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View Full Version : Hemp Twin to Wrap HandleBars?


Velocivixen
08-02-2011, 11:49 AM
I'm kind of going for the "retro-nuevo-randonneur" bike look with my Surly Cross Check. I've got black handle bars with "natural" colored cork bar tape that ends with ugly black electrical tape. I'm thinking to buy hemp twine (lbs actually sells it) and wrapping the ends of the bar tape where it ends near the stem. Here's a tutorial page by Rivendell Bikes that shows it.

So...has anyone done it? How'd it turn out? Did you use something other than hemp twine? Did you shellac it?

Also I've been trying to upload photos of my new bike and it's not working. I've uploaded photos before, so I'm not sure what gives. Advice?

Thanks
redrhodie
08-03-2011, 05:17 AM
One of the guys who works in my lbs did it to his bike. It looks nice. He shellacked it. He used cloth tape and shellacked that, too.

If you haven't seen this already, it looks helpful: http://velo-orange.blogspot.com/2009/01/shellac-and-bar-tape-guide.html

I just glanced at the comments, and now I wonder about shellac going over cork. It looks like someone put cloth over the cork, then shellacked. I wonder the reason for that, if the shellac messes up cork? You might want to investigate that before you do it.
Dr.Doo
08-03-2011, 05:19 AM
Not tried it but I bet it looks really cool.
Velocivixen
08-03-2011, 08:40 AM
Thanks. I've read all the VO blogs on the topic as well as Rivendell Bikes info. Just wondered if any of you actually did it.
Rebecca19804
08-03-2011, 09:30 AM
The writer of the Lovely Bicycle blog has extensive experience of twining almost literally anything, see e.g. http://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2009/08/adventures-with-twine.html. I believe she hangs out in the TE forum from time to time, possibly under the name "Lovely Bicycle" or "Velouria", but her e-mail address is on the "About" page of her blog as well, if you have questions.
malkin
08-03-2011, 03:09 PM
Brewer did it once and it looked great!
Velocivixen
08-03-2011, 03:44 PM
@Rebecca, yes, I forgot to mention that I've read all of her blogs as well. I love her blog actually as well as the ecovelo blog too. It looks like I'm set. I think what I'll do is to just do the ends where the black electrical tape already is and see how it goes. Not sure if I'll shellac or not. Thanks.