My local LBS kind of blew me off when I asked to get some new bar tape installed. One of the few LBSs that speak English so I kinda have to deal with things like this. Anyway he pretty much told me to install it myself, and I'm wondering how difficult it is. Can a noob such as myself do it without problems?

Its not too hard and very satisfying when done well.
Check out some youtube videos for instructions.

Installing tape is a bit of an art.
Before you start make sure the cables are securely taped to the bar - the cables should fit into the space of your first finger joint.

When you wrap, you want good amount of tension-that is the trick..Tension, but not too much or it will rip.

There are many different ways of doing it, but generally speaking I start from the bottom, first wrap is 1/2 out - that part will get tucked in and plugged.
I wrap towards the outside, that way when I grip the bars my hand will not loosen the tape.
Wrapping around the brakes is the tough part, you want both sides to be the same, you want all metal covered, but you don't want it to be too bulky.
I also cut a small piece and put it underneath the brake, over the bracket. The hoods gets rolled up before you start.

You want 1/2 width overlap as you go.

At the end what I do, is I make a diagonal, long cut on the INSIDE, so the last wrap ends up straight on the bar.

Have your piece of tape ready to close up the end.

I'm sure some will shred my method to pieces, but that's how I do it, it's a very individualistic thing, it's also very zen and quite enjoyable once you learn to do it right.

I'm pretty sure there are instructional vids on Youtube too.

this guy is OK:




One thing he did I would do different is after the brake lever he reverses the direction, which means if your hands are on the top, they may loosen the tape rather than tighten it.

THere are also little details that make it look more professional:
when you wrap the end with electrical tape, make sure the tape is on straight, don't rip the tape, cut it. Make surethe tape ends on the bottom somewhere so the end is not visible. Also pay extra attention if the electrical tape overlaps - make it overlap perfectly, so it looks neat.

WHen pushing in bar ends make them both same, and make them straight...
lol

and on and on....

Thanks guys. I'll watch a few vids and see if I'm willing to ruin some tape

it takes practice so don't be surprised if it doesn't come out perfect at first. but you can redo it without ruining the tape


the way most people do it these days is from the drops to the tops, but I start at the tops and end at the drops. if you do it right you don't even need electrical/finishing tape

Sounds like Electrical tape is almost necessary. Don't have any on hand. Perhaps I will try tomorrow

My recommendation for a first-time wrapper; get some bar tape that doesn't have adhesive on the back, but rather the gel grip stuff. Specialized sells bar tape for like $15 that I literally couldn't rip from stretching it, and the gel backing makes it really easy to backtrack when you realize you've made a mistake and need to unwrap/go back.

My take on it:
https://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.co...ebar-tape.html

I'm surprised they blew you off. It's a sub-10 minute job for a pro, maybe sub-5 minutes, only a little bit longer than changing a tube.

Its not hard. Your first time might not be perfect, but you'll get it. Having the skill will serve you well for a long time.

I've recently decided that I prefer this kind of tape. I frequently decide I need to redo a wrap job I am unhappy with and the stuff with double stick tape is awful when it comes off. Salsa tape is very grippy and works nicely. Bontrager has a very similar one as well.

When you get done wrapping your bars after repeated first-timer attempts, go find yourself a new LBS.

You can do it...this is my first attempt ever at doing it. I see some areas I will improve next time but it's not that hard.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8957241...7629279270681/

I'd say 'find a new LBS' and 'improve your Japanese,' but in this case, your LBS might have a point (even if they were idiots for not taking on a 5-minute milk run job). You really should know how to wrap your own bar tape.

Now the thing I've never quite gotten right is how to wrap your bars when there're no brake hoods. They always look a bit...weak wrapped around bare brake levers.

Not sure about the gel grip part, but if you're like me you're probably going to need to wrap/unwrap it a few times to get it the way you want it.

if velo vol can do it, so can you!

As much as I had to admit it (because I use Fizik's nowadays), Bontrager's is a wonderful tape for beginners at bar wrapping, honestly. No adhesive, thick, high tolerance for stretching, holds well under tension, easy to slice with a box cutter, and you can practice wrapping and unwrapping it as many times as you like to get it right.

Electrical is so 20th century;
This beats the hell out of it: https://www.amazon.com/RESCUE-Self-Fu.../dp/B000ZTK6CI

practice, practice......... practice

A better approach by the LBS would be to say "Sure, I'll do it, but watch me and you'll be able to do it yourself from now on". In ancient days it's my recollection that the tape could be very finicky. I use Salsa and despite not doing this for a living I've had no problem with either the cosmetics or the tape coming loose.

I was using that stuff back in the 80's when I was in the Air Force. We called it F-4 tape, I guess because it was what was holding F-4 Phantoms together. (B-52 tape would have been a better name, IMO)

It makes a great electrical tape, but I'm not sure I would like it to finish off my bar tape. It's kinda chunky and dust tends to stick to it.

I started using it a year ago, and I'll never use electrical tape again. It is a bit tricky initially due to the width shrinking as it stretches, but once I got the technique down, it looks much better than electrical tape, and it *never* unwraps.

I really like this idea - why didn't I think of this before!?

Agreed.
This is a very good example of ****ty attitude some guys in the stores tend to have.
They are (in my opinion) a minority, but man, do they ever create a bad vibe for the rest....

Because wrapping it from top to bottom causes the tape to loosen/unravel over time.