Alternatives to handlebar tape?

[Joerg]

Just renewed the handlebar tape on my road bike. Again. My sweat doesn't
seem to be compatible with it and also it tears whenever I scrape a bush
or something. Friends have told me that it wouldn't be much better if
I'd use cork or some other fancy material. In contrast, the handlebar
rubbers on my MTB have held up over two years with no discrenible wear,
despite several crashes (no crashes with the road bike).

I wouldn't mind riding the bare aluminum which is what I end up doing a
lot once the tape is in tatters. But it leaves nasty black markings in
my palms which are hard to scrub away and might also not be very healthy.

Is there any alternative to this flimsy handlebar tape? Leather that can
be glued on? Half shells that can be screwed on? Some tough texture spray?

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

[Doug Landau]

sounds like you forgot the shellac

[David Scheidt]

Joerg <ne...@analogconsultants.com> wrote:
:Just renewed the handlebar tape on my road bike. Again. My sweat doesn't

The cork tape on my bikes are five years old, and three. The three
year old stuff is about to come off, because the housings need
replacing. Cinelli cork, ends secured with jute twine, covered in shellac.
Shellac has been touched up a couple times.

--
sig 89

[Sir Ridesalot]

NO! We all now know that there is absolutely nothing bicycle related that'll meet your exacting standards. Buy a number of motorcycle grips and install them end to end until you havethe coverage you need.

Cheerio

[Joy Beeson]

I use handlebar padding -- black foam tubes that you lubricate with
soap and slide on, and when the lubricant dries up it turns to glue.

Leastways that was how I did it when I bought my first set. When it
wore out, I had the guy who overhauled my bike put the new padding on.

The padding gives a good grip, and also makes the bars easier on my
hands. The new padding isn't as thick as the old was when it was new.

Caveat: because it made the bars thicker, I had to have child's brake
levers installed so that I wouldn't tear up my hands reaching levers
that were too wide. Since child's levers don't fit adult handlebars,
installing them took two engineers and a Dremel Moto Tool.

And the child's levers are too narrow to have hoods, so I don't have
as many places to put my hands.

--
Joy Beeson
joy beeson at comcast dot net
http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/

[Tosspot]

This stuff

https://www.velovitality.co.uk/products/velo-orange-leather-sewn-on-bar-wrap

Is very good, last forever, but once it's on, it's on, so think about
the state of cable outers.

Been on a friends bike for years, and looks nicer as it tans and stains.

[Tosspot]

On 13/10/16 03:30, Joy Beeson wrote:
>
> I use handlebar padding -- black foam tubes that you lubricate with
> soap and slide on, and when the lubricant dries up it turns to glue.
>
> Leastways that was how I did it when I bought my first set. When it
> wore out, I had the guy who overhauled my bike put the new padding on.
>
> The padding gives a good grip, and also makes the bars easier on my
> hands. The new padding isn't as thick as the old was when it was new.

I used this on my old butterfly bars, the foam comes in two types, a
lighter density, which is shit, and a much higher density which I used
to get a couple of years out of in daily use. Very comfortable indeed,
easy to fit, when it comes to removing a box cutter will do it in 2 minutes.

[John B.]

On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 16:24:36 -0700, Joerg <ne...@analogconsultants.com>
wrote:

Sure, there are all kings of non-rubber tapes. See:
http://cyclingtips.com/2013/01/bar-tape-tech/

Or talk to Andrew. He probably has some of the old cotton tape stored
away somewhere.

Or Vello Orange:
http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/accessories/leather-goods-handlebar-grips.html

--
cheers,

John B.

[Gregory Sutter]

On 2016-10-12, Joerg <ne...@analogconsultants.com> wrote:
>
> I wouldn't mind riding the bare aluminum which is what I end up doing a
> lot once the tape is in tatters. But it leaves nasty black markings in
> my palms which are hard to scrub away and might also not be very healthy.

Wear gloves!

--
Gregory S. Sutter Mostly Harmless
mailto:gsu...@zer0.org
http://zer0.org/~gsutter/

[AMuzi]

Cork-chunk tape and faux-cork expanded foam are common,
cheap and available in a rainbow of hues, even multicolor
patterns, very popular.
There are also natural cotton tapes, real leather wrap,
sew-on leather panels, vinyl, rubberized and so in many
materials. Stop into an LBS and look at a few dozen tapes.

In particular check out the Torelli ersatz leather wrap
which is tougher surfaced than most (albeit less cushy).
There are some carbon-look tapes of that material too under
various brands.

