20 Years of Bike Advice in 10 Minutes

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Eric Norris

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Oct 9, 2024, 7:57:32 PM10/9/24
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Great video today from Russ at Path Less Pedaled:



Much of what he says tracks with Grant’s thoughts. Both are iconoclasts who exist mostly outside the mainstream of cycling. Russ: #partypace Grant: #unracer

--Eric Norris
campyo...@me.com
Insta: @CampyOnlyGuy
YouTube: YouTube.com/CampyOnlyGuy 

Kim H.

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Oct 9, 2024, 10:44:33 PM10/9/24
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I enjoyed watching and hearing all the advice as a cyclist from the 70's.
Enjoy the ride by all means.

Kim Hetzel

Rob McEntarffer

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Oct 13, 2024, 1:10:31 AM10/13/24
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Hi everyone. This is my 1st post to the group, so if I violate any norms, etc., please let me know? 

I think my beautiful 23 year old bike deserves better bar tape/wrapping than I've done in the past, and I'd love advice. Should I just do a better job with cloth tape? Sue a different kind of bar tape? Or try something else entirely? Thanks in advance for the help! 




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Rob McEntarffer, Phd, robmcentarffer.net
Currently reading: Why We RememberC. Ranganath

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Kim H.

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Oct 13, 2024, 1:19:41 AM10/13/24
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@Rob,

Take a look at Crust's selection of bar tape. It's made of cloth with adhesive backing. 


...If not there are other options to find. 

Kim Hetzel. 



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Patrick Moore

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Oct 13, 2024, 8:48:15 PM10/13/24
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Your taping job looks pretty good to me.

What are you trying to accomplish, exactly that your present tape doesn’t do? More cushion? Nicer color? Longer life? More grip?

I know what I like and what I don’t care about and on the 1/1,000,000 chance that it’s helpful to you, I’ll talk:

Comfort is more important to me than looks, let alone history, so I choose tape that cushions well.

Next criterion is durability: I prefer tape that lasts for — now that I think of it, I’ve never measured bar tape life. Let’s say that I like tape that approaches 1K miles of use, half of it bare hands since I use gloves only in cold weather.

I do like some colors better than others, but color is less important than the first 2 criteria; I’ll use black comfortable and durable over pretty hard and ephemeral.

Cost is in last place, tho’ I did buy a bunch of VO tape really cheap on sale, hoping it meets criteria 1 and 2.

That said, my favorite of all time is the thinner Lizard Skins: supremely comfortable. The Bad: doesn’t last long and it’s $50 or so a bar, so it goes only on my “favorite bike of all time” while the lesser ones make do with cheaper options.

I’m ready to retape the 2020 Matthews IGH clone of the 2003 Curt Riv Road Custom with $6 VO tape and I’ll learn if this was a good purchase. The “foamy” $20 stuff on the bar now does not cushion very well tho’ it has lasted well, and it has been un-and re-wrapped too many times already so that a retape is in order.

Aside: The only tape less comfortable for bare hands than cotton tape over bare metal is that cheap vinyl stuff from the 1970s; yes, I had bars taped with that stuff. Nice and slick when your hands sweated.

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Patrick Moore
Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum
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