beat zip ties and old inner tubes

Nice description of the tape except for one detail - How long is it? Id like to see it in action, sounds interesting....

I'm not sure if that's the same stuff I use... I think it may be similar. I use what's marketed as a "liner-less electrical splicing tape". I use it for two of the uses you mentioned, an underwrap for bar tape, and I wrap the chain stay on my mtb.

great stuff.

I use it all the time at work. It works great except it can become dry and brittle in the sun. For that very reason, I end up wrapping electrical tape over it when waterproofing electrical connections that are exposed to the elements. That being said it is cheap, readily available at your local Home Depot, and leaves no residue when removed. Won't hurt to try it.

Personally I've always wrapped my bars starting at the stem. That way I don't need finishing tape.

Looks like what was called "F-4 tape" when I was in the Air Force. We were not allowed to use regular electrical tape on aircraft, so they issued this stuff in a kind of reddish brown color. Good stuff. I like the idea of using it as a cushioning base under some more attractive bar tape. I wouldn't use it as an outer wrap however. Dust and dirt tend to cling to it and not come off. Thanks for the idea.

Dang, that seems to make a lot of sense but I've never seen it done that way. Any pictures? I'm fairly new to road biking and have only wrapped a couple of bars so I'm no expert.

It gives a nice cushioned fat feeling to the bars. You'll probably like it. It also keeps the outer wrap from moving.

That is the way it was always done "back in the day". When it was time to replace the tape on my commuter (which came wrapped end to center) I went old school and avoided tape. Just start at the end nearest the stem with the end of the tape at the bottom of the bar with the end facing the front of the bike. Wrap back, up and over the bar till you've trapped the end (if you are not using tape with adhesive, a small piece of tape to hold the end in place helps). Then just spiral your way out. When you hit the end of the bar, just cut, tuck and install the cap.

Please forgive the crappy photo (used my laptop at work) and the dirty bar tape.

.ending top center, the tape shingles, overlaps so shifting your hands from the tops
around the curved portion, to the hoods wont peel up the edges of the tape.

I don't understand a thing you just typed.

not. a. thing.

These bars have been wrapped since spring (5000+ miles) and they have not slipped, shifted or peeled. They are wrapped with the same orientation that one would use when wrapping from the end of the drops. I was skeptical at first, when someone mentioned to me about wrapping them this way. I see no disadvantage.

Its all I use. I have used it for several years now. Here in the south, electrical tape tends to turn into a gooey mess in the heat. I have it in several colors: clear (its more like a cloudy opaque), green and red. I use the clear on most bikes (I am a flipper, so I use this stuff a lot). I tend to buy several of rolls at once, on fleece-bay.

The stuff is super easy to remove. Just cut a slit in it on one edge, and pull it off. The great thing about this stuff is that it ONLY sticks to itself, nothing else.


Here's clear on a 1983 Specialized Sequoia.







And here it is in red (1991 Schwinn Paramount Series 3):



And red again on this 1989 Gazelle:






bill

It's the only stuff I use , too. I get it from Lowes near the electrical tape. https://www.lowes.com/pd_78453-98-2155_4294753694_4294937087_?productId=3129711&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_qty_sales_do llar|1&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl_Electrical%2BTape_4294753694_4294937087_%3FNs%3Dp_product_prd_lis_ord_n br|0||p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo= Few bucks a roll, and a roll will finish 40 bikes' handlebar tape. Sticks only to itself, doesn't get gooey like electrical tape. Seems to be made of some kind of latex rubber rather than silicone.

Fietsbob does tend to be rather cryptic in his phrasing.

Anyway, what he was saying (or trying to) is that wraping from the drops toward the stem overlaps the turns so that the exposed edges are away from your hands and normal hand pressure doesn't tend to pick up the exposed edges. I've done it both ways and find starting at the bar ends does give a more durable wrap. YWMV