Salamandrine 

Top down used to be the most common method during the cotton era. The bottom up method coincided with Bike Ribbon becoming popular - to the best of my recollection. The directions said bottom up, and the package included a couple strips of decorative tape for finishing.

I still prefer top down for cotton tape. Frankly, I prefer it for all tape. I've done it both ways many times, and it makes little difference for me WRT longevity. I tend to fidget though, and don't just stay on the ramps/hoods all the time. Also I tend to ride in the drops more than 'modern' cyclists.

When taping bottom up, I found that suede cord works pretty well for a whipped finish, as does Rivendell style twine. I can't stand the look of electrical tape.

Choke 

I like to use 'tape clips'. These are plastic pieces that screw together....they used to be easily available but the old ones are hard to find these days. However, Arundel still makes a version but it only comes in black.

This is the best pic of them I have on hand, both of these were purchased in the 1990s and have been used on many sets of bar tape.

due ruote 

squirtdad

Anyone have a source for bar treatment like that ? (can't call it a wrap) ????

fender1

https://velo-orange.com/collections/...-on-bar-covers

Get yourself a thimble!

squirtdad

sold out not sure if I am happy or not.....this would look great on the Team Miyata I am working on....Orginal had covers like this..... but if sold out there is one "wrap"hole I don't go down

thanks

gugie 

I really like the OP's finish, very classy. I usually do cloth bottom to top, twine whip, then several coats of shellac. It's THE most labor intensive way to finish your bars and you have to wait a couple of days before you can ride it. It's also THE most durable finish out there. Crash and tear it up a bit, just add some shellac for a repair, good as new. I've got a bike with 5 year old tape on it that's holding up the same as new.

For synthetic tape, the OP's method looks like the way to go. Twine is too thin and cuts into padded tape, the fairly wider, but still narrow leather lacing is now on my list of things to try.

Bad Lag

Bob Jackson !

rootboy 

Whip it


Whip it good

Prowler 

Sir_Name 

The Golden Boy 

Whoa.

Anyone else that does a string whip is a chump.

That is amazing.


I don't really dig the twine wrap whip thing... (says the guy that spent WAY too much time wrapping one of his chainstays) The phrase I've always thought (at least on my own bikes) is "too precious."

"Cork" tape is my favorite- I've finished wraps with electrical tape and cloth bar tape (or electrical tape with cloth tape over it). The two colors of bar tape I like are white and brown, I like the look of yellow finishing tape and was kind of surprised that I got a bunch of comments saying to the effect of 'you spent all that time and effort and money on all that ****, then used whatever color tape you had sitting around.'

1985 Trek 620 by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr

1990 Miyata 1000LT by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr

IMG_0220 by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr

The Golden Boy 

It looks like most of the pictures are gone- but @randyjawa had made some instructions on the site before he put together mytenspeeds.

RandWrapHandlebarTapeGuide

USAZorro

There are other sellers who have stock. Try Googling Elkhide bicycle bar. There's also at least one other company that makes/sells similar. I believe they're Wanut.

due ruote 

jamesdak 

Yep, great ride but I have to admit it's just too small for me. Trying to move this one on locally and then I'll start hunting for one my size.

tkamd73 

SurferRosa

A pretty good video. If you were to use embroidery thread for finishing tape, make the loop (as shown in the video) at the outset. And put it at the bottom of the bars, of course. You can cover the thread with clear nail polish to keep it in place, long term.

dddd

What I've homed in on as my tape finishing method over the years is to slant-cut the upper end of the tape over about 3" of the tape's length, and as I finish the bottom-up wrap at the sleeve I apply a couple of drops of contact cement as I complete the wrap.
Then, I take a foot of clear Scotch tape and make 2-3 turns to lock everything down.
It will take care and practice to lay the clear tape layers down without wrinkles and without dirty fingerprints in between the layers, the clear tape stays put and doesn't fray if it is wound on in the top-toward-you direction with the end cut off under the bar.
I like this approach better than electrical tape because the clear tape doesn't unwind itself over time and create a sticky black mess. The gloss of the clear tape might be seen to clash with some tapes but I'm happy with it.
Applying without wrinkles might require following the tape with a fingertip on the slick side where the tape is rolling onto the surface, keeps lateral tension in the tape so it can't wrinkle. And it takes a bit more care to keep the sticky side from grabbing hairs or detritus as it makes it's rounds.
How much stretch to put into the tape depends on how soft the bar tape is. The second and third wraps can wrinkle the first wrap if tension isn't slacked off over a softer bar tape.

The Golden Boy 

Can you post a pic- I'm interested to see what that looks like!!

Chr0m0ly 

due ruote 

dddd

First photo shows the clear is invisible on Benotto, and on re-wrapped, old Bike Ribbon.
Second photo shows the gloss (and the lack of soiling) making the clear stand out on the orange foam tape.
Third photo shows yesterday's hasty re-wrap of old Bike Ribbon using clear tape.
Last photo shows the clear over modern premium Fizik.
I like that the wrap diameter can remain completely constant to the upper ends, due to the constant wrap angle with angled cut over the last 3" of tape.

Jon T

I use the "Flexwrap" silicone tape that fuses to itself.
Jon

hobbs1951

There's quite a mix of correctly and incorrectly installed bar tape on this thread !

John.