On 7/16/08, sean flores <seaneee175@gmail.com> wrote:
> I've never had an issue with fraying or rolling up. Mainly because I shellac
> cloth tape, but also make sure that when I start the wrap, I put the end of
> the tape at and angle and double over it so there is no exposed edge. I also
> make sure that it's a very tight wrap.
>
> I've also found that contact cement is useful when securing the tape if you
> want an extra strong hold where you start your wrap.
>
The fraying I've had is not at the start of the tape where it can be folded under as you describe, but on the rounded ramps of the bars where the ordinary pressure and friction of hands leaning on the bar peels up the upward exposed tape edge. The rolled edges eventually fray. This rolled edge always happened on center-started cloth tape jobs for me no matter how tractor tight I installed the tape and even when I added extra cement at these edges to hold them down. People who ride only the the tops, drops, and/or hoods may not have this problems, but only those who like to rest on the ramps of the bars too.
Not having to find a way to finish off and hold down tape at the bar center is the only advantage of center-started wrapping that I can think of other than being faithful to originality if the bike used this method in its original form.
Sounds like shellacing (and urethane coating?) can prevent this.
Mitch Harris
Little Rock Canyon, Utah, USA
.
> Sean Flores
> San Francisco, CA.
>
>>
>>
>> Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:15:43 -0700 (PDT)
>> From: randy dugan <rsdugan@yahoo.com>
>> To: classicrendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>> Subject: RE: [CR]Wrapping bars with cloth tape
>> Message-ID: <380371.11203.qm@web31804.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>> MIME-Version: 1.0
>> Precedence: list
>> Message: 7
>>
>> sean mentions starting at the sleeve and wrapping your way down... this
>> would eliminate the need to finish with electrical tape, but in my
>> experience, wrapping in that direction leaves the exposed edge of the tape
>> on the upper edge, so it tends to roll down and expose the bars as you
>> ride
>> the bike. sean, do you have a trick for preventing this?
>>
>> on his site, ray dobbins recommends washing cloth tape in the clothes
>> washer prior to wrapping, and wrapping the bars while it's still slightly
>> wet. i tried it with my last tape job and was very happy with the
>> results.
>>
>> finally, wilson bicycle sales sometimes has cat-eye tape, if your LBS will
>> order it from them.
>>
>> randy dugan
>> van nuys, ca usa
>> ------------------------------