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I’m thinking of trying two layers of tape on my gravel bike after yesterday’s teeth rattling experience! What’s the secret to getting the bar end plugs to fit easily with two wraps, do I have to trim the first layer back at the end?
Book marking as I want to layer up too.👍
you don’t necessarily have to double tape the whole bar, just an extra strip in the curve of the drops and along the tops (you can buy special gel strips for this very purpose) could be all you need
Aye, I could do that but would it look ok? Whadda ya reckon?
I double wrap my road bike as above, looks fine to me. The gel things where awful when I tried them.
I was discussing this with my old man yesterday, he says he used to double tape the ends of the drops for extra grip when he was sprinting (this was in the 60-70's) so I asked about how he did rather than where.
He would strip his bars then just put extra tape in the areas he needed it not the full bar, so he would hold the extra tape in place with a bit of sparky's tape and then go over the full bar run with tape as normal. So rather than the full bar being double taped just in areas where he need the extra grip or in this case the extra padding.
I've read that back and it makes very little sense, but, well, anyway.
I’ve read that back and it makes very little sense, but, well, anyway.
Nope, makes sense, its what I do, double layer on the tops for me and single layer everywhere else.
White101 that makes sense to me as well. I shall have a play at the weekend.
I use the gel stuff that JoB mentioned and a lot of tape overlap too on my road bike tops - I've got quite long fingers so the extra diameter's no bother
However on my cross bike the best solution is tubeless, lower pressures and some nice cheap foamy backer rod inside
I went for thick (4.5mm I think?) tape and gel things on the tops and top part of the drops - it's been spot on, very comfy!
I run a double layer on my cross bike which double as all day adventure bike.
I wrap the bottom layer as normal but stop ~20mm from the end then the top layer wraps over this and plugs as normal, means the very end is essentially one wrap but in the drops it's just my little finger on this bit.
Works for me anyway.
Selle Italia Smootape XL, and Cinelli gel pads if you're really looking for cush.
Anyone got a link to these gel pads?
Sorry, not road bike savvy. Thanks guys.
I think tiim puts it better than I tried to, and that's what I'll be doing this week at some stage. I'd like a full run as much as possible as a recent crash and the return to using the bike more off-road gravel stuff requires a bit more comfort on the hands.
Double wrap works, specialized zed bar phat tape cones with the pads, or use old inner tube under the bar tape in sections you want it, in long strips electrical taped to the bars
Does the bottom layer wrap the same way or opposite?
Asking for a friend.
Same way.
Thickest Lizard skins stuff, gel and a Redshift Shockstop ftw.
I usually double wrap strategic bits, and it depends on the bar shape.
Most of it I just put a strip of tape along the bar and hold it there with electrical tape. I only fully double tape bits if they're actually specifically uncomfortable as it feels hugely bulky doing the whole bar like that.
I suspect the idea comes from a time when "bar tape" was either thin strips of cork, leather or cotton tape, not modern rubber/foam. And bars were 22.2mm not 31.8.
I double taped my bars ahead of a long (250 mile) 24 hour road ride a good few years ago and have left them like that ever since (bike doesn't see tons of use). I just fully taped over the existing tape, trimmed the 'under' tape a bit around the ends and wrapped the 'over' tape into the plugs. I quite like the girth.
https://twitter.com/advntrcc/status/1384185175920156689?s=19
Would probably look better if they were black.
double wrapped tops as far as the hoods for me.
https://twitter.com/advntrcc/status/1384185175920156689?s=19 < Would probably look better if they were black.
Certainly couldn't look much worse! 🙂
I used tape and gel pads on my cross bike. Held the pads pin with electrical tape. Discovered that you can tape them down too tightly and take all the squish out of them, rendering them useless. So maybe don't do that. I'm going to double-tape next time.
Gel pads for me. They are self adhesive and can be re used a fair few times. I've never double taped but given that the gel pads just stick on I think it would be far less work than taping twice.
I got mine from Evans FWE branded, but this is similar:
https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Fizik/Handlebar-Gel-Kit/366
Tried double tape (to fat) and gel pads(to small)
Bought some ‘widget’ silicone bar tape for £15? off eBay and it’s ace. Much better at cancelling buzz, reusable, can be chucked in washing machine, grippy when wet, pretty tough, easy to apply.