> OK, I have selected different bars for two of my
> bikes, both mid-fifties British path racers and
> am trying to figure out the appropriate amount of
> the bars to tape.
>
> What was done back 'in the day'?
Ken,
What a beautiful bike - I don't know how you keep finding
these great, old track bikes. Now...
There are a couple of typographical errors in your message,
but I gather you intend to use a Cyclo-Cross "interrupter"
lever with a front brake. I use a similar setup on my
Waterford track bike when I ride it on the road. The lever and
the brake both come off quickly for racing on the velodrome.
As for taping the bars, every photo I've seen of older
track bikes - irrespective of the era - shows the tape only
going about halfway up the hooks. This is also what I remember
from the track bikes I saw at Flushing Meadows in NYC
(pre-Kissena Velodrome), and I imagine those were set up much
the same as the British bikes.
In any event, here's a photo of Reg Harris at Herne Hill
from 1948. Note the bars...
http://www.vcl.org.uk/
Fred Rednor - Arlignton, Virginia (USA)