Handlebar Wrap, Twine, & Shellac
 

i've used yellow Newbaum's & amber shellac but want a little diversity on the next go 'round.

has anyone used Tanglefoot’s Blazer Handlebar Wrap?

if so, which color, coating, and for extra credit, a picture.

available here: Tanglefoot Blazer Handlebar Tape

https://analogcycles.com/cdn/shop/pr...g?v=1705870360

and since we can assume there are no elves out behind the bikeshop weaving this stuff, has anyone gone to a fabric store, bought a few yards of twill, woven, or herringbone cloth tape and done their own thing?

thanks

I bought a big roll of beige twill tape and used it on several bikes. I had to order it from a company on the internet - could not find it in large quantities at a fabric store. I think the company was called twilltape.com.

I have been very happy with the results. It is a great solution to get a durable vintage look for older bikes without spending a bunch of money.

I was able to achieve white and various shades of brown using paint, based on tips from gugie and others. It would probably be much harder to get brilliant colors.

This from that auction site:

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c55d638916.jpg

now that's pretty snazzy!

looks like it punctuates the colors on the rest of the bike, too.

oh brother . . . i guess it just depends how deep of a rabbit hole i wish to endure: Woven Fabric Tape - Etsy

This is great, thank you for giving me an idea of what's possible.

my knee-jerk reaction is to use clear shellac rather than amber for an untested material. also it might turn the dye in the fabric to mud rather than a glorious patina matching a Brooks B17 honey.

who's going first with this science fair project?

This green twill (also from that auction site) got quite a number of coats of very light shellac from a specialist:


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1c12d6cb54.jpg

I was worried it would make a bigger change in the colour, but all that happened was that it looks darker, almost as if it was wet.

Here is bike taped with beige twill and shellaced until it was somewhat shiny with about a 3:1 mix of clear shellac and white shellac-based primer. I did it about 18 months ago and have ridden the bike perhaps 20 times since. Dirt wipes off pretty easily but I would say it has yellowed a little bit, not entirely evenly. White tape never stays white if you ride the bike, so I would say this is a decent way to go if you have a bike that is crying out for white, but not so great that it makes me want to start using white on other bikes.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fb7c1728ce.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a1b9bc1109.jpg

I think brown wraps are a better use case - it's fairly easy to match the tone of a leather saddle and it doesn't show dirt or yellowing. Way, way cheaper than leather wrap. Amber shellac on this tape comes pretty close to Brooks Honey, and you can get darker browns by dipping the tape in diluted paint before you wrap. Unfortunately I don't have an example of a brown wrap handy for a picture.

Another thing I did that seemed to work fairly well was slip a piece of inner tube over parts of the bars and then wrap with tape and shellac. Creates a slightly more forgiving grip. The tube needs to be a tight fit so it takes a little effort.

Edit: I checked and the roll cost about $17.00 plus $9.00 shipping. It would probably do at least a dozen sets of bars.

We have a local carpet cleaning and repair place, DA Burns. Been in Seattle forever. They have carpet edge binding that can be used for handlebar tape. Can't remember the brand

Here is a brighter version https://tuftingnation.com/products/c...rug-twill-tape

excellent.

you are temporarily off my "ignore" list.

what kind of adhesive tape do you use to fix the ribbon to the bars?

Twine. No glue or shellac necessary. Won’t be everyone’s cup of tea though.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d30e763f7.jpeg

like almost everything in life, there are many roads to the same destination

Shellac and Bar Tape, A Guide – Velo Orange

Handlebar Wrap and Twine Finish – Rivendell Bicycle Works

Picking a handlebar...followed by short note about bar tape – Rivendell Bicycle Works

Cork Grips Installation and Twine – Rivendell Bicycle Works

if i were to not shellac, i would use a strip of double-sided tape along the handlebar more of a third hand while juggling with the wrap.

Amazon.com: 3M 9088 High Performance Acrylic Double Coated Tape, Heavy Duty, Clear, 0.25 in x 5 yds, 1 Roll : Office Products

but one might ask: why?

I like to use waxed cotton lace.
Phil

Oh thanks for the info. Im looking forward to more cloth bar tape options. What is the best shellac to use?

not too many choices since EPA is phasing out the good stuff. what used to be the most moderately priced clear coat on the market is now comparable to high tech (read: water based).

Zinsser is the brand available to me at almost $30 US per quart. "when i was a boy" is was about $4. have no idea of the distribution network in your neighborhood. i have only used amber since i coat

Newbaum's yellow (no design), but if i were to use a print i would probably use clear. the shellac will darken the fabric. of course the tape was a third the price per roll that it is now. i usually get 3 rolls so i can piece the sides of my

brakes, but some get away with a figure-of-eight wrap which has always escaped me and would definitely leave one end of the tape short for the amount i overlap.

i save the partial roll for a few weeks then toss it in the circular file. such is my life. s i g h . . . . .

if you twine the ends (natural is best), do it before shellac. use hemp, like the hippies use, not jute. you did read the above links i took the trouble to post: correct?

next spring when i overcoat my bars for the third time, i want to try using furniture makers dry flakes & alcohol. shellac doesn't have a long shelf life, and once opened about a month before it starts to get funky.

used to be, until about 8 or 10 years ago, the local paint store could order a half pint of amber for about 9 bucks. it was all can + handling, but you'll only use about a half a cup even on the initial coat. it'll soak in, but even going

around a few times only takes a few tablespoons per lap. it will be rough for the first few rides, but your paws will smooth it out soon enough. i wear gloves, so it's a non-issue for me.

Zinsser® Bulls Eye® Shellac Product Page

Amazon.com : Newbaum's Cloth Bike Handlebar Tape (Black), 10 ft Roll Bike Bar Grip Tape (0.75” Wide), Cotton Bar Tape Road Bike, Adhesive Back Bike Tape for Handlebars – Black Grip Tape (22 Colors) : Bike Handlebar Tape : Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com: Bean Products Hemp Twine - High Tensile Strength and Durable - Made with 100% Hemp - Perfect for Jewelry, Arts & Crafts, Decoration, Cooking - 1MM, 100G/430 Ft. - 20 lb. Test Strength - Natural : Tools & Home Improvement

Shellac Shack: With Shellac, it is all about the Finish

Shellac Shack: Purchase Shellac Flakes

Amazon.com: AERO|TECH|DESIGNS | Crochet Cycling Gloves | Natural Leather Padded Palms | Breathable Cotton Crochet : Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry

here's another article: How To Shellac Handlebar Tape – The definitive version – Vintage Bicycle Blog

Plenty of color options from various places. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002I6TKEG...sin_title&th=1

Thanks for all the info.