Reusable handlebar tape
 

Being pathologically frugal, I don't like paying $20 for handlebar tape that doesn't last very well. First it gets dirty and is impossible to clean. Then it frays and needs replacement.

Leather handlebar tape was on sale at Nashbar for $35 a few years ago. Foolishly, I only bought one set. I had it on my Bianchi Volpe, and I moved it to my Raleigh International. It still looks good, and it feels good. I also have some Brooks leather tape which started out on my Lemond, and I moved it to my new Lemond when I swapped frames to get a better size. I think I paid around $55 for it. I'm clearly getting more years per dollar with this stuff.

I just bought Brooks Cambium tape. It's gotten bad reviews because it's not flexible enough, but I want to try it anyway. I've been riding a Cambium C17 saddle for a couple of months and like it a lot.

Here is my Lemond locked up at work. The Raleigh's tape is black and looks nondescript.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OA...=w1298-h974-no

I haven't been able to reuse vinyl tape. It stretches one way, and then that's it.

Please let us know how you like the Cambium tape. If it's nice I'd like to try it sometime.

If you've never tried it, shellacked cotton tape lasts nearly forever. It's always possible to put rubber tube or gel pads underneath if some cushion and heft is preferred. I'm kind of over it myself, but it does last a long time.

It still seems weird to me that people reuse bar tape. After 6 months even vinyl tape gets pretty shredded and disgusting for me. It always feels nice to have new clean tape again. No judgements of course. If it works for you great. I can kind of see it with leather.

Has anyone used the Walnut leather sew-on tape? Wondering if it's difficult to install, offers decent cushion, if it lasts a while? I'm going back and forth between this and the Brooks tape.

[MENTION=424205]Salamandrine[/MENTION], I even bought shellac and have been meaning to try that, but it seems like a lot of trouble. I'm sure it lasts, but it can't be reused. For instance, I'll want to change brake levers or handlebars but not the tape.

The leather tape isn't getting disgusting. It's like new, after years of use. It seems like the best value. I just had to get over the initial cost.

[MENTION=416086]Jadesfire[/MENTION], that stuff looks great, but you would need a lot of patience to put on.

I have some Planet Bike (I think) cork tape that is tacky on the back but not sticky. I've re-wrapped it probably half a dozen times over the last 6 months. It won't take much more, but it's still in nice shape. Trying out different bars, stems, adjusting brake levers, etc., it's been invaluable. I think it was between $10-15.

Thanks [MENTION=152773]noglider[/MENTION]. That's good to know that leather tape stays in good condition that long. I meant to try it by never did because it's expensive and I presumed it would get gross fast. Apparently that's not the case. Shellacking is actually pretty easy, but do cover your floor first. It drips. True it doesn't allow reuse. I don't tend to swap stuff out a lot so for me it's not a bother.


[MENTION=416086]Jadesfire[/MENTION] - I've looked at that stuff but had been holding out for the Velo Orange Elkhide sew on grips. They've been out of stock for a long time. Don't know what the status is. I've got one of their elkhide chainstay protectors, and that leather is remarkably soft and cushioney compared to cowhide. I can see why the chose it. If you try the Walnut please give us a review. I'm fairly good at crafty type stuff so the sewing doesn't scare me.

You're probably right. But that's not a deal-breaker at least :p.

I was looking first at the Elk hides myself, but like Gevenalle shifters they seem to be almost impossible to keep in stock. I'll probably give it a try, but it will be a month or so.
Sorry to derail the thread, the topic just reminded me of this question. Thanks!

I recently removed, reconditioned, and rewrapped Brooks leather tape on the handlebars of my commuter bike, which sees daily use, much of it in rain. The tape was a decade old and looked it, even though I had treated it perhaps a dozen times over the years with the tape still on the bars. Since I had to unwrap the tape to install new cable housing, I decided to see whether it could be reused. I hate to waste anything and that Brooks tape is pricey to start with.

I applied two "coats" of leather cleaner/conditioner using the sort of sponge-on-a-stick applicator used to apply wood stain to furniture, letting the cleaner/conditioner absorb between coats, and wiping off the excess along with any dirt, gently stretching the tape along the way. I then pinned one end of each piece of tape to a beam in my basement ceiling and let the tape hang down so it could be straightening as it dried.

