Handlebar tape.

[GeoffCapes]

After the selfishness of three doddery old F*&%ers! I ended up coming off my bike this afternoon.

Anyway, other than ending up with with sizeable grazes on my arm and leg and blood soaked shorts, my pride and joy has taken a bit of a battering.

The handle bars in particular. My question is this, obviously I need some new handlebar tape as the existing tape is ripped to shreads! Will this have all the sprongy padding in it as well? or is that something else I have to buy as well?


Also, can you get touch up paint for bikes?

 

[Brandane]

You could have a look at some of these available at Evans (or probably cheaper elsewhere, but Evans website is good for window shopping )......

http://www.evanscycles.com/categories/bike-components-bike-parts/handlebar-tape

I have Specialized cork ribbon tape on my bike. Very comfortable feel to it, easy to fit (i.e. doesn't tear easily) and durable. If you want the silicon gel pads to put underneath I think you have to go for the "bar phat" version or whatever it's called.

 

[GeoffCapes]

You could have a look at some of these available at Evans (or probably cheaper elsewhere, but Evans website is good for window shopping )......

http://www.evanscycl.../handlebar-tape

I have Specialized cork ribbon tape on my bike. Very comfortable feel to it, easy to fit (i.e. doesn't tear easily) and durable. If you want the silicon gel pads to put underneath I think you have to go for the "bar phat" version or whatever it's called.

I think the Specialized stuff is what I need, the handle bars are mangled

 

[Paulus]

there is some stuff called Bar phat, it is very padded and my son has it on his bike and swears by it.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/phat-wrap-fat-25mm-padded-bar-tape-ec012114

 

[GeoffCapes]

there is some stuff called Bar phat, it is very padded and my son has it on his bike and swears by it.

http://www.evanscycl...r-tape-ec012114

I think I need the gel pads, but the tape looks a bit naff.

I can see this incident costing me a few quid!

Looks like a trip to my local bike shop to hand over about 50 quid!

 

[raindog]

50 quid for bar tape?

 

[amaferanga]

Fizik Dual is what you need. Looks good, not too expensive and nicely padded. If you can do without the padding then the Fizik Microtex is ace and its only a tenner.

 

[Bicycle]

I loike Cinelli cork tape on a road bike.

I have no idea why... I think my LBS sold me a bicycle with it on the bars and I got used to it.

Pretty much all bar tape is easy to fit (notwithstanding a 'bartape moment' at your first attempt).

Make sure you go with a colour and design that fails in any way to harmonise or blend with the colour of your frame, wheels, pedals and saddle.

I despair of the current trend for having beautifully colour-coordinated road bikes that look as though Alberto or Franck has left them in the High Street while popping into the tobacconist.

Riots of colour and tonal clash. Nothing else will do.

 

[swee'pea99]

I loike Cinelli cork tape on a road bike.

I have no idea why... I think my LBS sold me a bicycle with it on the bars and I got used to it.

Pretty much all bar tape is easy to fit (notwithstanding a 'bartape moment' at your first attempt).

Make sure you go with a colour and design that fails in any way to harmonise or blend with the colour of your frame, wheels, pedals and saddle.

I despair of the current trend for having beautifully colour-coordinated road bikes that look as though Alberto or Franck has left them in the High Street while popping into the tobacconist.

Riots of colour and tonal clash. Nothing else will do.

I bought some 'abstract' design cork tape off ebay once. It was cheap. Remember when you were a kid and you failed to keep your plasticine colours separate and you ended up with lumps with every colour squidged in together? It looked just like that. Even I draw the line somewhere. I binned it.

 

[Gav2000]

To fatten up my handlebars (without paying extra for gell pads etc) I usually use some of the old tape underneath the new tape in the key areas. I'm not a big drops rider so usually put my extra tape along the top of the bars and around to the brakes.

This bike has got extra tape underneath the new/clean tape. If you fatten the bar up too much you may need to give the top layer a really good stretch as you wrap it or it won't be long enough.

Gav.

 

[GeoffCapes]

Has anyone re-tapped their handle bars before?


Went into Evans at Lakeside (the bike shop not the 'larger ladies' shop!) and asked a bloke in their whether it was an easy job (with the Spesh Phat tape in hand). He reckoned it's only a job for someone with loads of patience.....

Is this true or was he just wanting me to get them to do it?

 

[amaferanga]

Its easy. There are probably videos on youtube that'll show you how it's done.

 

[Nigel182]

Has anyone re-tapped their handle bars before?


Went into Evans at Lakeside (the bike shop not the 'larger ladies' shop!) and asked a bloke in their whether it was an easy job (with the Spesh Phat tape in hand). He reckoned it's only a job for someone with loads of patience.....

Is this true or was he just wanting me to get them to do it?

Plenty of YouTube Vids....easy enuff to do....


Have a practice without removing the Tapes Backing then just go for it....

 

[Jimmy Doug]

It's easy. Just start at the bottom and work your way up. The hardest part is around the brake hoods.
I have Brookes handlebar tape myself. I wouldn't recommend it. It looks stylish, but Brookes tape doesn't have the same beneficial effect on your hands as the saddles do on your bum. I find they lack padding and they're not very comforable.

 

[GeoffCapes]

Its easy. There are probably videos on youtube that'll show you how it's done.

There's this one.


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XHe7t1tjv0


It looks easy......... which is kinda worrying...... Might give it a go though....