--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

[Joerg]

It was friends who tried cork and they did it per instructions.

[Joerg]

If it's long enough that would work for the lower part of the drop bar
(it's a road bike). But what alternatives are there for the top part? I
use the top >90% or the time.

[Joerg]

Maybe I should look for Cinelli cork then. Five years is pretty good
although chances are that it won't last that long for me. We have
offroad sections where where scraping through brush is normal. Hold the
bar in the middle, let one hand go for a second if needed, then plow
through. Especially in spring when everything overgrows. Starthistle is
particularly nasty since it grows 5ft high and can really tear into
stuff, T-shirts, skin, handlebar tape.

[Joerg]

Aha, thanks, now we are getting somewhere. I don't even need it all the
way through. Just the lower part up to the brake levers (which I
preferably don't want to have to take off for the job) and then some
part of the upper would be fine.

The regular stuff relies on some flimsy plastic end caps to hold it on.
Caps that often already fly off during the first few offroad stretches.

[Joerg]

Looks like Elkhide is the ticket, like Frank suggested and is shown also
in your link. From an oil job I had boots made with Scandinavian deer
leather and they lasted well over a decade.

[Joerg]

On 2016-10-13 01:40, Gregory Sutter wrote:
> On 2016-10-12, Joerg <ne...@analogconsultants.com> wrote:
>>
>> I wouldn't mind riding the bare aluminum which is what I end up doing a
>> lot once the tape is in tatters. But it leaves nasty black markings in
>> my palms which are hard to scrub away and might also not be very healthy.
>
> Wear gloves!
>

I have nice leather gloves but at >100F that isn't very comfortable.

[Joerg]

Thanks. Less cushy is ok, I only need the aluminum covered with
something durable that prevents the bare aluminum to blacken my hands.

I wish there was some sort of tough yet skin-safe spray-on texture
coating. Clean, maybe sand, mask off rest of bike, shake can ...
phhhhsssst ... done. There ought to be a market for that.

[AMuzi]

To use insulating foam (made in 1000 foot spools, see any
HVAC supplier) you'll have to remove the levers when
installing the upper section on a road bar. With aero cable
routing this can be tedious and time consuming[1].

[1] For us that's 'billable time'. For you that's 'lost time'.

[Frank Krygowski]

A little heat-shrink tubing of suitably large diameter works for me to
keep the end of the tape permanently in place. Of course, it won't work
for you, for some reason...


--
- Frank Krygowski

[Frank Krygowski]

This stuff was once popular:
http://www.grabongrips.com/bicycle.php
Sort of like foam pipe insulation, but more dense.

--
- Frank Krygowski

[Tosspot]

Wish I'd had that link a few years back

http://www.grabongrips.com/foam_tubing.php

[Joerg]

No, that's exactly what I was planning to do this evening. Again.
Purists would never do that (I only have black shrink tube) but I do not
care how that looks. It does not work at the top where IME the stuff
they send along with the tape package isn't worth it, only electrical
tape holds. Sort of, for a while, until it gets really hot in summer.

Other riders only use the plugs because that's "standard procedure" and
sometimes I see the telltale coil flopping in the wind when I pass them.

What really works but looks ugly is lacing cord which I use a lot on
bicycles.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/riblacecord.php?clickkey=13003

[Joerg]

The 2nd version in there is for road bikes. Guess the brake handle has
to come off then. The boots on mine is totally hardened and wouldn't
survive. The NOS ones I saw didn't look that good either but maybe I
could just wrap some tape around those and call it a day. Or some shrink
tube. Reduces the theft risk :-)

[AMuzi]

A new pair of aero brake levers with covers is cheaper than
vintage lever covers (and less than most new covers).

[Joerg]

True. Time to break the purity of the Shimano 600EX setup. It might need
to happen anyhow because the BB seems "knackered".

[David Scheidt]

Frank Krygowski <frkr...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

String, tied the way golf clubs used to be whipped, works great, and
looks a lot better. Cheaper, and harder, too.


