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Something I hate about my bike

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Something I hate about my bike

Old 07-14-06, 12:35 PM
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Something I hate about my bike

Hey gang. After 18 months of owning my bike I have finally found out that I HATE the bar tape. Does anyone else have Bontrager tape on their bars and hate it?

I have 2 rolls of green bar tape just waiting to get put on, but I hate to replace tape that isn't falling off.

Cheers,

Brian
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Old 07-14-06, 12:37 PM
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I hate my bontrager tape because it's starting to fall off, other then that it doesn't bother me.
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Old 07-14-06, 12:40 PM
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I have Bontrager tape, granted I've only had it for 3 months, I've been happy with it so far. Better than the Salsa goma I was using before this.
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Old 07-14-06, 12:44 PM
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I hate any tape after a couple of months.

I would imagine that would change if I had Brooks bar wrap.

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Old 07-14-06, 12:44 PM
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Then just replace it. You hate it enough to post about it but not enough to change it?

Why live with something you HATE when it's such an easy and cheap fix. Plus, even if it's not "falling off," I'm sure it's fairly worn if you've been using it for 18 months. Just replace it.
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Old 07-14-06, 01:46 PM
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..or give the bike to me. I can always use another one.
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Old 07-14-06, 01:49 PM
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Agreed! $7-$9 for replacement of something you HATE... and you even have it sitting there?

Dear god man, I'm a procrastinator and a cheapskate (on certain things), but throwing away perfectly good bartape wouldn't phase me for a second. It should only take 10 minutes to replace.

Now -- what to replace it with if you didn't have some already... that's a question worth agonizing over for weeks!
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Old 07-14-06, 02:06 PM
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Originally Posted by dspyder
Agreed! $7-$9 for replacement of something you HATE... and you even have it sitting there?

Dear god man, I'm a procrastinator and a cheapskate (on certain things), but throwing away perfectly good bartape wouldn't phase me for a second. It should only take 10 minutes to replace.

Now -- what to replace it with if you didn't have some already... that's a question worth agonizing over for weeks!
That is indeed the problem - for example which shade of yellow will match the new bottle cages I just ordered?
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Old 07-14-06, 02:10 PM
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I also hate my Bontrager bar tape! It's such crap. It has been re-wrapped twice and still comes off.
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Old 07-14-06, 02:25 PM
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I've had no problems with bontrager tape at all... I double wrap my bars though and keep the bontrager tape underneath... some other stuff on top... it all feels the same to me when I'm wearing gloves anyway
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Old 07-14-06, 02:49 PM
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What is it about the tape you hate, Brian? I've got the stuff on my Reno. It wasn't wrapped tightly enough and started to scoot around on the bars, but I pulled it off and rewrapped it 4-500 miles ago and it's been fine. Not slippery but not sticky to the point of being gooey, and what padding there is feels fine. My $0.02.
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Old 07-14-06, 04:28 PM
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My Bontrager tape started slipping off about 25 miles after I got my bike. When I re-wrapped it, I put some electrical tape on the curve behind the hoods sticky side up. It's worked for the last 150+ miles.
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Old 07-14-06, 04:50 PM
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Originally Posted by acape
Then just replace it. You hate it enough to post about it but not enough to change it?

Why live with something you HATE when it's such an easy and cheap fix. Plus, even if it's not "falling off," I'm sure it's fairly worn if you've been using it for 18 months. Just replace it.
Because I recently lost my job and I am trying to prioritise...replacing bar tape that does not NEED it doesn't seem very prudent at this point. I do not trust myself to do it since I only have those 2 rolls to work with .

Why so antagonistic?

Cheers,

Brian
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Old 07-14-06, 04:51 PM
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Originally Posted by dspyder
Agreed! $7-$9 for replacement of something you HATE... and you even have it sitting there?

Dear god man, I'm a procrastinator and a cheapskate (on certain things), but throwing away perfectly good bartape wouldn't phase me for a second. It should only take 10 minutes to replace.

Now -- what to replace it with if you didn't have some already... that's a question worth agonizing over for weeks!
See above post.
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Old 07-14-06, 04:52 PM
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Here is a tip for anyone needing to tape their bar tape on. There is a type of tape called "Self-Fusing Silicone Rubber Electrical Tape" that is made by companies like 3M. Anyway, it bonds to itself so there is no sticky glue to let go when it gets hot and it develops a matt finish and is not unpleasant to have your hands against. Sold in the electrical Dept of big hardware chains.

I've used it to fasten the center of the handlebar end of the bar tape when doing a "quick wrap it up and get riding job". It's still there months later and looks just fine on black bar tape.
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Old 07-14-06, 05:02 PM
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Tape falling off can compromise the structural integrity of the handlebars by reducing the amount of compressional force exerted inwards upon the bars. Your only option is to ditch the bike, or I can take it off of you for free, you should thank me.
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Old 07-14-06, 05:11 PM
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The tape isn't falling off...yet .
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Old 07-14-06, 05:12 PM
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Originally Posted by the beef
I can take it off of you for free, you should thank me.
Why would you want it? It is a part of the evil Trek Empire .
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Old 07-14-06, 05:15 PM
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Tape is cheap, replace. We have Bontrager on our tandem, if it's loose - rewrap, it seems about as good quality as any mid-priced tape.

John
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Old 07-23-06, 04:02 PM
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Originally Posted by 55/Rad
I hate any tape after a couple of months.

I would imagine that would change if I had Brooks bar wrap.

55/Rad

nope, same as any other--I've had the brooks for months and I'm getting sick of it

wanna trash the tape, but it's pretty expensive so I feel like I should finish the summer with it
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Old 07-23-06, 04:44 PM
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My foam tape always compresses and gets replaced long before it is falling off. If you have been riding it frequently for 18mo I think you can probably rationalize a rewrap on those grounds.
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Old 07-23-06, 05:07 PM
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Explain your desire to a local friend and turn your back for just a few seconds... Any good friend will point out serious flaws in your tape when you turn back around. Then you would have to replace the tape to save face.

You may want to wait to turn your back until your friend is able to find a knife, rasp or other item that ccould accidentally damage your tape.
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Old 07-24-06, 12:47 PM
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18 months, how many miles/hours of riding? Gloves or not? Nothing lasts forever.
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Old 07-24-06, 02:12 PM
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I've had Bontrager tape and I've had Cinelli tape. I've had a couple of brands I couldn't remember the names of. I'm currently using Profile Designs tape. AFAIC, it's all the same.

Except the Cinelli. It had no padding at all.

But the rest all felt the same to me.
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Old 07-24-06, 02:35 PM
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The Bontrager tape came stock on my Reno and I as well hate it. It was peeling of my bike within 2 months of purchase, so I decided that it was time for some new stuff. I think that the hardest part of replacing the tape was picking the actual tape that I was going to get, there are WAY too many choices. After about 2 to 3 weeks of intense deliberation I decided on the Fizik Microtex bar tap in red, it was easy from there. It took me about 15 minutes to put it on and I think that I did a pretty good job!

If you are really unhappy with your current tape, replace it! It gives you a chance to differentiate your bike from others, plus I really want to see your bike with the green bar tape, I think that it will look really nice.
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