Can you reuse handlebar tape

The reason is, the overlap is shingled away from the force your hands put on the tape. If you start from the bar center, the wrong way, you'll end up rolling the tape at its edges because the overlap is backwards. Plus starting at the center you get a larger wrap there. Looks amateur to me.

Check out some racing magazines. Absolutely all the pros bikes start the tape at the bar end. Another tip to avoind a lumpy end of the roll. When you get to where you want to end the wrap, hold the tape at the same angle as you've been wrapping and cut the excess perpendicular to the bar at an angle to the tape. This gives you a perfect end. Originally posted by Serial Midget Yes, I have read the owners manual - it's not clamped it's being stored out of the way.

Now that I have my ceiling hooks it's hanging by the tires. Originally posted by oldfart Blah, blah, blah. Originally posted by Repack I thought so. Its just that I cringe when I see frames in stands like that.

Didn't mean for you to assume that I thought you were a hack or anything like that. My bad. Originally posted by Serial Midget Oh no The paint kind of crackled around the clamp so I covered it up with fingernail polish. Now I'm going to sell it on eBay.

I'll make a note of it. Originally posted by gorgechris Before you do this, make sure the saddle is securely attached to the seatpost. If it's loose, you run the risk of wrecking your saddle, and you don't want to do that. Apr 8, 0 Team PsychO! Originally posted by Serial Midget Here are my bars with a tapeless, glueless wrap. Originally posted by PsychO! You must log in or register to reply here.

Top Bottom. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Also, you can use the leftover tape to protect your seat post from scratches caused by sandal bags.

You can clean a bar tape by wrapping a rag around the bars and pulling it back and forth as though you are polishing a shoe. Actually, soapy water will help get rid of dirt and stains faster. For stubborn stains, you can apply soap directly on the rag and rub it on the spot.

If you choose the tape that provides the proper padding for you, it will make a whole lot of difference in your ride quality. Handlebar tape helps to reduce road vibrations that reach your arms through the bike.

In addition, a new tape will make your old bicycle look and feel new once more. For most riders, a bar tape thickness ranges from 2. To wrap your bar tape like a pro, you have to start from the drops towards the stem. If you got new handlebars and your bar tape is still in good condition, you can go ahead and reuse it. However, if the tape is torn or worn out, it is advisable to get a new one.

Notably, bar tapes that have foam inside can be problematic to remove, especially if they have adhesive on the backside. Therefore, take extra care when removing them to avoid tears.

So, if you had been wondering whether you reuse handlebar tape, yes, you can do it without any adverse effect. Bike Finest is your ultimate resource for learning everything about bikes and cycling or any information when trying to find the right bike for you. Known for its dominance in the enduro racing world and the wider mountain bike sector, Santa Cruz Bicycles is increasingly growing in popularity globally.

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They are durable, breathable, stretchable, Therefore, if your current tape is still as good as new, go ahead and reuse it. Therefore, if your bike has the sticky type, buying a new tape may be a better option. You can put a new tape on an old one for enhanced vibration damping. For those riders that sweat profusely and find that the bar tape is often soggy at the end of the ride, it will be important to replace at relatively short intervals — and not just because it starts to smell. All of the salt contained in the sweat will quickly diffuse through the tape, creating a highly oxidative environment for steel lever bands and alloy handlebars.

Ignoring the tape for an extended period of time will allow oxidation to take place unchecked, creating a potentially disastrous situation if the bar fails unexpectedly. In general terms, wrapping handlebars is a simple chore because all that is required is a smooth, taut spiral from one end of the bars to the stem.

Of course, there is a little more to the process than that, such as contending with the levers, and while a few tips can make a difference, wrapping bars is a handicraft that will always benefit from some practice. Aside from finding the opportunity to practise, the most important thing to pay attention to when learning how to wrap handlebars is the choice of tape. Cork blends and foam tape are generally supple, however they can break when pulled too hard.

Polyurethane tape is a better choice because it is much more resilient and forgiving. Microfibre tape is very difficult to break but it is also very stiff, so it takes more time, strength and care to wrap the bars cleanly, while leather is even more difficult to work with. Wrapping bars requires two hands at almost all times, so a bit of preparation makes the job easier, starting with the brake and gear cables or wires.

Arrange them neatly and then use some electrical tape to secure them against the bars. The tape can be wrapped in one of two ways — clockwise or anti-clockwise — when looking at the end of the bar. In practical terms, neither choice has a dramatic influence on the final result. However, if the tape is not wound with enough tension in the first place, it will unwind regardless of the direction chosen. This last point is where much of the technique of wrapping lies, because the tape needs to be stretched to some degree as it is wound onto the bars.

Deciding on where to finish wrapping the tape is usually dictated by the handlebars. For external cables, it will be important to wrap the bars most of the way to the stem to keep them secure and tidy.

In contrast, there is no strict need to wrap the tops of the bars when the cables are routed internally. This is especially true for aero shapes where a cushioned tape can increase the bulk of the tops considerably, however a thin microfibre tape can be used by riders that find untaped tops too slippery.

Keep a pair of scissors handy, and hang two lengths of electrical tape on the stem or top tube of the frame so that they are easy to reach. Once wrapping is complete, the end of the tape can be cut and secured without letting it go. The sequence above details one common approach to wrapping bars where a single loop is used around the levers.

When using this method, a short strip of tape is required to hide the lever band and fill in some gaps. Alternatively, some lever shapes can be wrapped in a figure-eight, as shown in this video that Dave Everrett captured at the Tour Down Under a few years ago, in which case there is no need for an extra length of tape.

Once the bars are wrapped, there a few choices for finishing off the job. Electrical tape is available in a few different colours, so it will often blend in with the bar tape. Alternatively, twine, short strips of leather, cotton tape, or a vinyl sticker can be used to hide the electrical tape and add a bit of interest to the finished job.

Keep in mind that whatever the choice, it needs to withstand a fair bit of abrasion without posing too much of a challenge to remove when it comes time to replace the tape. Compared to other parts of the bike, bar tape has evolved slowly, yet none of it has ever really disappeared from the market.

The early era: cotton tape The earliest road bikes often featured simple rubber grips for the drops, so a decade or two passed before handlebars were ever wrapped. A few coats of shellac is often the hallmark of vintage handlebars, but usually on old-fashioned cotton tape, and not the more modern material shown here.

Note how twine has been used to secure the end of the tape near the stem. Photo: James Huang. Unlike modern foam tapes, though, the solid plastic surface was comparatively easy to keep clean. A restored Olmo Super Gentleman finished off with vinyl bar tape.