--
sig 116

[Joerg]

String? I don't play golf but lots of our neighbors do and all I've seen
were this kind:

http://00de128.netsolhost.com/mypgacoach/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Golf_Grip.jpg

The wrapped ones look similar to handlebar tape except that golfers tend
not to mash hills with a sweaty grip for hours. It's only a few minutes,
regulation clothes, polished shoes, perfectly coiffed hair and then ...
phhhsssst ... POCK ... *FORE*

[Doug Landau]

There is.... spray-on duck tape!
https://www.google.com/search?q=spray+on+duct+tape&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjZm521vNjPAhVrxlQKHe3pCmoQsAQIRg&biw=1828&bih=839

[Joerg]

Ah, progress is indeed happening :-)

No kidding if this stuff lasts when being gripped by sweaty hands it may
be a solution. I guess when an area wears off one can clean that with
denatured alcohol and give it another spritz from the can.

[Radey Shouman]

Excellent. How about that vinyl stuff for dipping tool handles? Liquid
electrical tape?

Or this stuff:

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-7188/Anti-Slip-Tape/Anti-Slip-Tape-4-x-60-Black?pricode=WY493&gadtype=pla&id=S-7188&gclid=CMuc66nb2M8CFcEmhgodOnEN-g&gclsrc=aw.ds

--

[Doug Landau]

Y not just lay down some skin?
https://www.google.com/search?q=spray+on+skin&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjP2OK83djPAhUKh1QKHdoFCYYQ_AUICSgC&biw=1828&bih=839

[Jeff Liebermann]

On Thu, 13 Oct 2016 18:33:45 +0200, Tosspot <Frank...@gmail.com>
wrote:

Methinks you might be thinking of a "pool noodle":
<https://www.google.com/search?q=pool+noodle&tbm=isch>
Comes in a variety of colors not found in nature including glow in the
dark phosphors.

I don't use pool noodles for handlebar padding, but have retrofitted
them onto my bicycle carrier rack after the original foam padding
rotted away. I've also used it for padding when shipping a bicycle.

The excess was converted into a "light saber":
<http://www.revengeofthe5th.net/2015/08/pool-noodle-lightsabers.html>
which proved quite useful for bicycle defense against dogs and blind
drivers.


--
Jeff Liebermann je...@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

[John B.]

Frank, I've used heat shrink tubing for many things over the years and
never thought of using it to hold the bar tape and have been using
various types of sticky tape which either comes off or wrinkles and
looks "grotty" - my grand kids latest buzz word.

Thanks for the post.
--
cheers,

John B.

[David Scheidt]

Joerg <ne...@analogconsultants.com> wrote:

In the old days, golfers used leather grips. The ends of the grips
were whipped with thin thread, like this:
http://www.woodshaftgolf.com/how-to-whip-the-grip-on-a-hickory-shafted-golf-club/

That's actually the inelegent way to do it, it can be (and I do) done
with a single length of twine. Shellaced jute twine lasts a long long
time, as long as the tape does.

--
But all of a sudden Igor Stravinsky shows up with bag of psilocybin
mushrooms and a chainsaw.... -- Jens

[John B.]

I seem to remember in the Way Back Days that bar tape was a strip of
some kind of plasticy stuff and I used to read in the cycling
magazines ways to pad the bars by first using air conditioning
insulation tubing and applying the bar tape over the air con
insulation.
--
cheers,

John B.

[Gregory Sutter]

On 2016-10-13, Joerg <ne...@analogconsultants.com> wrote:
> On 2016-10-13 01:40, Gregory Sutter wrote:
>> On 2016-10-12, Joerg <ne...@analogconsultants.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> I wouldn't mind riding the bare aluminum which is what I end up doing a
>>> lot once the tape is in tatters. But it leaves nasty black markings in
>>> my palms which are hard to scrub away and might also not be very healthy.
>>
>> Wear gloves!
>
> I have nice leather gloves but at >100F that isn't very comfortable.

Without a cycling glove's terry pad, how do you wipe the sweat from
your face?

Here are my present favorite cycling gloves for nearly any condition.
http://www.handupgloves.com/

When it's cold and raining I take something a little more insulated;
otherwise it's these, which have replaced all my worn-out Fox Inclines.

--
Gregory S. Sutter Mostly Harmless
mailto:gsu...@zer0.org
http://zer0.org/~gsutter/

[Joerg]

Interesting! That ought to work on dropbars as well. In the photos they
don't show the other side of the leather section. Since leather doesn't
come in tubes, is that sewn with the same or similar twine?

Sewing like it was shown for leather handlebar covering is what would
make me think of letting a pro do it. If one can be found. Neither I nor
my wife are very good at that sort of work. Of course, a crude method
would be to just glue it on with whatever clings well to aluminum (shoe
goo?).

[Joerg]

Our generation would have said funky.


