Mark,
When I worked at Art's Cycle in Chicago in 1974 I was trained to do it your way. Much neater. No tape needed in the center of the bars. The top of the tape is held by the wrap of the tape itself and the plugs hold the bottom end. Very clean. I have no clue what these other folks are talking about regarding tape edges rolling or water running under. Never had either of those things happen in all these years. And I don't see how it's different (despite Galen's helpful illustration) regarding edges - either way you have edges that are exposed -- unless I am completely missing something.
Modern cork tape requires bottom to top because its' too thick to push into the handlebars ends and hold with a plug.
But with traditional cloth tape, doing it your way requires more effort and skill. I simply think the more common way is more common because it's easier.
David
David G. White Burlington, VT
Mark Fulton wrote:
> Since 1948 i've been wrapping my handlebars from the stem out. I
> simply wrap out and around, down and back, pop in the cap and I'm
> done. No extra tape up top. Have I been doing it wrong all these
> years? Have people secretly been making fun of me for this? Is there
> some compelling reason to wrap from cap to stem? Just to keep this on
> topic, I only ask because I'm about to retape my 1950 Locomotief Tour
> de France and the Cinelli cork ribbon that I just bought includes the
> extra plastic finishing tape.
>
> Mark Fulton
> Redwood City, California