When I had first unwrapped the tape, I was surprised to find that the adhesive backing was still reasonably tacky, and this was true even after reconditioning. Before retaping the bars, however, I ran some double sided thin Scotch-style tape down the bars and around the drops, just to be sure it would stay in place. (The tape was leftover tape of the kind used to attach plastic sheet insulation to windows, but when I ran out of that I used some double-sided photo album tape for the last bit and it worked fine too). So, to clarify, I wasn't trying to recreate the sticky backing the full length of the tape, but just to give the tape something to hang onto once each half-circle of the bars as I wrapped it.

I wrapped it as tightly as I could without tearing the decade-old leather. It turned out really well--maybe even better than the first time I wrapped it back in 2008, probably because I had a better sense of how much overlap would work with the length. There's a difference in color between the leather that has been exposed to the elements and the leather underneath. I suppose this could be addressed with some shoe polish or leather dye, but it didn't bother me and I think it actually looks kind of cool. I'll try to post a photo when I get a chance.

So yes, Brooks leather tape is durable, and it's also reusable. I could easily imagine mine lasting another decade or two with a bit of care.

This is my first post on this forum, BTW, though I've been reading and learning for the last couple of months.

Funny thing about a lot of cork and vinyl tapes is, they don't stick enough when you are putting them on, but the stick too much when you take them off.....:foo::wtf:

Tom and all

Don't worry about how your tape looks. Just distract people from your bar tape when it gets ratty using these

"XLC Handlebar Streamers, Pair, Holographic" at only $3.89 a pair!!!https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0cb9dae0f6.jpg

I think the fear with leather is it will either dry out or get slimy. I don't think either has to be the case. I am a leatherwork hobbyist and I make wallets, briefcases, etc. I will eventually try my hand at bar tape, just haven't been moved to.

Getting back to the subject, I think the leather would require periodic cleaning and surface treatment of some sort. Cleaning with saddle soap would make sense followed by an application of Neetsfoot oil or Brooks Proofhide. Both will help provide a measure of moisture-proofing. There are some leather finishes that would provide even more protection such as Resolene or Tandy Supersheen, but they may interfere with the tack of the leather and end up being too slippery.

On bicycles I've flipped, I've had really good luck on some in removing and re-wrapping with the same tape. Sometimes it is too far gone, other times it has merely shifted and looks bad. I take it off, clean everything and re-install. If I have to cut some off due to damage, I merely use some colored electricians tape where it terminates towards the stem and it ends up looking very presentable.

With cheap bar tape from China on ebay for less than $2 a bike, I don't think its worth reusing the basic stuff. Just realize it will take a while to get.

Don't like China, well a lot of the bar tape you buy at the LBS will be made in China too, just $15 instead of $1.75. You decide.

[MENTION=109949]wrk101[/MENTION], $2 tape isn't a bad idea. I think I've bought it a few times. Sometimes I have fun buying stuff directly from China. I don't expect it to work out, so when it does, it's a cheap thrill.

I've had this Bike Ribbon tape on my bike for at least 20 years, and it's been re-wrapped multiple times. When the edges started fraying a few years ago, I took it completely off and re-wrapped in the opposite direction to put the frayed edge underneath. Looks like it still has a few miles in it:

http://www.os2.dhs.org/~john/bike-ribbon.jpg

Thanks for that. I was trying to come up with that brand name, as I've had good luck with Bike Ribbon stuff. As a matter of fact I just wrapped the stoker's bar of our tandem with used Bike Ribbon that came off an eighties bike, as it had exactly the look & feel I was looking for:

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fccf596f8a.jpg

This. All my tape is bought from Asia for less than $2 including shipping. Cheap is good enough for me.

I've had good luck re-using fizik microtex tape. Tom, it may be around that $20 threshold you mention, but I find it is well-made and cleans up easy. Probably lasts at least 2x as long as stuff half the price.

This is has been my experience with it too! I even have the white stuff and keep it that way with a magic eraser sponge if I get it dirty.

Gotta get me a magic eraser.