Mark Lawrence wrote :
> I want to avoid damaging the beautiful paint on my frame, yet need to add
> a clamp-on gear shifter. What is the best thing to wrap on the paint
> first to protect it from damage? .
A noble aspiration - protecting the paint - but my opinion is, forget it. I've seen too many occaisions when well-intentioned riders put tape, rubber, cloth handlebar tape under the clamp on fittings for gear levers or the front derailleur clamp - it's a lot more trouble and it NEVER works. Whatever material you use interferes with the clamping action, and usually the levers slip and cause a big ol' gouge in the paint. I guarantee you that when you peel that "miracle plastic film" off, you'll take paint with it.
Don't.
Just put a little grease on the inside of the clamp before installing it, and tighten them down firmly but not too tight (especially that front derailleur clamp) and ride it. This is the way Faliero and Cino and all those whose flame we now keep did it - and if it was good enough for them, it's good enough for us.
Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA