Add-on Bar Ends - Do you tape?
 

Do you tape your add-on bar ends? I put bar ends on my flat bar and love them, but then seem kind of thin. I was considering adding tape to them.

Thanks!

You could tape them or simply add some grips or cut some grips to length. Most barends are the same size as flatbars so grips will fit.
Personally I did not put grips on my barends since I only use them for steep uphills.

I use Ergon GC3s and am considering taping them. The lower portion has a rubber strip but the upper section doesn't.

The Bontrager bar-ends on my hybrids have a rough enough surface that I don't need tape or grips, but the unknown brand ones on my Rockhopper are so slick I can barely hold on to them when my hands get sweaty. I put rubber grips on those.

i have drop bar ends on my flat bar and i taped them but i think i'm gonna switch out my entire handlebar for something better soon however it's very nice the way it is. I trimmed my flat bar down to around 18 inches with a tube cutter and them got inline brakes for the top and brakes for my drops. I really like being able to hold onto the hoods and get into the drops for power and speed and when I'm just doing easy riding in a more upright position i just hold on the top bar.

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/2569/dsc0112vs.jpg

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http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/7906/dsc0109su.jpg

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I no longer have this setup on my bike, but yes I taped them.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...S/DSCI1633.jpg

i've seen those drop barends before but yours if the first positive review i've seen.. thats cool you put the levers on the drops too :)

i have contemplated taping up my ends or getting grips for them.. so far haven't needed to though.

That's an interesting bike. Can you please post some pics from the drive-train side in the "pictures of your hybrid thread"?
I'm guessing that the saddle is comfortable for you, but many recommend the nose to be up a little higher to avoid unnessesary trouble with your soft tissue.

i just don't know how people like tinting the nose up even a little, i've tried that and it hits my stuff and doesn't feel good. I'm not entirely satisfied with my handlebars yet, what i really wanna do is trim them a bit more so it's not so wide but the bar i have on now as a little rise and the bar gets a little thicker toward the stem so it won't let me slide my triggers and stuff anymore inward. I'm considering getting a straight flat bar and just trim that which will allow me to move things more in but ideally i'll just get a complete road bike handlebar but then there's the issue of will I be able to slide the cramp of my triggers up over the curves of the drops to get it on the top bar. I found a bar that I like and it's 25mm which seems to be the size that my triggers and stuff go on but i donno if the curves will make things get stuck when trying to slide it up there and it's not like I can try it before I buy cause I'd have to order it. Some people say I can do it if i get the right size handlebars and some say I can't do it.

I really don't know what kind of bike this is. I ride on light trails mostly with my wife and I wanted to be able to go fast on the road so this seemed like a dual purpose bike. Since I bought it I've changed the tires, cut about 2 inches off each end of the handlebar and put drops on it with inline brakes with the other brakes and put a better saddle on plus some accessories like tail light, bell and pump. I bought it like a month ago and people think i'm nuts for modifying it so much for only riding it a few times but I just wanna make it perform well in both kinds of conditions and maybe a little better on the road is fine too. I just don't want two bikes right now. Maybe if i find myself riding on roads a lot more i will get a Trek Madone but I just started.

I'd have to remove my saddle all together to keep it from hitting my stuff and I don't have big stuff. Tilting the nose down prevents a rider from putting any weight on his saddle and thus his stuff, so it makes sense but... Although I do get out of the saddle frequently, my arms and legs are not strong enough to carry all my weight all the time. My saddle is set up to carry my weight on my sit bones and not on my stuff. Are you riding in boxer shorts? Jockey shorts would be better and bike shorts best for keeping your stuff from getting between your (m)ass and your saddle.

Unless you are unique anatomically, you probably will not be best served with a unique saddle tilt.

Your saddle tilt is not an unusual choice for inexperienced riders, but very unusual for experienced riders. Think about it. You may have found a better way to ride, but probably not.

yeah it's prolly a bit much of a tilt, it was good before i put this seat on and it wasn't tilted so much i just didn't take so much time figuring out how i had it before when i put the new seat on. i wear boxer briefs

Me too sometimes but I regret it when I sit on one of my balls. Ouch! As long as they aren't old and stretched out you'll be OK. The shorts I mean but well you know, that too. :D

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/6633/dsc0117bz.jpg

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Taping works for me. I also have Ergon GC3`s and they actually DO have a rubber surface embedded on one side of the carbon reinforced polyner barends. But taping them gives a larger grip surface.

What bike computer is that? it looks slick!

on my diamond back i used bar tape for the main grip area and the bar ends.. looks pretty clean too

http://velospace.org/files/P1010024.jpg

http://velospace.org/files/P1010022.jpg

My bar ends are completely coated with rubber, so I don't need to tape them. I always ride with full gloves anyway, so even if they were bare metal I don't think I'd need to tape them.

I use Lizard Skins bar end grips. http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/140...p=015%20LIZBC5

Yes
http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/r...h/IMG_2689.jpg

No
http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/DSC05972.jpg