> Thanks for the post.
>

It is a useful method, I've done it myself. However, shrink tube doesn't
fare too well in the scorching sun like we have her. Like mouse pads for
the computer eventually it becomes brittle and falls off. But it's easy
to replace, takes less than five minutes.

Hint: If you do it cut a piece of aluminum foil from the kitchen and
wrap that around exactly past where you want the shrink tube to end
"upstream". The thicker kind or wrap twice. This protects the handlebar
tape a bit from the heat. Some tape doesn't like such heat, glazes over
a bit and can lose tension. Might also want to wrap some around other
items that are close such as light cables or speedometer cables.

For classic handlebars like mine 1-1/2" shink tubing is a bit large, 1"
barely fits. So I use 1" and slightly pre-stretch it until it just slips
over the ends. Usually just 1/2" length of it so your hands will not
rest on it.

[Joerg]

On 2016-10-13 22:49, Gregory Sutter wrote:
> On 2016-10-13, Joerg <ne...@analogconsultants.com> wrote:
>> On 2016-10-13 01:40, Gregory Sutter wrote:
>>> On 2016-10-12, Joerg <ne...@analogconsultants.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I wouldn't mind riding the bare aluminum which is what I end up doing a
>>>> lot once the tape is in tatters. But it leaves nasty black markings in
>>>> my palms which are hard to scrub away and might also not be very healthy.
>>>
>>> Wear gloves!
>>
>> I have nice leather gloves but at >100F that isn't very comfortable.
>
> Without a cycling glove's terry pad, how do you wipe the sweat from
> your face?
>

My solution for controlling forehead sweat is simple: Sports sweatbands
from Walmart. IIRC a buck fifty a piece or so and can be washed about 20
times before they lose elasticity or become unsightly.

> Here are my present favorite cycling gloves for nearly any condition.
> http://www.handupgloves.com/
>

The ranger might write you up for open container :-)

[...]

[Joerg]

Just be careful about chemicals that might dissolve and migrate through
the skin of your hands when sweaty. At least read the MSDS first. Some
materials might not be so good for hours-long skin contact.

In the olden days people could buy faux-leather for steering wheels and
that came with good instructions how on to run the thread to get it to
stay. It lasted a long time. I should check the auto parts store.


[...]

[John B.]

On Fri, 14 Oct 2016 06:51:17 -0700, Joerg <ne...@analogconsultants.com>

You are helpless aren't you. Go to
http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/accessories/leather-goods-handlebar-grips/elkhide-sewn-on-bar-covers.html
and read the instructions.

The bar coverings come with the holes pre-punched and all you have to
do is thread the (included) waxed twine through the holes (a harness
maker's blunt needle is included also) ..... just like lacing your
shoes.
--
cheers,

John B.

[Joerg]

I know how it's done and have performed my share of lacing cord cable
harness jobs when building prototypes for clients. It's just not my
favorite job. Why not let the LBS make some money, too?

The only reason I do this prototyping as an engineer is because it is
next to impossible to find freelance technicians to do this. Finding a
bike shop or an upholsterer is easy.

[David Scheidt]

Joerg <ne...@analogconsultants.com> wrote:

No idea. I just used it as an example of how to whip the ends of
bars. I wrap my bars with cork tape (it's not relaly cork, it's
rubber with cork in it) from Cinelli. Bikes without barend shifters
get a cork in the ends of the bars, ghen both ends of the tape are
whipped with jute twine, for about an inch and a half. Then the whole
works gets about five coats of shellac. Loasts years, but I sometimes
touch up the shellac.


--
sig 93

[Frank Krygowski]

On 10/15/2016 2:50 PM, David Scheidt wrote:
> I wrap my bars with cork tape (it's not relaly cork, it's
> rubber with cork in it) from Cinelli. Bikes without barend shifters
> get a cork in the ends of the bars, ghen both ends of the tape are
> whipped with jute twine, for about an inch and a half. Then the whole
> works gets about five coats of shellac. Loasts years, but I sometimes
> touch up the shellac.

I don't understand about the shellac. Doesn't it harden the tape when
it soaks in? Do sweaty hands not slip on that shellacked surface?
Obviously, I've never tried it.


--
- Frank Krygowski

[Frank Krygowski]

On 10/14/2016 9:51 AM, Joerg wrote:

> Since leather doesn't come in tubes...

