Bar Tape and/or Grips on an Albatross Bar

[Doug H.]

Hi all,

I just recently installed Albatrass bars on my new to me Roadini. I also installed bar end shifters. I'm thinking I'll wrap Newbaums tape for grips but am considering some padding in the grip area. Has anyone used padding or been able to slide an ESI type of grip over the shifters? I've also considered splitting an ESI grip and wrapping that with Newbaums. Any examples or ideas would be most appreciated.

Doug

[DavidP]

I'd imagine you'd want to slice the grips anyway to provide a channel for the shift cables to run through, so slicing then wrapping should be fine.

You could also twine along with bar tape. Here are a few variations on that:
https://bluelug.com/bike-catalog/16815/

https://bluelug.com/bike-catalog/16524/

https://bluelug.com/bike-catalog/16827/

https://bluelug.com/bike-catalog/16521/

-Dave

[Wesley]

I love cheapo cork grips on albatross bars. The kind of grip with cork grains glued together into a cushy mass. For example: https://www.somafabshop.com/shop/242114-cardiff-grips-gryfed-cork-6386

I think Ergon cork grips would work great too, I've just never used them.

-Wes

[Robert Calton]

If you want cork grips that support bar end shifters, I can't recommend highly enough Meisha's cork grips. You see them on a lot of Rivs but nowhere stateside stocks them, including Riv (who I believe used to stock them).

You can now get them from Blue Lug here: https://global.bluelug.com/rivendell-miesha-s-portuguese-tree-cork-grips-sifter.html. Use some twine with them. They feel great and look even better. 

[tio ryan]

I was able to squeeze extra chunky ESI grips over the bar end shifter/cable on my albas, but I didn't love those grips (slippery and not durable). 

I didn't notch the grip to provide a channel for the cable, and as nitpicky as I can be, I really didn't find it to be an annoyance.

my suggestion would be to use plenty of alcohol on the inside of the grip when installing :) 

-tio in bk 

On Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 5:00:48 PM UTC-4 Wesley wrote:

[John Rinker]

Hey Doug,

I've got ESI grips on my Atlantis with bar-end shifters. I have my cable running underneath the grips but not through them. Kind of like how the cable housing runs along the bottom of the cork grips Riv sells. Then Neubaums wrapped around and shellacked. I find them very comfortable.

Cheers, John

[Doug H.]

These suggestions are all really helpful and I appreciate it. I decided to try splitting a set of Chunky ESI grips. I just got them installed and wrapped Newbaums around each. The bottom of the grip has a flat area because I couldn't squeeze the grips back together. These really are just big enough for a handlebar and they kind of open up when split. I think I'm going to like it but need to do a few rides to make sure. I'll report back.

Doug

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[christian poppell]

Grant wrote a blagh about making custom grips a while back: https://www.rivbike.com/blogs/grant-petersens-blog/grips-the-hard-way-how-to

He used felt as a padding under the cloth tape. I set up my wife's bike this way and it was quite comfortable. 

We also have our tandem set up with a barcon and ESI grips. Just slipped the grip over the cable using a little alcohol. I have not used cloth tape over them but it seems like it would work about the same as the felt. 

Good luck! 
Christian

Phoenix, AZ

[Steve]

Doug, I have used the following approach to run bar end shifter cabling beneath ESI grips: 

- Remove the shifters from the bars and fully withdraw the cable from the housing.

- Re-insert the cable into the housing leaving the shifter out of the equation at this point.

- Secure the housing with the cable in place to the bars by taping it just forward of the area which will be covered by the grip. Let the cable extend an inch or so  beyond the end of the bar.

- Lubricate the interior of the grip and  the bar along with the cable with a suitable product. I recommend alcohol gel hand sanitizer. (once the alcohol evaporates the grip will be secure)

- Slide the grip over the bar and cable housing - douse the bar with additional sanitizer if necessary. Work quickly.

- With the grip in place adjust  the position of the housing then withdraw the cable.

- Install the mount for the shifter and then thread the cable through the shifter lever, the mount and back into the housing. 

- Pull or push the cable forward to bring the lever into position on its mount and secure it in place. 

- There you have it!

Steve

On Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 4:37:14 PM UTC-4 Doug H. wrote:

[James M]

I really like to use Oury grips with bar end shifters.  First I slice off the flange at the end, then I orient the grooves that run the length of the grips so one lines up with the shifter cable.  Then I use twine around the perpendicular grooves t lock the shifter cable into place.  Sorry - no photos, but hopefully it makes sense if you look at a photo of Oury grips.  It works great!

[Marty Gierke, Stewartstown PA]

This came up before, (and a prompt from a new member reminded me) so I'll throw in my solution. I had an older pair of WTB ergo grips and they worked well. The cable runs external under the grip and is simply zip-tied near the front. (Could have twined it there I suppose.) No modification to the grips needed. 

Marty