Brooks leather bar tape - care & feeding tips?

[Tim Gavin]

Hello again, Rivsters.

I picked up some Brooks leather bar tape for my girlfriend's xmas gift, a Soma San Marcos.  It will match the honey B17S and look beautiful with the pearly blue paint.  (She knows she's getting the San Marcos; it's in her living room as we finish building it.  But she has no clue about the saddle and tape.)

I've never used leather tape, but I'm comfortable with taking care of my Brooks saddles.

What are your tips for keeping the leather bar wrap in good condition?

I plan on rubbing some Obenauf's into the tape before I wrap it, to ensure complete coverage.  Is this a good idea?

Then I plan on rubbing in more Obenauf's periodically as the leather dries out.

Thanks for your advice.

Tim Gavin

Cedar Rapids, IA

[Michael]

Thought I read somewhere that Brooks says don't put anything on it.

Someone else here can chime in who knows for sure.

I would think dressing it before putting it on would be a bad idea because you want the grip of the tape adhesive to be perfect on the handlebar. I would be afraid that the dressing would interfere with the tape gripping the bar. Hard to keep it off the underside of the tape.

[Deacon Patrick]

I use a lot of leather and care for it over the years, though I use cotton tape on my bars. In my experience, properly oiled leather grips everything better than dry leather, to itself, to steel, wood, hands, feet, whatever. So you idea to pre-oil is sound. If I were installing those on my bars (which I'd love to do, by the way! great gift!) I would also pre-stretch -- after oiling, stand on one end with your foot, and pull (harder for thicker leather). Then, as you wrap the bars, pull very snug at each wrap to get it good and snug. I wouldn't wait for it to get "dry," you want the leather to always be soft and supple.

I recommend Obenauf's heavy duty LP over their lighter oil. It will protect against sweat and sun better.

With abandon,

Patrick

[Michael]

Whatever you do...

don't pull too hard on the split section of the tape or it will separate. Some of their lengths of tape are in two pieces.

Yes...sadly...Brooks doesn't have all the lengths as one piece, which I think is unacceptable for the price they charge for them.

If it does separate a smidge, a little electrical tape on the back helps it stay together.

Worst case, you could decoratively twine that section!

[Deacon Patrick]

Great point about multiple pieces stitched together, Michael. In that case, I would stretch each piece as if it were separate so the stitched area was not stressed, and same for that spot when wrapping, just pulling it taught without stretching that few inch area.

With abandon,

Patrick

[SeanMac]

I've had Brooks tape on my Bob Brown custom bike since I received it in the Fall of 2007.  It has held up very well.  To the best of my recollection, I don't think I have ever done anything to treat it - though I may have smeared some Brooks Proofide on it at one time.  I don't know if the quality of the tape has changed over the years, but I think that the tape that I installed was not stitched together.  Whatever the case, I have been very happy with this product. 

Sean

[Tim Gavin]

Thanks for the tips, folks. 

Based on your advice, I'll stick with my original plan and give it a light rub of Obenauf's LP before wrapping, and then periodically afterward.

I also have some excellent waterproofing silicone cream if I think that is necessary (Scarpa HS12 http://www.jackson-sports.com/en/Scarpa-HS12-Cream/m-160.aspx)

I've used a bit of this on my Brooks saddle and it helps the rain bead up.  My girlfriend's bike will be parked outside in the shade most days while she's at work, so I think repeated treatment will help the tape and saddle hold up.

Tim

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[Ron Mc]

I've rubbed proofide and Obenauf's both on my Brooks leather tape, 

and prefer the way it responds to Obenaufs

[Steve Palincsar]

On 12/18/2013 09:03 AM, Ron Mc wrote:

I've rubbed proofide and Obenauf's both on my Brooks leather tape, 

and prefer the way it responds to Obenaufs

How slippery is that?

[Ron Mc]

not slippery at all - it makes it much stickier

[Kelly]

My only problem is discoloring. After two years or so it's looking less than than. Not a darker worn look like a saddle but washed out almost grayish ..hmm shoe polish then shellac to keep it from rubbing off.. J/king. Any ideas on restoring it.

[Deacon Patrick]

Kelly, what have you used to keep it conditioned in these past two years?

With abandon,

Patrick

[Metin Uz]

I also have some excellent waterproofing silicone cream if I think that is necessary (Scarpa HS12 http://www.jackson-sports.com/en/Scarpa-HS12-Cream/m-160.aspx)

I've used a bit of this on my Brooks saddle and it helps the rain bead up.  My girlfriend's bike will be parked outside in the shade most days while she's at work, so I think repeated treatment will help the tape and saddle hold up.

I understand that using silicon based protectants is a no-no on Brooks saddles, as it can weaken the leather. Should be OK to use on leather tape.

--Metin

[Kelly]

Deacon, 

I kept it out of the rain on sunny days.. does that count as treatment. :)

[Ron Mc]

I rode mine 26 miles in the rain one day, and it's been on the back of the truck in the rain many times.  It's 3 years old and still dark brown.  

[Deacon Patrick]

Sure, Kelly. Grin. Though it doesn't help. I stopped using products with silicon and other stuff because I found it interacted in various odd ways with the leather over time. Now we just make our own with coconut oil and bees wax. I'd suggest it may simply be very "thirsty" and that oiling it daily in a warmish place for a week or two may revitalize it significantly. Light coats and allow it to soak in. Room temperature helps vs. a garage that is 50˚F or cooler.

With abandon,

Patrick

[Bruce Herbitter]

Right. Same with my green tape.

On Wed, Dec 18, 2013 at 9:15 AM, Kelly <tksl...@gmail.com> wrote:

My only problem is discoloring.  After two years or so it's looking less than than.  Not a darker worn look like a saddle but washed out almost grayish ..hmm shoe polish then shellac to keep it from rubbing off.. J/king. Any ideas on restoring it.