Ty0604

Does anyone pre wrap their handlebars in electrical tape? I was taking the old handlebar tape off my Fuji today and was annoyed by all the glue residue I had to pick off the bars. My 16-year-old-sister said she's pre wrapped her handlebars in electrical tape every time she's put new handlebar tape on. Therefore the idea. She said the electrical tape peels off without leaving any sticky residue and makes changing handlebar tape a lot easier.

I told the my bike mechanic about this and he'd never heard of it either.

Has my bike mechanic and myself been living under a rock for not knowing about this?

byrd48

Maybe it depends on the grip tape used or the handlebar material. My handlebars are all steel and I've never had a problem removing old tape, but I use Cinelli cork tape. I do tape sections to hold down the cables, but I don't see any need to tape the entire bar with electrical tape, in fact I think it would be harder to remove than handlebar tape.

Snuts

Invert the tape. Sticky side out. Stretch it good. It will help prevent damaged handlebar tape from unwrapping until you can get it back home.

-Snuts-

Ty0604

Sister said it peels off without an issues in one section.

CF bars.

CliffordK

The cheap Chinese spotted tape doesn't have glue on the back. It is easier to deal with, and if wrapped tightly, seems to stay put.

Some people have issues with bar corrosion. I'm not sure why it affects some people and not others, but for those corrosion people, perhaps platicote the bars, then wrap the with a few layers of tape.

decentdrummer91

Ehhh, to me it seems like a bit too much work that isn't necessary.

CliffordK

Oh
A little dried on glue won't hurt anything.

Are you going to a vintage bike show and expecting the judges to unwrap your bars to see if you got all the glue cleaned off?

DeadGrandpa

First of all, pre-wrapping with electrical tape adds unnecessary grams. 'Nuff said.

79pmooney

I do double wrap most of my bars, but not because I care about the adhesive on the bars. I do it for a slightly bigger bar grip and a little more padding. Didn't my first 58 years, but makes for a better ride now. (I still like cloth tape but now I put the best sections of old tired tape down first. The job goes far longer looking decent since it takes nearly twice as long to get bare metal in the two places I kill tape - the flat here the heel hits and behind the levers.

I for one hate non-adhesive tapes because they do so poorly once they are cut. (I saw footage last summer of a racer post crash but in the running with about 18" of tape streaming off his HBs. I'm thinking "That's good advertising? This guy is riding his shorts off for you and you give him that?"

Ben

dabac

All electrical tapes aren't created equal. Nor do they always age the same. But usually they'll peel off from smooth surfaces just as they peel off from the roll. I see no point in wrapping below the brake lever/brifter clamp, but I do see some point in wrapping from the levers and in on any bar that use under-the-tape levers.
I occasionally use various types of double-sided sticky tape to help anchor the bar tape. It can serve a double purpose by also providing more padding and/or smooth the transition over the cable sheaths.

exmechanic89

There's something just plain wrong about wrapping your bars with electrical tape first, lol.

shafter

An insult to the bar tape.

jefnvk

I did it when I was running my brake lines to interruptor levers, and to give me just a bit of grip on some shakedown runs trying to get the cockpit setup to my liking, but I used friction tape made for hockey sticks. Never bothered to take it off before wrapping the actual bar tape, I guess in a year or two when I replace the tape I'll see what sort of condition it is in. Not really worried about the tape leaving a mess, though, at least not as bad as cheap electrical tape.

Dave Cutter

I have a Fuji Newest... just like the one in the picture. I would ever pre-wrap. But with all the cables to hold in place... a bit of electrical tape got used on my Newest anyway.

caloso

Friction tape, yes.

decentdrummer91

++++++++1. love this comment, made me laugh

decentdrummer91

Agree

bmthom.gis

Seems unnecessary. A little bit of denatured alcohol takes all the old glue right off if you care enough to do that. I don't care enough.

trailangel

Forget about pre wrapping with electrical tape. Use 1 inch gaffer tape for a pre wrap.

Secret Squirrel

Try 3M 2242 linerless tape under standard handlebar tape. It works well to control brake/ derailleur cable housing and provides addition road shock damping. No adhesive residue. Sold at Home Depot etc.

Also sold as comfort tape:

Le Tour/ 3M Comfort Tape - Branford Bike - Seattle/Bellevue - Campagnolo Pro Shop

Caliper

I use small pieces of e-tape to hold the cable housings in place.


But, whenever I remove electrical tape, it leaves behind a slimy, sticky residue. Must be the brand I used. It's certainly FAR worse than any residue that bar tape has ever left behind.

Classtime 

It was done regularly on some pro bikes. Go for it.

Hardrock23

Like Caliper ^ said.

The electrical tape I use does leave a residue behind, and the bar tape I use doesn't leave any residue behind. Even if the bar tape did and the elec. tape didn't, I still wouldn't pre-wrap my bars. I just don't see the point in doing all of that.

Hardrock23

Though if I did wrap the entire bar like that, I would definitely wrap the bar first then I would tape the cables down over that. If i had to make any changes, it would be easier/quicker to not have to destroy all that tape to get to the cables, then to re-wrap all of that.

bulldog1935

I've used this much electrical tape under the bar wrap before



ok, there was a little more to secure the brake cables