PROBLEM: Your handlebar tape loosens and shows gaps, especially on the top curves just behind the brake levers.
SOLUTION: Re-wrap the tape starting at the bar end and finishing near the stem.
When tape is wrapped the other way, from the center to the end, your hands push against the overlap along the top curves. This rolls the tape’s edges and eventually opens gaps.
Buy new tape or reuse what you have if it unwraps without tearing. Start at the very end of the bar. Pull firmly and overlap uniformly about one-third of the tape’s width. Beware of gaps on the front side as you wrap around the big bend.
Roll back the rubber hood and do a figure 8 around the brake lever. For a pro job, first put a piece of the bar tape around the lever’s metal band. Then no gap will show when the hood is put back.
Continue wrapping snugly to about one inch from the stem (or to the edge of the bar’s raised center section, if it has one). Cut the end and secure it with a piece of electrical tape. You get bonus points for using a color that coordinates with your bike.
Voila! Another nuisance negated. The tape should stay perfectly in place. Your hands can’t push it apart.
Tip: Don’t forget to put your bar plugs back in. Those little things are actually a safety item. An unplugged handlebar could take a core sample from your leg if it were to hit you in a crash.
I have wrapped/rewrapped many handlebars in my 30+ years in the bike business. I always finished off the bar tape with plastic electrician’s tape, which worked ok, but would eventually smear and slip.
On a trip to Home Depot I found black silicone tape, which is a good inch wide, is stretchy, comes in a roll about 4′ long, and costs about $5. There is a clear plastic film that must be peeled off as you make 3 or 4 wraps directly over one another to finish off the bar tape, using this instead of plastic electrician’s tape. The silicone tape fuses to itself, will not slip. and is super durable. Also looks good for a long time.
This is really useful advice! Having this problem now so I will look for this at Home Depot.
Yes this silicone tape works great and it fuses to itself to create a tough waterproof seal. We used it in the military for temporary wiring repairs on the AH-65 when a quick secure repair was needed to keep the aircraft flying. I has to be stretched then securely pressed onto itself and as it relaxes it adheres to itself creating a tight and water proof seal .I have never used it for wrapping bars because it needs a lot of tension to work correctly and electricians tape is usually more than sufficient except in more extreme cases. I also use it for wrapping tool handles for a better grip. It does dry rot and gets hard after a while and needs replacing. It is designed as a temporary fix only.