handlebar tape question

[Zelda_K]

thanks for this

[Pedal Wench]

I botched my first attempt, but it can be done in about 15 minutes. It's a great start at doing your own stuff on the bike, and lets you change up your bike's appearance in just a few minutes.

[ny biker]

It takes a few minutes when the manager of my LBS does it for me. Since I'm buying the tape from him, he doesn't charge for the labor.

[kmehrzad]

NY Biker, what LBS do you frequent where the manager will personally wrap your bars for free? They deserve my business.

[Becky]

If it's good tape, 15 minutes sounds about right. If it's a re-wrap with existing tape (like you unwrapped part-way to move a shifter), or inflexible, non-stretchy tape, it takes me longer.

For me, the hardest part is wrapping around the shifter on the left side. I'm right handed, so I have an easier time in general with the right side.

Give it a shot....it might not be perfect, but you really can't break anything

[OakLeaf]

If it's a re-wrap with existing tape (like you unwrapped part-way to move a shifter) ... it takes me longer.

It's much quicker and easier for me to re-wrap with existing tape, because it has the indentations and possibly the dirt to show me exactly where to overlap, and it's already stretched to conform exactly to the bars.

[withm]

NY Biker, what LBS do you frequent where the manager will personally wrap your bars for free? They deserve my business.

I have never paid the LBS to install bar tape. I guess it depends on the relationship you have with the shop. It probably helps that I have bought 5 bikes in 10 years, and take them home-made cookies from time to time. To be fair, I don't have 2 of those bikes anymore, but the shop has been great to deal with over the years.

[ny biker]

I have never paid the LBS to install bar tape. I guess it depends on the relationship you have with the shop. It probably helps that I have bought 5 bikes in 10 years, and take them home-made cookies from time to time. To be fair, I don't have 2 of those bikes anymore, but the shop has been great to deal with over the years.

Well I bought the tape from them first, and in this case it was the manager who helped me with the purchase. It was The Bike Lane in Reston. I was probably buying other things from them at the same time -- I rarely get out of there without spending some money on something.

[kmehrzad]

I was in The Bike Lane's Reston location on Wed. test riding a Trek 520. Nice bike and nice staff.