Now there's a project for the GMO industry! ;-)

--
- Frank Krygowski

[David Scheidt]

Frank Krygowski <frkr...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

The tape still compresses when you squeze it. There's enough texture
that it's not slippery (and I ride in all weathers, including rain,
snow, sleet, frogs). It's possible it's more slippery than plain ork
would be, I don't know. I shellac because it looks good, and it
protects the tape and makes it possible to clean it. (once a year,
whether it needs it or not...). It does drastically change the
texture of the whipping twine, but there's still plenty of grip there.

:Obviously, I've never tried it.



--
sig 14

[Joerg]

That looks like a very durable method. Probably better than leather
which can suffer with too many rain-sun cycles.

[Joerg]

On 2016-10-15 13:59, Frank Krygowski wrote:
> On 10/14/2016 9:51 AM, Joerg wrote:
>
>> Since leather doesn't come in tubes...
>
> Now there's a project for the GMO industry! ;-)
>

Yes, breed snakes and when they reach the exact needed diameter ... :-)

[cycl...@gmail.com]

John - the leather bar coverings I've seen were meant for track bikes or single speeds. Do they make these coverings for a bike with Brifters on them?

[John B.]

The site doesn't show Brifters specifically but does show handlebar
mounted brakes. See:
http://tinyurl.com/jk7zvyr
and
http://support.velo-orange.com/#elkcovers.html
--
cheers,

John B.

[cycl...@gmail.com]

Well, plainly it would work with brifters. But Shimano made a new reiteration of bar tape that is cheap and installs TONS easier than the older types of take if only because the stickum take is also elastic. And the End Plugs are made in such a manner than any doofus (meaning me) can install them without pieces of take sticking out.

I can make a completely professional looking job quite easily.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2051541.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XShimano+Pro+handlebar+tape.TRS0&_nkw=Shimano+Pro+handlebar+tape&_sacat=888

[John B.]

I don't believe that Vello-Orange is selling things because they are
modern, or work better. They seem to cater to the "retro" crowd.

But having said that I really can't imagine anyone having problems
with bar tape. All you have to do is wind it :-)
--
cheers,

John B.

[Doug Landau]

Not if you're perfect, or do it often. If not, it is quite easy to forget and do it the wrong way, starting at the wrong end, and ending up with it such that the forward pressure you accidentally exert unravels it. If you do that and don't take care to do an extraordinary job otherwise, it will unravel quite quickly, IME.

dl

[John B.]

I don't know about that :-)

I've always wondered about which way to wind the tape. I know that
everyone says that you have to wind from the end toward the center,
for many given reasons - the one I like best is "so that water won't
get in" :-)

I seem to remember that we used to wind the old thin plastic or cotton
tape from the center toward the ends. Over lapped the end to start and
then stuffed the bitter end into the bar end and put the end plug in
to secure it. No ugly sticky tape at either end.

Of course the cotton tape got a coat or two of shellac which kept it
pretty well in place.
--
cheers,

John B.

[AMuzi]

and not just handlebar tape either. a mix of your average
human and hardware can yield both disaster and humor.

--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

[Sir Ridesalot]

Some people wrap from the top of the bar to the end and stuff the excess tape into the bar end. Htey do that because it's easier or because they feel that the slight ridges help keep the hands from slipping. Others wrap frome the bar end to the top of the bar so that there won't be any ridges to interfere with sliding the hands about. Others will stand in front of the bike and wrap the tape away from them whilst still others will stand in front of the bike and wrap the tape towards them. Some people even wrap from the brake lever to the top of the bar and then from the brake lever to the bottom of the bar.

Different stroks for different folks and a reson for each stroke.

Lately I've been using a high quality hockey tape for my bars. It works very well, looks like Old School coton bar tape and is thin yet wears well.

Cheers

[John B.]

Interesting. What is "hockey tape" made from? Is it a fabric or
plastic composition?

I had thought of trying tennis racket tape but it is too short.
--
cheers,

John B.

[Sir Ridesalot]

The stuff I use is made in Renfrew, Ontario, Canada and the tape is cloth. Even when it's 90+F and high humidity I've not had problems with my gloves sticking to it like people have had when they tried using echeap tape. This hockey tape is available in a few other colours than black too.

Cheers

[John B.]

On Wed, 19 Oct 2016 17:54:33 -0700 (PDT), Sir Ridesalot

I doubt think we have the Canadian version of hockey here :-) But we
do have field hockey with shorter sticks so I'll see what may be
available here.

