Bar tape. I didn't swear.

I like replacing bar tape. Youtube tutorial on the phone and a cup of tea makes it much easier. I'm just not brilliant at it....

i want some of that proper good quality foam sleeve stuff, that came on bikes in the 70's.

clarks do a crap one, Grab on is a bit better.

I like taping bars, I find it therapeutic. I know it's finished when I re do the bar tape.

I just did this for the first time on my gravel bike, with some ultra thick Supacaz stuff.

It was horrible, and looks terrible...i mean it still functions, but it is not asthetically pleasing at all. I think I'll start with cheaper less thick stuff next time.

I've got this joyous task to look forward to soon - I'm a bar tape virgin...

I did my first one the other week. Couple of YouTube tutorials, wasn't too painless. As I was also replacing my bars I should've taken some pictures of my lever positions. Next time.

Did mine the other week - thought it was all fine and dandy but on a recent ride I found a small blip just by where my little finger sits when I'm on the hoods and now I need to decide if it's going to annoy me enough to bother unwrapping and rewrapping it. At the moment I'm on the "not bothering" side.

I quite like doing it too. Hate any job I need to use "tools" on. I'm absolutely the antithesis of a mechanic. But using my eye and a bit of subtlety, almost makes it something to look forward to.

I had to do the tape on the road bike recently, usually quite enjoy doing it even if I'm not great at it. This time though . . . now preparing to rip the (Rapha Pro fwiw, lucky not as expensive as it sounds) tape off in the not too distant future and go again. FFS.

I committed a cardinal sin on My Gravel bike the other day, I changed a lever and in doing so unwrapped (carefully), then re-wrapped one side of the bar. I'll admit it's not as neat round the lever as it was before because the new hood is a different shape, so I'll be re-wrapping it soon, but I'm fancying some posher tape than I normally have (typically cheapo cork does for me) SuperCaz or DSP appeal but both are on the steeped side.

I also need to redo my Road bike soon, and

I reckon I'll be defaulting back to cheap cork won't I as two lots of posh bar tape feels like a bit of a big spend to me...

I do like wrapping them though, it's strangely satisfying, so doing two bikes at the same time will be a bit of a treat... 😉

I enjoy wrapping and am well practiced. I still sometimes end up with non-symmetric wraps on the tops because I forget to reverse the figure of eight on one shifter.

Always start at the bottom. Wrap from inside out, so anticlockwise on LHS and clockwise on RHS (looking forwards). Ten wraps to the shifters, then up and over via the inside of the shifter down under the front, around and back up the outside and onto the top bar. You can use the small strip being the shifter, or be careful not to expose a triangle of handlebar.

Finish with electrical tape. Cover with nice tape is desired. Sometimes the cheap stuff turns out better. Fizik is universally hard wearing but not always stretchy so demands care in application. Some of the silicone tapes are junk (hello Fabric!).

I'll never win any awards for it, but i quite like replacing bar tape - there is a fool proof tutorial from Park Tools on YouTube which i usually watch first just to get me in the right headspace.

Managed to do it in one without using the little strip around the lever clamp.

What is this all about? I replaced my tape the other day and there were two little strips left over. I didn't know what they were for, please explain!

The only part I cock up is the very start, by the bar end hole.

The rest of it can look perfect, but I leave too much or too little to look tidy around the bar end plug and resort to another twist of electrical tape to disguise the mess.

Any tips?

The two little strips are to cover the gap you might leave under the brakes.

Any tips for double wrapping bar tape? Do you need to be more careful to avoid running out due to the larger circumference of the bar?

I find it stressful rather than therapeutic.

I've got a roll of tape ready to double wrap over the thin stuff that came on my Trig, keep putting it off though.

Anyone want to recommend a particularly good YouTube vid?

I get my mate Stubby to do it. He’s the best bike mechanic I know and he’s only got one hand.

there is a fool proof tutorial from Park Tools on YouTube

You wouldn't mess with Calvin Jones from Park Tool Company would you. Hard as nails.

Anyone want to recommend a particularly good YouTube vid?

GCN one works for me. Use the one from 6 years ago though rather than the recent one. For some reason they've taken a good approach and used 6 years of extra experience to make it harder to follow

One of my most hated jobs. Can’t seem to muster the patience to do it well. One of the few jobs I’ll pay a pro to do every time