Granted I wouldn't do this myself, but at least it's better than relocating the brake lever to the top tube like in another recent thread).

I'm going to wrap my next frame in thinly-sliced Boar's Head honey maple turkey.

About half the delivery guys in my part of NYC pretty much do what you're suggesting, except with electrical tape. I'm kind of surprised i can't find a picture of one on google; all i get is this ugly f*er. The benefits of electrical tape are its weight and the fact that it will be about 10% as expensive as what you are proposing.

My favorite is the guy who wrapped his whole frame in the Mexican tricolor. If you were my best friend i would tell you that this is insanity, sheer insanity, but because you are not i will say that you better make it hella cool.

I wrap the back half of my top tube with bar tape.

When I lean my bike up against something, the tape protects the paint and keeps the bike from sliding.

wrapping the whole frame in handlebar tape will be crazy expensive.

just curious, is the frame in horrible condition and you are trying to cover up?

also, maybe think about just wrapping the top tube and down tube. and stopping equal distance from the headtube and seat tube.

im thinking once you get to the angles wrapping it will be much trickier.


and i would maybe go with hockey tape instead of handlebar tape. MUCH cheaper. just my 2 cents.

I would recommend contact paper. If the frame is in bad shape you won't need to worry about it leaving adhesive behind. I wrapped the top, down, and seat tube on an old "Silver Eagle" with dark wood grain contact paper. I have to say it looks pretty cool now. I even cut out the lug shapes with an x-acto knife. I don't have a good pic otherwise I would share it.

Bzzt.

Water does not evaporate off frame tubes that are covered with tape, will lead to corrosion. Once was given a Bianchi Volpe that was wrapped in tape along the top, down, and seat tubes; when I peeled the tape off, all tubes were severely corroded, seat tube was rusted through(!).

'Course that was Boston...

lol that would cost as much as a decent frame

This!

You can do it if you want, but make sure you get tape that will handle being pulled tight. When you get to wrapping around the junctures, you will need to pull the tape tight in order to keep the wrap smooth in appearance so you don't want it tearing on you.

I don't know if I would do it cuz...well maybe I would..ah heck go head and do it. F the status quo!

I think this is a cool idea, just as long as you do a good job in wrapping it and a good job in color choice

I would do a toptube for protection especially if you've done a rattlecan job like me, but a whole frame might be too much effort. JMHO

Cover the entire frame in Power Rangers band-aids.

I saw a frame for sale on Craigslist in Kansas City that stated the bike was black and had a texture like sandpaper. I guess this was a frame treated with Line-X or similar? I can see where it would make sense, especially for a beater. Get an old road bike with crappy paint, convert it, spray it and go. Holds up better than a rattlecan job I suppose.

bicycle bondage??

just do the top bar?

Be ironic; wrap the bike in bar tape and leave your bars unwrapped.