The road bikes only used on the turbo now days, and the bar tape is pretty worn and not very soft anymore. Bought some new tape. Nothing special; just some lifeline basic tape and thinking about wrapping it over the existing tape to add a little comfort.
Anything I need to do first? Clean it? The wrap direction? The existing tape starts at the drops and finishes on the top nearest the step. Or remove the existing tape and use bits of it horizontally on the top of the bars for added comfort?
I would. I often use old tape as additional padding under new tape. I usually put it where I need more padding, normally on the tops. I have been known to use both linear and circumferential methods. You could just overwrap what's there though. I'd just start at the bottom and wrap normally.
How long has the existing tape been in place?
Don't you want to give the bars a bit of a clean before you add tape over the top?
Especially if it's a turbo only bike
How long has the existing tape been in place?
Don’t you want to give the bars a bit of a clean before you add tape over the top?
Especially if it’s a turbo only bike
I'd echo this, especially if you are a heavy sweater. We had a turbo-only bike in the workshop a couple of years ago where the bar, when we removed the bar tape, had corroded massively to the point it could be snapped by hand.
It's a trainer bike. Can't see that anthing mentioned matters in the slightest. Just slap it on or more to the point, don't waste the time or money. Any old padding will do.
Wrap tape tightly, that is the main thing. Start point / direction doesn’t really matter.
Don’t do the big figure of 8 round the levers as a double wrap gets too bulky there.
Personally I’d invest in some cheap tape for the bottom layer. I had musty bar tape one spring on pulling my TT bike out of winter storage. So I’m cautious regards hygiene.
I find a full double tape ends up massive, I suspect the idea comes from the days of cotton tape that was probably ~0.5mm thick with no cushion, trying to wrap 2x 2mm layers ends up with a really bulky bar.
Just a little bit of extra tape along the bars just above the lever and just below it in the drops does make a difference though. Just use some new tape though. What's the point if the the old tape has lost its bounce.
The tops I leave bare on most bikes. Easier to keep clean and if my hands are resting there there's no weight on them anyway.
I replaced the bar tape on my turbo trainer a few weeks back as it was starting to slip on one side.
To be honest, once I started unpeeling it & revealing the underside it absolutely reeked. I guess it gets a lot more sweaty on the turbo trainer & doesn't get the chance to dry as quickly?
Anyway - the upshot of that is there'd be no way I would have wanted to put fresh tape over the manky old stuff.
I used the basic Lifeline stuff (lifeline Essential?) and it is pretty cushy with a single wrap.
Agreed you do end up fairly chunky bar. Suits me personally ‘cos I’ve XL hands
My bike goes on the turbo sometimes, recently I was changing the brakes and unwrapped the bar tape down to the lever thinking I'd just reuse the tape as it wasnt in particularly bad condition. Once the smell hit me I got some new bar tape ordered immedietly.
Good idea on removing the old tape to clean the bars. The Old tapes been on there about 6 years and it gets used on the turbo every winter.
I'd only really like the extra padding from the hoods to the stem.
Get a second roll of tape and use strips of that for extra padding.
