after the first ride on new '05 trek 1200 noticed that the handlebars might not be right (attached photo; note curious cat...).

see the white paint sticking out one side of the stem clamp? i reckon that's the guide mark for installing the bars? and notice the tape wrap is not even at both ends? i'm too new and stupid to know if that is anything worth bothering about. is it me being fussy and anal, or is that sloppy work? would you take back to the shop to get it done right? do it yourself? or, get help for the ocd?

mtia

Personally, if it were brand new--I'd do it myself, and if that weren't an option I'd take it back to the shop it came from. That is just kind of sloppy on the part of your LBS to let a bike go out of the shop like that, even thought its most likely only cosmetic. I guess thats me though....I'd expect it to be perfect--thats the point of spending the extra time and money at your LBS, in my opinion.

I would not be able to sleep at night knowing it was like that!

are you being serious, or are you cruelly taunting my ocd**********??

I would take it back to the store, period. They need to know that when they do slip shod work, customers notice.

Looks like different tape on each side, plus off-center. It's be simple to fix yourself, but if you feel like pointing out the sloppiness to the LBS I'd take it back to them and get them to reposition the bar and *maybe* re-wrap the tape. Like martin_j001 says, it's part of the point of spending the extra money at the LBS.

The pic is small and maybe I'm being dense on top of that. It looks to me like the bar is attached off-center. Loosen the stem bolts, slide the bar to center, and be done with it. It looks to me like the wrap job was fine and will be even when the bar is centered? This looks like a 60 second adjustment to me.

It looks that way to me too.

I'm serious as a heart-attack. That would drive me nuts.

thanks. i updated the post with a larger image....

reckon you're right about the quick easy fix, but what you don't see on the picture is one part of the wrap that is just a tiny bit bunched... so for the principle of the thing i think i'll take it to the shop tomorrow and have them do it right the second time....

cheers

Agreed, especially with that finishing tape being different on both sides!!!!!

what really makes me nuts is having to burn time crossing town to have done a second time what should have been easily done right the first time... but i like the idea of doing it for reasons stated above....

guess i was so giddy about the new bike i didn't pay attention to the fit and finish details..... next bike, that will be the FIRST thing i check!

I would measure to find the center, that way you will know if it is indeed off or not. So when you take it into the shop you can walk in and say that the bar is off to the right by .5"(example). That will make them think that you definatly know what you are talking about.

Ride to the shop and have them fix it while you wait. I wouldn't stand for that kind of obvious sloppiness, it makes you wonder how sloppy the things you can't see might be done.

Burning the time crossing town? Do it on your bike and then it won't be a waste of time... As for the two fixes... the wrap looks fine, but the handlebar off center thing would haunt my dreams, joking aside.

generally bar tape does not go the whole way, as in yours it should be 3 ish inches from the stem. Also bad installation for the white part, it technically should be compltely under the stem.

You guys are being too charitable. It's not just cosmetic and it's not just "technically" wrong and it's not something you might lose sleep over - that thing's just plainly and badly off-center. If it doesn't turn you into a homocidal maniac first, it'll definitely screw up your back. That's just terrible. Maybe take it back to them to rub their faces in the sloppy work, but then find yourself a new LBS. Or work on it yourself.

The wrap will likey be even once the handlebars are centered. The tape at the end of the wrap is just a cosmetic thing though.

C

It's not just that the bar is off-center. You can definately tell that the wrap was not done evenly. Look at the taper of the bar and notice how it's showing on the right of the picture and not the left. I'd guess that there's a difference of at least an inch there.

Holy crap! i jsut noticed that, dude get a new shop or tell them to pay for new tape and charge you nothing for the labor of fixing the handle bars/replacing tape dude! then find a new shop.

thanks for all the great feedback... they're good guys at the shop, so i'll haul it in there first thing tomorrow and maybe establish the expectation that they center and re-wrap the bars, perhaps with some upgraded tape, for my trouble..... and wish i could ride over there, but the vehicle traffic over there is too scary....

I haven't even read this thread yet. (I'm sure someone already mentioned what I'm going to say)

Unbolt the the little screws on the stem and move the right a little bit. Problem solved.

yeah, i wanted to do that, but since it was gonna have to be re-taped, too, i figured i would save myself the sweat and take it back to the shop on the 'principle' issue... the manager was bummed that the bike left the store that way and had it done right, and done right away.... see before and afters attached. and many thanks for the feedback guys...

Tape job is a lot better now.

Nice, they threw in a computer as well?? where's the cat gone ??

yes, that tape job looks far more professional. Non-centered bars are easy to fix and really not worth griping over...but poor tape jobs are rather annoying to fix and to me are very gripe-worthy. The mis-matched tape was pretty weak as well.

....IMO everyone should ignore the tape they include, and just use black/colored electrical tape.