Handlebar Tape

[RoubaixCube]

Remember to double wrap for comfort

 

[Dibs]

It's a good choice going to black tape...

Hi all,

My Defy 1 has white handlebar tape that is never going to remain white. I'm considering changing the tape to black. Is this a simple enough job? Does the average LBS do it? I'll enquire anyway at the end of the week. I was just sitting here lonely in my Glasgow business hotel room thinking about my bike....

Cheers

Mike

You can't go too far wrong with black tape on the Defy 1...

 

[vickster]

I'd be too embarrassed to take a bike to a shop to have the bar tape changed. YouTube has loads of videos showing you how, fifteen minutes top whack once you get the hang of it.

Mine's going in at the weekend. Cant be bothered to mess it up myself for the sake of a tenner. Especially with £25 tape

 

[oldroadman]

I'm amazed. Back in the day (yes the OLD bit is true) no-one thought of ever going to a shop to do such a simple job as bar taping. You just learned from the older blokes in the club. Same as "taking the bike for a service", no-one did that, just looked after things themselves. There's still quite a few good clubs now. Just one of the benefits of being a member, all the experience passed on from the older members, to those that are prepared to listen and learn (and don't want to spend silly money on simple jobs!).

 

[vickster]

I have more money than I do time, patience and skill...I'm not a club member (never will be) and frankly don't wish to be patronised by old blokes because I am mechanically inept and have no interest in fixing bikes etc

Happy to support my LBS (and a tenner is hardly silly money to spend having bars retaped properly every year or two). If I did it, they'd probably unravel after 5 minutes and seriously pi$$ me off! In addition to the annoyance and frustration of doing it badly in the first place

Each to their own

 

[ayceejay]

Ah the voice of a know all - handed down advice from 'older blokes' is patronizing.

 

[vickster]

Ah the voice of a know all - handed down advice from 'older blokes' is patronizing.

As a woman, I have on numerous occasions felt patronised by men giving advice on mechanical or technical stuff, be it cars, bikes, computers etc.
Now I prefer to take things in, leave them, get them sorted, pay for the service

Not a 'know all' (?) just my experience in the past

Ymmv

 

[goody]

Nothing wrong with having a go yourself.
As long as you do it properly! One side a mirror image of the other, same number of turns per side and each overlap the same size as the last and neatly applied insulating tape no overlaps and just covers the tape without going onto the handlebar.

 

[vickster]

Nothing wrong with having a go yourself.
As long as you do it properly! One side a mirror image of the other, same number of turns per side and each overlap the same size as the last and neatly applied insulating tape no overlaps and just covers the tape without going onto the handlebar.

This is precisely why I will be paying Pearsons to do mine tomorrow, no patience for such things...

 

[oldroadman]

I have more money than I do time, patience and skill...I'm not a club member (never will be) and frankly don't wish to be patronised by old blokes because I am mechanically inept and have no interest in fixing bikes etc

Happy to support my LBS (and a tenner is hardly silly money to spend having bars retaped properly every year or two). If I did it, they'd probably unravel after 5 minutes and seriously pi$$ me off! In addition to the annoyance and frustration of doing it badly in the first place

Each to their own

Your choice, missing so much of the camaraderie that's kept this old bloke through starting, racing to a decent level (paid) and now enjoying the later life in the sport. As you say, each to his or her own. Good to see more women riding anyway.
If a bit of friendly comment is patronising, then all these years there must be a string of offended people that old bikies upset with their advice and comments.

 

[vickster]

Your choice, missing so much of the camaraderie that's kept this old bloke through starting, racing to a decent level (paid) and now enjoying the later life in the sport. As you say, each to his own.
If a bit of friendly comment is patronising, then all these years there must be a string of offended people that old bikies upset with their advice and comments.

His own...I said their...

Anyhow, my bike now has lovely well wrapped bars thanks to the LBS

 

[mikeloveshisrockhopper]

My DIY skills are very VERY poor. I have disposable income fortunately. I'll leave it to the professionals.

 

[mikeloveshisrockhopper]

Mine's going in at the weekend. Cant be bothered to mess it up myself for the sake of a tenner. Especially with £25 tape

Same here. It just isn't worth the anxiety. I have no shame in admitting I have no mechanical skills. I bet I'd beat the average LBS mechanic at scrabble.....

 

[KneesUp]

Are you suggesting that being able to do stuff implies lack of intelligence?

Or do you choose to learn all the permissible two letter 'words' rather than learn how to do simple repairs?

 

[User33236]

I enjoy working on my own bikes as it's a departure from my day job and beats sitting watching TV in evening, especially in winter.

Wrapping car tape was one thing I was always apprehensive about so bought a couple of rolls of Planet-X stuff, when they had it on sale at £1.99 a role, and just practised with that. I actually liked the tape enough to leave it on the bike when I'd finished .