How to fit new bar tape

The basics behind one of cycling’s dark arts

Ask any 10 mechanics the best way to wrap bar tape and you’re bound to get at least four different answers. What’s more, it’ll be more hotly debated than almost anything else in cycling. On two things, however, everyone agrees: tape should not be baggy and no gaps should reveal the handlebar. Personally, I’d encourage anyone willing to have a go to stick to those principles and work out their own way.

Why bother replacing tape? Whether you’ve had a sit down and it’s got scuffed, you prefer coloured tape, it’s looking a bit used or you’re selling the bike and you want a quick way to make it look fresher, it’s a useful skill to have under your belt. If your steed sees much use on an indoor trainer, it’s worth checking the condition of the bars fairly regularly – stories of bars corroding under a mix of sweat, spilled energy drink and dribble are not just urban myths.

01 Take it off

Unwrap the old tape. Get as much of it off in one go as you can, but some of it may be too well stuck to the bars. Use a sharp implement to remove stubborn chunks and disc brake cleaner to clean residue left on the bars.

02 Start at the end

Begin at the end of the bar. Overhang the end of the bar with enough tape to tuck into the end when finished. Keeping constant tension on the tape, wrap in your desired direction keeping an overlap at all times.

03 Stay steady

Wrap as evenly as the curve of the bar allows. Most tape has chamfered edges, which allow a given level of overlap without adding thickness, but at the sharpest curves you’ll have to vary the overlap a lot, making the wrap thicker.

04 Mind the gap

Work out how best to navigate around the lever. This involves trial and error because you don’t want it too thick, but you don’t want gaps. You’ll probably need to go up or down one side of the shifter body without going around the bars.

05 Beat the bulge

Continue in a similar manner to step 03. Work out how far from the stem you want the wrap to finish – around where bars bulge to fit the stem is a convenient point. Too close to the stem will cause awkward cable routing.

06 Tuck it up

Cut the tape diagonally so it wraps to a neat end around the bar. Use electrical tape to secure the wrap and, if desired, use the manufacturer’s finishing tape. Tuck the beginning end of the tape into the ends of the bar and install the end plugs.