In which direction do you tape your handlebars ?
 

Specifically, do you start near the stem and then work your way down to the bar ends ? Or, do you start at the ends, and then finish taping near the stem with electrical or supplied adhesive tape to secure it ? I used to do it the first way, back in the days of thin cloth or plastic tape, but then switched when cork tape and other thicker tapes came out, that were supplied with fancy finishing strips. I've never been able to do a neat job of taping when finishing near the stem, and so on my last 5 bar tape jobs, I've reverted to the old method, and have been very satisfied with the results. It's much neater, and I've not had any problems with the tape unraveling. It helps to use a good stretchy tape and wrap forward at the top in the direction that your hands push on the tape. Today I did tapings 4 and 5, an RB-002 bullhorn with cross lever and a Hood Rat drop bar with hooded brake levers.

:)

I just did some FSA Wing Pro Compacts in Planet Bike tape from the bottom up, finishing it with some black electrical tape. Works for me.

On Nitto 21's, I went from end to stem. My taping sucks though. The first time I wrapped with Cinelli I tore it clean, so the second time around I was much more careful and it looks bad.

I want to try Fizik microtex.

I usually start at the bar end and finish at the stem with electrical tape! I'm tempted to try the other way next time thought for a cleaner look

usually I wrap from end to stem and finish with electrical tape. on my panasonic I wrapped from both ends using four rolls of tape and finished the wrap behind each brake lever. those bars got shellacked so unravelling isn't of huge concern.

I recently found something that beats the hell out of electrical tape for finishing a bar wrapping: Self-fusing silicone tape. One brand of it is known as "Rescue Tape".

I've only ever wrapped bullhorn bars. I start at the bar ends and end at the stem and wrap in the direction to the outside of the bars. By wrapping from the inside to the outside your hands will tighten the tape when you crank on your bars. If you start from the stem, your hands will push up against the edges of overlap because the edges are facing you rather than away from you.

I start at the ends.

Start at the stem.

I start at the ends too... if I used cork tape I would totally try the "old" method though!

bottom to top.

A tip I saw on BF saved me from jacking mine up: an inside out loop of electrical tape at the start and finish.

I always start at the ends but once I get my lizard skins and deda piegas I'll probably try the stem down approach.

I have only done from the ends as well. I will wrap from the stem when I redo my touring bike's tape and finish with shellac.

center-out
 

http://velo-orange.blogspot.com/2006...ger-style.html

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7...0/100_0283.jpg

Unless you are wrapping with cloth tape, there is only one correct way: Ends to stem.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FHfCPfcUD8

Any other way is not PRO and therefore wrong.

:-)

start at stem to not have to use tape, and wrap towards the saddle so it pulls tight when you grip. and finish off at the ends with a wine bottle cork and or bar end shifter.

Only wrapped drops two times with Deda Elementi and Soma Thick and Zesty. Happy to say that each individual bar I wrapped looks better than the previous. The difference between the left and right side of my drops on my first try is noticeable, but the difference between the sides on my second attempt is much less significant.

I wrap from the ends to the stem, and going up and over the bar, towards the bike. Finishing gives me issues too, but I did a much better job on my second attempt. Watching youtube vids helped. I once saw a pic of Scrod's bars and tried to make it look like that. Takes me a while though, I go back to fix angles and spacing so many times.

this ('cept i used plain old end caps)...

tried it for the 1st time a few weeks ago after getting the idea & instructions from Carleton, it is in his thread if you check back a ways. so far i am very happy with it...

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=230493

Bottom up for me.

I always end near the stem. That is the way I learned it. It never game me any problems, but I have not learned any other way so I dont know if its the best way

Ends to stem, inward from the top. Finish both ends with electric tape. Plug.

To the west.

Clockwise.

Bottom up - outside to inside. Top down will eventually peel back due to your natural grip on the bars.....