All of this tape information is so fragmented, can we just summarize it into a sticky?

Can someone fill in the blank about Kapton tape? is it more puncture resistant? What are it's properties for bicycle applications (in words most of us can understand)


3M (Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing, just so you know): Adhesive pressure sensitive, slightly stretchy vinyl tape.

Self Fusing Silicon Tape: Self fusing, stretchy, no adhesive backing. Slightly thicker than 3M electrical tape.

Kapton Tape: Polyimide film with silicone adhesive for easy release.

Elliott Tape EG ET301 Loom Tape: Dry vinyl tape, no adhesion layer. Self Adhesion. Stretches just a little, similar to electrical tape.

Does this sound right?

Elliott Tape EG ET301 Loom Tape: Dry vinyl tape, no adhesion layer. Self adhesion

Ok, added to my post. Stretchy or not stretchy?

I use gel tape for my bars

Note sure how to answer this one. How about "stretches a bit". Probably as stretchy as electrical tape since it appears to be electrical tape without the adhesion layer.

My technique for finishing bar tape is to loop twice with 3m tape, the first loop pulled tight which cause the tape to be a bit more narrow and a second loop around with the tape slack which causes it to be a bit wider, which lets it neatly cover the first loop of 3m tape.

Why would you want to use electrical tape?

If that silicone is the stuff I saw yesterday, I saw a problem. The stuff I saw yesterday is translucent and looks absurd on a bike. A bike messenger had put it on various place on his frame.

Was that the translucent orange color that I see in pictures of Kapton?

Nice wrap on your Carton. What did you use?

Neubaum's white cloth.

the starting in the center, taping jobs shingle-overlap the wrong way
and shifting your hands, from the tops to the hoods peels up the edges ..

good luck keeping that stuff looking white and clean..


... 2nd time using Fizik's bar tape wrapping bars, Its Quite nice . Favorably Impressed ..

Back in the day we called loom tape, "friction tape". Pull it tight and friction holds it in place.

Maybe I'm a curmudgeon but I have really disliked fizik take and all so-called cork tapes. I like Benotto and Newbaum's.

Of course I had to Google images of Benotto and Newbaum's tapes. Most of the Benotto looked glossy, and made for some really attractive colorful patterns on the bars. Seemed to be thin and uncomfortable looking. The Newbaum cloth really looks old school, makes great, consistant wrap and the colors, being matt, look really good to me. I would think a not-overlapped wrap of inner tube covered with Newbaum would be comfy.

Comfy, maybe, but double layers look lumpy.

For maximum comfort, I think leather is best. It doesn't look bad, either. It also might be a decent value, given its probable durability. I put leather tape on my Volpe last year. Ask me how it's doing in five or ten years.

Down here, I've known it was this stuff or bust, since I was a kid. I've used kilometres and kilometres of the stuff over the years, for all sorts of purposes.



Anyone seen it outside Oz? 3M doesn't have a huge presence here...

From the comments, I'm guessing the Nitto might be a little stretchier than the 3M perhaps.

BTW, pretty sure it isn't this Nitto.

I'd have thought not; at least in the Oz market, there's mostly just Nitto (and probably one or two other brands here and there), and the no-name garbage you get in packs of four tiny rolls in gift shops. One try should be enough to make any sane person give up on the cheap stuff forever.

Well I dunno about the 3M, but the Nitto stretches maybe another 35% or so, and then sort of stops; you know if you try to stretch it much past 40% or whatever, it's going to break. But there's a useful window where it's stretched (once fully stretched it stays about 125% its original length; some elasticity remains), and in this state it's pretty handy for securing cables under tape; I give it one and a half turns, and sometimes just tear the tape; it usually rips well enough to press the end flat. Nice and quick. Easier to remove than any non-stretchy tape I can think of that also sticks. Also, the sparkie's tape gets quite a bit thinner (and narrower) when fully stretched.

Yep, an initial tight loop or two squashes the foam as much as you like, which protects the final unstretched loop (which we know is essential for a lasting job).

But this is the go...

This will work great with pretty much any tape that's made of two materials; they typically have a tougher outer over a foamy base. When you wrap with a bit of tension, the edge bites in and won't curl until the tape is damaged and loses tension on the edge (the effect operates over a loop or two's distance).

If you want the neatest possible bars short of stitching them up in leather, start with tape with a tough outer.



That's a double wrap... looks pretty good on 31.8, I reckon... actually, 31.8 looks a bit weird without it.

Oh yeah, PS - I have a successful technique for apply the Nitto as rim tape.

Simply stretch it till it doesn't want to stretch anymore as you put it on, and since that makes it a bit narrow compared to spoke holes, put the first loop on to one side, and the second loop to the other. This can handle 160psi, (maybe only briefly) which is good to know if like me you're sick of wrangling with too-tight tyres and just give em hell with the pump. Puts up with anything under 120psi indefinitely.

Thinnest rim tape going too, which might be of interest to those with nasty rim/tyre combos...

If you're concerned about your tube developing its own nipples from the stretched tape domes, another layer will add little thickness while reducing the stretch enough to be comparable with proper tape.

One wrap of any tape.....You won't see it under the heat shrink tubing...
Or wrap them old school and don't use any tape.

I use heat shrink tube as I did on my Brompton Dynamo headlight intallation job ,

but finding a 1,5" diameter , adhesive lined size to finish your Bar taping job may be a little Much.

If you can find Lowes or Home Depot,you can find the tubing......$10 for 2 feet.

Never use electrical tape on handlebars.
Apparently Michael Angelo is the only one that knows how to correctly tape a handle bar.
You start at the top. Use cloth tape.
The 'shingle overlap the wrong way' keeps your hands from slipping down off the bars.
When taped tightly this way it does not slide down.
I am bewildered how this spongey-slippery-cushy tape became popular, it's terrible.
I guess people don't have strong hands as most have never done a days work in their life.

Leave your opinions here:

It started with people who spend too much of their time riding and shaking their hands trying to get feeling back. My hands get so numb I cant feel the brifters when shifting!

OK ... for the last year or two, I have been using the tape described above and have been delighted. The other day, I loaded the bike on the car and the wind caused the tape to come loose. On the way back, one of the other wraps using the same tape came loose. So I am no longer as delighted as I was when I first posted this. BUT ... it is still better than using cheap electrical tape. And yes, as others have posted, there are better ways to tape handlebars. Interesting that nobody has posted about using cord wrapped ends...hmmm.

trailangel:

You are likely a young man. I am an old man.

I've clocked more than 600,000 miles riding motorcycles. I was a mechanic for many years -- the nerves in my hands have been damaged --- I need all the padding I can manage. I use two layers of (Shimano) Pro handlebar tape + Fizik Gel padding in a couple of places under the tape.

Fifty years ago I wrapped my Cinelli bars with thin plastic tape and had no trouble with that (which may be why I'm having trouble now) ;o(

Joe

Thanks for that, Joe. Nothing worse than a pedantic, do it my way only, post.