Re: [CR]wrapping handlebars with plastic (?) tape

(Example: Framebuilding:Brazing Technique)

Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 15:22:18 -0500
From: Don Rogers <turning.pedals@gmail.com>
To: Stephan Andranian <sandranian@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [CR]wrapping handlebars with plastic (?) tape
In-Reply-To: <20050315201537.5113.qmail@web81409.mail.yahoo.com>
References: <20050315201537.5113.qmail@web81409.mail.yahoo.com>
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

On Tue, 15 Mar 2005 12:15:37 -0800 (PST), Stephan Andranian <sandranian@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Start at the bottom (bar end plugs), so that the tape "lays" the right way and so that the overlap is going in the right direction. Otherwise, you will get "curling", which is ugly...

I find this matters greatly with cork-ish tape and its ilk, which due to its thickness really needs to be lapped from tips to stem. But thin tapes such as Benotto and the various cotton varieties seem to care not, in my limited experience, and when stretched tightly lay sufficiently flat against the bar that the lap direction doesn't matter. Your mileage may vary, of course! Going stem to tips also eliminates the need for any overwrapping tape or twine at the stem. This may be good or bad, depending on your aesthetics.

Don Rogers
Providence, RI USA