Suntour barcons
 

So I've got two similar Suntour barcons, for a Nishiki Cresta GT city commuter. They'll (probably) go into mustache bars. Call me anal, but I'd like the barcons to be identical, which leads me to four questions:

2. Are one of these better than the other? With the Accushift, on the right, I don't think my unusual 3-pulley Suntour XC Sport RD is compatible for index shifting so I will be using it in friction mode. The Power Control, on the left, has a nice micro-ratcheting feel but is missing the foil label.
4. Would anybody have one or the other (in one of those famous parts bins) they would consider offering up to me?
6. Would I wrap the ends with something before insertion to help them catch and grip while expanding? There is about 2mm of space, which the expanding spring/cam system can take up, but it seems to be at almost maximum diameter. Any tricks or tips?
8. I'm planning on wrapping bar tape from the bar ends to the middle of the bars...is that usual for barcon installs?

As usual, thanks a ton for any and all input. :thumb:

Bar cons
 

You have a pair, the accushift is for RD , No need to wrap expanders , wrap those bars any way you like , try deep sea fishing rod handles .

People will tell you that you can't tuck cloth tape into the bars if you're using Barcons. Maybe they can't, but I can and I've done it more than once. You just have to tuck smoothly and maybe help the Barcons in with a couple of taps with a soft hammer.

+1 I like to wrap top down for a clean look with shellaced cloth; tuck in bar end before inserting the barcon. Do people really say this doesn't work?
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8104/8...86500ff5_z.jpg

+1 While I never tuck the bar tape under the bar cons, I just rescued a set off a donor bike, each one had bar tape underneath. No problem.

I bought these assuming they were a pair, but several things have me wondering why they are considered a pair. One has micro-clicks while the other doesn't, they are labeled differently, and even the rubber covers are shaped differently.

O.K., I see how the barcon would fit with cloth tape tucked into the bars, but what if I were to use a gel/cork tape? No way that fits tucked in, right?

No, I wouldn't try. I always wrap the bars starting at the ends, and always (esp. for bar-end shifters) cut the tape at an angle at the start and finish. I've never tucked tape into the barcons, but I like thicker tape.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7283/9...f01c8947_z.jpg

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2859/9...a3f5e660_z.jpg

The left rubber appears to be from an Accushift 6 speed top-bar thumb shifter. A swap-in.

I've started at the bar ends by wrapping a bit beyond the bars with cork tape. Then, after I finish, I cut a little off, tuck it inside and insert the barcon. It's a little tricky this way because you want to get the housing in just the right place.

+1. I think the OP has a genuine pair of shifters that have been well used and spent time in a shop parts bin.

If you're going to shellac, you can wrap them any damn way you please. Nothing is going to budge that, short of whatever thinner you use to undo shellac.