reverse bar taping

[Bridgeman]

I prefer it.

[MikeD]

I use silicone self fusing tape.
No adhesive mess and it is very durable and stays clean.

What brand do you use? I tried and couldn't make it work.

[Nezz0r]

I also gave it a shot with some BBB cork - tape gets dirty easily but it's not rolling over the edges or something .

[usr]

I use silicone self fusing tape.

It's somewhat off topic, but yeah, for that job its superiority to all sticky tapes is almost unreal. I'm quite surprised how it can be not a secret at all (one brand is even marketing that self-fusing stuff as dedicated bar-tape finisher) and still not spread like wildfire.

Personally I've just used black, and the contrast between well-earned patina on the bar-tape and the as-new white of the silicone in your picture tells me that I haven't missed much

[gkski]

I’ve been using the self-fusing silicone tape for years in assorted colors, mostly red as my bikes have red as a primary or secondary color and I like white bar tape. With Cinelli bars and bar tape I finish with the silicone tape, then wrap over the Cinelli logo finish tape.

[MikeD]

I’ve been using the self-fusing silicone tape for years in assorted colors, mostly red as my bikes have red as a primary or secondary color and I like white bar tape. With Cinelli bars and bar tape I finish with the silicone tape, then wrap over the Cinelli logo finish tape.

Tried it yesterday. We'll see if it lasts longer/works better than electrical tape. It wasn't that easy to apply.

[ryanw]

There is not a single benefit of reverse wrapping.

If you can't wrap bars neatly with finishing tape, pay someone to do it.

[DHG01]

Neither is there a benefit of the more frequent form or wrapping.

Either work fine. I like reverse wrapping without the tape on the top of the bar; I think it looks cleaner.

And it is the part of the bike I most look at...

[bobones]

The edges roll up when wrapped towards the bar ends, otherwise everyone would just do it that way!

As the man says, no pro team mechanic wraps from the top down!

https://youtu.be/YdsIFmG9qoQ

When GCN were looking over Ganna's bike, they remarked that a trademark of Ineos mechanics' wrapping is no electrical tape: they just secure it with a single drop of glue.

[ryanw]

Lets make this very simple:

Reverse wrap cons:

Wears prematurely
Edges roll up and look tatty
Water ingress with lip of tape catching water
Above results in early rotting of tape (from the inside) from trapped water / sweat
Undoes with hand torque


Pros:

People who can't traditionally wrap bars neatly assume it looks better.

[ome rodriguez]

I do reverse wrapping because I don't wrap the tops(aero part). Looks better without finishing tape. Only problem is the edges curl in time.
Btw, I'm very good at wrapping traditionally.

[ryanw]

0.18mm thick electrical tape is not going to cost you any watts...

[C36]

There is not a single benefit of reverse wrapping.

If you can't wrap bars neatly with finishing tape, pay someone to do it.

A bit of an narrow point of view. Nobody said it should be the primary way and yes it has defects and if you want a “wrap and forget for as long as possible” it won’t be your choice. I am not forcing anyone in agreeing, but I think no tape is cleaner than any tape even if you master it like cutlassvelo does https://www.instagram.com/p/CK6ZZzoFih ... =copy_link
Furthermore, black on black it’s obviously less visible than when you need to use lighter colours tapes.

The edges roll up when wrapped towards the bar ends, otherwise everyone would just do it that way!

It will, eventually, some bar tapes more than others. This was taken after a ride and just checked, according to Strava it had 2220km. Some may think it’s not acceptable some would replace when they can’t get it perfectly clean…





Edit: as a shop owner/employee I do understand you wouldn’t consider this option, on customer bikes. For people doing maintenance themselves I don’t see the issue…

As the man says, no pro team mechanic wraps from the top down!

Poor comparison, they replace bar tapes based on aesthetics reasons every few 100s km and historically it had been done top-down for decades likes this on selected bikes because it was considered cleaner…


- - - - - - - - -
Supersix evo2HM : 5.71Kg

[Nezz0r]

0.18mm thick electrical tape is not going to cost you any watts...

If I would want to wrap that far up I'd go bottom (traditional) too

That tape job does look very lovely indeed¡

Edit: black bartape (as demonstrated in you picture) also makes things look neat most easiest - but I want some colour

[DHG01]

Lets make this very simple:

Reverse wrap cons:

Wears prematurely
Edges roll up and look tatty
Water ingress with lip of tape catching water
Above results in early rotting of tape (from the inside) from trapped water / sweat
Undoes with hand torque


Pros:

People who can't traditionally wrap bars neatly assume it looks better.

Wow. Enlightening.

Never thought bar tape could make it to page 2.