I see "up market" bicycle bar tape here for, in one case, $42.85 U.S.
which I think a bit high :-)
--
cheers,

John B.

[AMuzi]

It's a slightly sticky loosely woven cotton tape, much like
the prior iteration of 'electrical tape' before that became
vinyl.

[John B.]

Ah, the stuff that was called "tire tape" or "friction tape" in my
younger days.
--
cheers,

John B.

[Phil Lee]

Sir Ridesalot <i_am_cyc...@yahoo.ca> considered Wed, 19 Oct 2016

To finish the inside end neatly, use a couple of 1" sections of old
inner tube, which of course you have to slide on first.

Roll the outer end of this inch of inner tube back to put the end of
the bar (or hockey) tape under it, then when you roll it back into
place it gives a very neat and tidy finish, which of course can be
re-used whenever you replace the tape in the future.

[John B.]

On Fri, 21 Oct 2016 06:58:12 +0100, Phil Lee <ph...@lee-family.me.uk>
wrote:

Very interesting. Frank recommended heat shrink tubing which isn't
reusable. Do inner tubes come in colors other than black?
--
cheers,

John B.

[Sir Ridesalot]

On Friday, October 21, 2016 at 1:58:15 AM UTC-4, Phil Lee wrote:
> Sir Ridesalot <i_am_cyc...@yahoo.ca> considered Wed, 19 Oct 2016
> 17:54:33 -0700 (PDT) the perfect time to write:

Snipped

> >The stuff I use is made in Renfrew, Ontario, Canada and the tape is cloth. Even when it's 90+F and high humidity I've not had problems with my gloves sticking to it like people have had when they tried using echeap tape. This hockey tape is available in a few other colours than black too.
> >
> >Cheers
>
> To finish the inside end neatly, use a couple of 1" sections of old
> inner tube, which of course you have to slide on first.
>
> Roll the outer end of this inch of inner tube back to put the end of
> the bar (or hockey) tape under it, then when you roll it back into
> place it gives a very neat and tidy finish, which of course can be
> re-used whenever you replace the tape in the future.

With the hockey tape I use you don't need to finish the ends. The tape sticks to itself very well. All I di is taper the tape at the top of the bar so that the tape foolows the rest of the wrap. That is, I cut the end of the tape at long shallow angle.

Cheers

Cheers

[John B.]

I had a look at the sporting goods section of one of the larger
"department Stores" yesterday and they had never heard of "hockey
sticks" so I'll have to get down into a section of town where there
are a lot of sports shops that specialize in the different sports.

--
cheers,

John B.

[Andrew Chaplin]

Sir Ridesalot <i_am_cyc...@yahoo.ca> wrote in
news:eaf6caa6-7c48-4c72...@googlegroups.com:

> With the hockey tape I use you don't need to finish the ends. The tape
> sticks to itself very well. All I di is taper the tape at the top of
> the bar so that the tape foolows the rest of the wrap. That is, I cut
> the end of the tape at long shallow angle.

"Canadian stereotypes for a thousand, Alex." ;)
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO
(If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)

[Joerg]

Does this Shimano tape hold up well? Mainly regarding sweat exposure,
hard gripping/torqueing and the occasional brush against vegetation.

[Sir Ridesalot]

No, Joerge it won't hold up to your unique never to be repeated by anyone else usage. LOL VBEG

Cheers

[Joerg]

:-)

I mean holding up at least "to some extent". For example, the Oval
Concepts rubber handles on my MTB look almost like new after over two
years and around 5000 miles of real bush use. Despite the fact that my
LBS guy was sure they would not survive with my riding style. The road
bike handlebar tape I had so far can't even hold a candle here.

[John B.]

On Sun, 23 Oct 2016 07:44:31 -0700, Joerg <ne...@analogconsultants.com>
wrote:

Then why use bar tape? You did mention that your perspiration causes
normal aluminum bars to excrete some sort of black gunk... use
stainless bars, or get your aluminum bars anodized.

The answers are already out there, just waiting to be discovered.
--
cheers,

John B.

[Phil Lee]

John B. <slocom...@gmail.xyz> considered Mon, 24 Oct 2016 07:50:20

Of course, one has to make allowance for the complete inadequacy of
any solution that hasn't been bodged/invented/developed by Joerg
himself, in his extreme riding environment.
Maybe a home developed composite of resin with a weave of kevlar,
carbon nanotubes and titanium may prove adequate - as long as that
doesn't give of a scent attractive to mountain lions.
Of course, it would also have to be sufficiently robust to resist
damage from having accessories hose-clamped onto it.

