How To Wrap Your Bar Tape

By Brad Quartuccio & Chris Paladino

Properly wrapped bars are not only more aesthetically pleasing, but more functional than a poor wrap job. Doing it right gives a more even surface for grip that doesn’t come unraveled or have gaps open up over time.

Wrapping a bar isn’t hard if you follow a few basic tips. Always start at the bottom and work up, so that sliding your hand down the bar goes with the seams. Keep it taut and consistently spaced throughout the wrap to prevent it from unraveling. And go opposite directions on each side of the bar to keep the seams and end wrap running in the same pattern. In this technique, it’s all about the angled cuts in Steps 1 and 6 to prevent either end of the tape from having a bulge. While shown on a commuter setup of bar-end shifters and inline ‘cross levers, this method works on all controls and does not rely on a bar plug to keep the tape together.

Cork or synthetic, glue backed or not the technique is the same.

Cut the beginning of the tape as shown. The angled edge goes to the inside of the wrap.

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