Tape Tricks

I decided to try a couple of "advanced tips" from the Park Tools "Big Blue Book Of Bicycle Repair" when I re-wrapped the bars on the LOOK bike. They recommended wrapping the lower drop portion of the bars with reversed electrical tape (sticky side up) before wrapping with bar wrap. They said that this would prevent the bar wrap from coming undone if the bars are scuffed up and the wrap tears. The electrical tape underneath holds it all together. I might add that it really helps with starting out the bar wrapping as well. It holds it all in place until you get a further along. Highly recommended practice!


To finish the bar wrap, they recommended finishing with electrical tape and then pin striping the black tape with a contrasting colored electrical tape that had been trimmed off of the roll. I made up a wood stick with a single edged razor tacked on and then set the roll and cutter on a flat table and rotated the tape roll against the razor to cut a perfect thin pinstripe of tape. If you flip over the roll and do it again, you get two matching strips and a slightly different width strip from between them. Looks cool and professional.......... highly recommended!



Another trick that I have been using for a number of years is using rubber electrical tape to cut out rub patches for the frame to prevent cable rub marks through the paint. I also use this tape to make stick on chain stay protectors to protect the frame from chain slap.



Specifically, the tape I use is 3M Scotch 130C, Linerless Rubber Splicing Tape.

Now get out there and tape up those bars-n-bikes!