[cycl...@gmail.com]

I only have a couple thousand miles on it but so far it remains like new. It has grip and cushion and installs twice as easy as other tapes due to the fact that the adhesive stretches more than the bar tape itself. /Also the adhesive didn't appear to stick to the bar when you peeled the tape back while wrapping.

And since Shimano put their name on it that says plenty.

[Joerg]

Anodizing wears off. Stainless could be an option but I haven't seen it yet.

> The answers are already out there, just waiting to be discovered.
>

For the lower section I could use longer MTB handles. Those are much
better than road bike stuff. Up top I may do something with leather once
this next tape is done. Maybe leather plus rope, not stitched but
wrapped around like with the golf clubs someone showed here.

I still think there would be a market for "Instant tape from a can".
Mask ... shake vigorously ... phhhhhhhhhhht ... done. Just like almost
everyone now uses Pam out of a spray can for greasing a skillet instead
of real grease.

[Joerg]

Thanks, that is good to now. Maybe I should give handlebar tape one more
chance with this Shimano version. I don't care about feel, cushioning or
any of that. As long as it won't fray and my hands don't become discolored.

[Ralph Barone]

Joerg <ne...@analogconsultants.com> wrote:
>
> For the lower section I could use longer MTB handles. Those are much
> better than road bike stuff. Up top I may do something with leather once
> this next tape is done. Maybe leather plus rope, not stitched but
> wrapped around like with the golf clubs someone showed here.
>
> I still think there would be a market for "Instant tape from a can".
> Mask ... shake vigorously ... phhhhhhhhhhht ... done. Just like almost
> everyone now uses Pam out of a spray can for greasing a skillet instead
> of real grease.
>

Try a Google search for "spray on truck bed liner". Just mask off the bits
you don't want coated.

[Barry Beams]

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 4:24:32 PM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
> Just renewed the handlebar tape on my road bike. Again. My sweat doesn't
> seem to be compatible with it and also it tears whenever I scrape a bush
> or something. Friends have told me that it wouldn't be much better if
> I'd use cork or some other fancy material. In contrast, the handlebar
> rubbers on my MTB have held up over two years with no discrenible wear,
> despite several crashes (no crashes with the road bike).
>
> I wouldn't mind riding the bare aluminum which is what I end up doing a
> lot once the tape is in tatters. But it leaves nasty black markings in
> my palms which are hard to scrub away and might also not be very healthy.
>
> Is there any alternative to this flimsy handlebar tape? Leather that can
> be glued on? Half shells that can be screwed on? Some tough texture spray?

>
> --
> Regards, Joerg
>
> http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Wrap the bar in "Pocket Rubber" which is silicone tape. Sticks to itself, gives moderate padding. Much tougher than normal bar tape. Its also great for taping the ends of standard bar tape.

[John B.]

I've never seen pocket rubber" sold and their site seems to say it a
pretty new product and seems to talk about taping gasoline and
radiator hoses. What sort of shops would be likely to stock it?
--
cheers,

John B.

[Joerg]

Ah, yes! Thanks. That stuff ought to be skin-safe or they couldn't sell
it, I guess.

Duly entered into my bike wiki for when the time comes to renew the tape
(or replace it with better stuff).

[Joerg]

Looks like it can be mail-ordered here:

http://www.pocketrubber.com/

Thanks, Barry.

From what they write one could carry the remaining spool in the pannier
to use in case of first aid to an injured rider. I always have some
electrical tape in there but the glue on it fades in viability over the
course of summer.

[jbeattie]

You should get this. https://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=40879&category=831 It will scare the mountain lions.

-- Jay Beattie.

[cycl...@gmail.com]

Ralph - what do you do when you want to remove the levers for servicing?

