Hands up who's changed their own bar tape.This weekend we entertained the dark arts of bar tape installation; which entailed removal of a perfectly-wrapped Fi'zi:k set, lasting in the region of two years. Many a mile, and many a moment. We become familiar, and to some extent comforted by the wallpaper of our chosen colours. From a rider's perspective, one's handlebars frame each and every journey we make; they underline our endeavours, accent our pathway. In some fashion, they also publish our persona - as one might tie a yellow ribbon, the varied tapes of transit speak volumes of the rider behind those bars. From cork, to leather, to multi-striped, multi-coloured banding, there exists a plethora of options, each as individual as one's choice of cologne.
So, having invested in a new saddle, we selected appropriately-sympathetic bar tape (honey brown, don't you know), as well as a set of Fi'zi:k Bar Gel inserts. If you can make your ride easier, why not. Then, we paused - more in trepidation than anything else. We'd never seen it done; previously leaving such practice to the man at the LBS (local bike shop).But then how difficult can it be? Research told us the art of tape wrapping is an acquired one. And anyone presuming you simply peel off the tape protecting the adhesive side, and wrap away, has a fifty-percent chance of getting it wrong. In time, we discovered there is a correct and incorrect direction to wind, and each respective 'horn' end of the bar has its own associated method. This is omitted from a recent Guardian article, giving the whole procedure a mere one star rating (out of five) for difficulty. Internet exploration throws up a great deal more 'experts' who also omit any emphasis on the 'right' way to go about it.
Luckily we happened upon one nugget of YouTube wisdom. This provides half the story. The fundamental technique concerns direction of wrap - the left bar end requires clockwise layering, allied to a crafty figure-of-eight binding, as one negotiates the brake hood. Performed correctly, your onward motion will then see you wrapping the remaining section by feeding the tape away from the frame - ostensibly in the direction of travel. Here lies the critical component readers. For, as one grips the handlebars, there is a natural tendency to forward rotation of one's purchase. Apropos, if you've inadvertently wrapped your bars the wrong way, over time your tape will unwind, bunch-up and lose its form across your bars. And, as anyone knows, crumpled bar tape is a major faux pas. The right bar end then requires an opposite direction of wrap (to also arrive at an awayward direction on the top section).
So, armed with this knowledge, we set about the task in hand. And have to say, there's nothing more satisfying than punching home your bar end plug, at the conclusion of an afternoon's taping toil.
