Matthew, I had trouble too when I first started wrapping bars. As for method, I too duct tape the brake straps to the bar but my biggest secret is I always use Cat Eye bar cloth. I bought about 30 rolls of that stuff in different colors and have only used their cloth. For some reason it lays down real nice. Never any wrinkles.
Mike Hendricks San Jose, Ca.
> [Original Message]
> From: devotion finesse <devotion_finesse@hotmail.com>
> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Date: 5/25/2006 6:20:18 PM
> Subject: [CR]On wrapping one's bars...
>
> So now I am about to REALLY reveal myself as a "newbie"...Please bear
with
> me.
> I am now in the process of assembling the 74 Raleigh International that I
> have been gathering parts for (with much appreciated help from CR
> listmembers!) and this, being my very first road bike, has brought me to
an
> obstacle:
> I have never applied tape to a set of road drops. Sure, I have put a
little
> Tressoplast cloth tape on the flats of many track bars. No science
there.
> But multiple bends and brake calipers present a couple of new challenges.
> I am hoping that some of you might have some pointers to help me get
moving
> in the right direction.
> The International is the bronze/orange/rust color and I intend to use
white
> Velox tape, shellaced to match.
> I have looked at every road bike locked up on the street. I have scoured
> the pages of classic rendezvous looking for detail shots of bars, etc.
It
> seems that wrapping methods are consistently inconsistent. Is there a
> "correct" way to go about doing this? Do I start at the stem and wind my
> way toward the bar ends? The other way entirely? Do I wind around the
bars
> toward the front or rear? Any tricks for cleanly dealing with brake
> calipers?
> Any tips are greatly appreciated.
> Thanks,
> Matthew "the twenty-something who is about to take off his training
wheels"
> Bowne
> Brooklyn, New York