[cycl...@gmail.com]

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 4:24:32 PM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
> Just renewed the handlebar tape on my road bike. Again. My sweat doesn't
> seem to be compatible with it and also it tears whenever I scrape a bush
> or something. Friends have told me that it wouldn't be much better if
> I'd use cork or some other fancy material. In contrast, the handlebar
> rubbers on my MTB have held up over two years with no discrenible wear,
> despite several crashes (no crashes with the road bike).
>
> I wouldn't mind riding the bare aluminum which is what I end up doing a
> lot once the tape is in tatters. But it leaves nasty black markings in
> my palms which are hard to scrub away and might also not be very healthy.
>
> Is there any alternative to this flimsy handlebar tape? Leather that can
> be glued on? Half shells that can be screwed on? Some tough texture spray?
>
> --
> Regards, Joerg
>
> http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Apparently I'm not the only one impressed with the Shimano Pro Bar Tape. They had seven reviews and one of the people gave it only four stars but without having one single "con" on the stuff.

http://www.jensonusa.com/Shimano-Pro-Sport-Control-Bar-Tape

[Jeff Liebermann]

On Tue, 25 Oct 2016 07:44:29 -0700, Joerg <ne...@analogconsultants.com>
wrote:

>Looks like it can be mail-ordered here:
>http://www.pocketrubber.com/
>Thanks, Barry.
>
> From what they write one could carry the remaining spool in the pannier
>to use in case of first aid to an injured rider. I always have some
>electrical tape in there but the glue on it fades in viability over the
>course of summer.

That looks very much like the rolls of self fusing silicone tape sold
at hamfests for waterproofing coax cable and hardware stores for
sealing plumbing. For example:
<http://www.rescuetape.com>
<https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/USA-Brand-18-USD-for-3-Rolls-Silicone-Performance-Rescue-Tape-Self-Fusing-Tape-Bonding-Electrical/1627634_32267555068.html>
More:
<https://www.google.com/search?q=self+fusing+tape&tbm=isch>
It works tolerably well on coax cables, and should do as well on
handlebars. My only objection to the stuff is the price.

--
Jeff Liebermann je...@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

[Joerg]

On 2016-10-25 13:43, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
> On Tue, 25 Oct 2016 07:44:29 -0700, Joerg <ne...@analogconsultants.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Looks like it can be mail-ordered here:
>> http://www.pocketrubber.com/
>> Thanks, Barry.
>>
>> From what they write one could carry the remaining spool in the pannier
>> to use in case of first aid to an injured rider. I always have some
>> electrical tape in there but the glue on it fades in viability over the
>> course of summer.
>
> That looks very much like the rolls of self fusing silicone tape sold
> at hamfests for waterproofing coax cable and hardware stores for
> sealing plumbing. For example:
> <http://www.rescuetape.com>
> <https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/USA-Brand-18-USD-for-3-Rolls-Silicone-Performance-Rescue-Tape-Self-Fusing-Tape-Bonding-Electrical/1627634_32267555068.html>
> More:
> <https://www.google.com/search?q=self+fusing+tape&tbm=isch>
> It works tolerably well on coax cables, and should do as well on
> handlebars. My only objection to the stuff is the price.
>

4 rolls of 10ft length each at $22 is expensive? I paid a lot more per
foot for handlebar tape.

[Joerg]

Looks like the whole back is adhesive-coated and not just the usual
small strip. $10 is less than what I paid for my regular tape. IIRC that
also came from Jenson.

Enertered into the wiki file for the road bike so maybe I'll try tape
two more times. This Shimano stuff, then Pocket Rubber, and if all that
fails truck bed liner spray.

[Joerg]

If the bosses won't come off without sliding them all the way to the bar
ends there's always the Milwaukee Sawzall :-)

http://www.crosstexassupply.com/catalogItems/view/milwaukee-360-degree-rotating-handle-orbital-super-sawzall-recip-saw

[Jeff Liebermann]

On Tue, 25 Oct 2016 13:46:48 -0700, Joerg <ne...@analogconsultants.com>
wrote:

<http://www.rescuetape.com/shop/rescue-tape-6-pack/>
6 rolls of 12ft length at $45 or $0.63/ft

I based my pricing expectation on the cost of Duct Tape.
30 ft for $8 or $0.24/ft, which is my definition of cheap, errr...
affordable.
<https://totalwomenscycling.com/road-cycling/maintenance/many-times-can-use-duct-tape-bike-47875/>

Under suggested uses:
<http://www.rescuetape.com/suggested-uses/>
it offers "Sport Grips & Tool Handles" which is close enough to
bicycle handlebars.

Hmmm... 3% water absorption:
<http://www.rescuetape.com/technical-data/>

"Padded Road Bike Handlebars on the cheap!"
<http://www.instructables.com/id/Padded-Road-Bike-Handlebars-on-the-cheap!/?ALLSTEPS>

[Ralph Barone]

Unscrew the adjustment screws enough and the whole thing should just fall
apart. Whether you will enjoy reassembling the whole mess on the handlebars
is a different question.