Wrapping Drop Bars

I've been wrapping road bars with Cinelli cork for years. Recently, I've seen some conflicting
information regarding the direction of the wrapping from the ends to the center of the bars.

The Park Tools website advocates wrapping counterclockwise on the right and clockwise on the
left, when observed from behind the bicycle. Barnett's manual and the Cinelli package does the
opposite, wrapping to the outside on both sides of the bar, clockwise on the right,
counterclockwise on the left.

Oddly, reasons given for both methods are to avoid the tape unravelling, but obviously one method
has to be better than another. Care to comment?

 

Gary Kamieneski wrote:
> I've been wrapping road bars with Cinelli cork for years. Recently, I've seen some conflicting
> information regarding the direction of the wrapping from the ends to the center of the bars.
>
> The Park Tools website advocates wrapping counterclockwise on the right and clockwise on the
> left, when observed from behind the bicycle. Barnett's manual and the Cinelli package does the
> opposite, wrapping to the outside on both sides of the bar, clockwise on the right,
> counterclockwise on the left.
>
> Oddly, reasons given for both methods are to avoid the tape unravelling, but obviously one method
> has to be better than another. Care to comment?

Dunno about anyone else, but I wrap from the middle down to the brake levers, and from the ends up
to the brake levers. Its a bit more tricky, but it means you dont turn up the sides of the tape with
your hands when riding the tops/sides.

--

-Alex

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http://alexpg.ath.cx:3353/cycling.php http://www.westerleycycling.org.uk
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"Gary Kamieneski" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I've been wrapping road bars with Cinelli cork for years. Recently, I've seen some conflicting
> information regarding the direction of the wrapping from the ends to the center of the bars.
>
> The Park Tools website advocates wrapping counterclockwise on the right and clockwise on the
> left, when observed from behind the bicycle. Barnett's manual and the Cinelli package does the
> opposite, wrapping to the outside on both sides of the bar, clockwise on the right,
> counterclockwise on the left.
>
> Oddly, reasons given for both methods are to avoid the tape unravelling, but obviously one method
> has to be better than another. Care to comment?

I read somewhere that you should wrap towards the bike, starting at the bottom. Seems to work, but
if you wanna go the other way, it should work just as well... The difference will probably be around
the brake levers.

Mike

 

> The Park Tools website advocates wrapping counterclockwise on the right and clockwise on the
> left, when observed from behind the bicycle. Barnett's manual and the Cinelli package does the
> opposite, wrapping to the outside on both sides of the bar, clockwise on the right,
> counterclockwise on the left.
>
> Oddly, reasons given for both methods are to avoid the tape unravelling, but obviously one method
> has to be better than another. Care to comment?

i've always done things the cinelli way (though i didn't know it was the cinelli way...). my
reasoning (and let me state here that i am NOT an engineer, i don't CLAIM to be an engineer, i never
WANTED to be an engineer and i can't correct GRAMMAR like an engineer) is that the force i'm likely
to put on the tape is more perpendicular to the edges of the tape that way. should reduce tape creep
and probably reduces those nasty cork cuts my sensitive skin gets when rubbing against the sharp
edges of the tape. (NOT REALLY.)

does it make a difference? dunno. probably works equally well both ways, but after riding on cinelli
tape done this way for, um, 20 years or so, i'm sure it'd bug me to change.

 

Gary Kamieneski <[email protected]> wrote:
> I've been wrapping road bars with Cinelli cork for years. Recently, I've seen some conflicting
> information regarding the direction of the wrapping from the ends to the center of the bars.

> The Park Tools website advocates wrapping counterclockwise on the right and clockwise on the
> left, when observed from behind the bicycle. Barnett's manual and the Cinelli package does the
> opposite, wrapping to the outside on both sides of the bar, clockwise on the right,
> counterclockwise on the left.

> Oddly, reasons given for both methods are to avoid the tape unravelling, but obviously one method
> has to be better than another. Care to comment?

CW or CCW can be confusing depending on where you're standing. What you want is for the tape to
overlap like roof shingles along the top of the bar such that when your hands slide toward the brake
levers they won't peel up the tape. As long as you wrap from the ends toward the middle, you will be
ok whether you start CW or CCW. But for symetry, if you start CW on the left, then do the opposite
on the right.

Art "anti-clockwise" Harris

 

Gary Kamieneski wrote:

> I've been wrapping road bars with Cinelli cork for years. Recently, I've seen some conflicting
> information regarding the direction of the wrapping from the ends to the center of the bars.
>
> The Park Tools website advocates wrapping counterclockwise on the right and clockwise on the
> left, when observed from behind the bicycle. Barnett's manual and the Cinelli package does the
> opposite, wrapping to the outside on both sides of the bar, clockwise on the right,
> counterclockwise on the left.
>
> Oddly, reasons given for both methods are to avoid the tape unravelling, but obviously one method
> has to be better than another. Care to comment?

it depends on the 'style' you want. for a 'standard' rap i start on the drop and rap towards the
center. taping starts on the bottom of the bar and comes out, over, in and under (that way you don't
need CW/CCW). as long as you go around the hoods the same way (and i'm not going to try to describe
it) the tape will go from the bottom forward up and over the bar. the reason i rap this direction is
it tends to tighten the tape when ridden, you tend to twist the tape inward. it does leave the up
edge exposed but i'm from a wet area and this adds grip to the bar on the downward slopeing parts. (
i should explain it's a resting place *I* like - hands outward just above the hoods.)

this style has a disadvantage of curling the exposed edge after a while, by then the tape is pretty
ratty anyway. a smoother effect can be had by starting at the stem ( again from the bottom forward,
over,to the rear and down).

another way to tape is a 'weave' you use 2 pieces of tape per side (different colors if you wish) -
not Even going to try to explain that one!

how you go over the hoods is an art! some like a figure 8, but if the tape is thick it really makes
the hoods Fat. this is best with cloth tape not cork. i usealy use a small piece as filler for the
back of the bar (hides the hoodclamp) and rap from the outside-front-bottom, up over the hood to the
front and around the bar from the front inside. this lease a small peice of hood exposed to the
inside but uses the least tape for the most coverage. that can be needed on a wide bar with the
inexpencive tape you barely get enough tape anyway.

 

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Looking from the saddle, wrap the left side of the bar (left hand) counterclockwise, the right side
of the bar clockwise. Think of your hands on the drops, your palms on the bars and your fingers
wrapped around the bar. A person tends to rotate their hands towards their fingers. This rotation
will tend to open up the winds of bartape if not done in the correct direction.

MOO, Matt

Mike S. wrote:

>"Gary Kamieneski" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>
>
>>I've been wrapping road bars with Cinelli cork for years. Recently, I've seen some conflicting
>>information regarding the direction of the wrapping from the ends to the center of the bars.
>>
>>The Park Tools website advocates wrapping counterclockwise on the right and clockwise on the
>>left, when observed from behind the bicycle. Barnett's manual and the Cinelli package does the
>>opposite, wrapping to the outside on both sides of the bar, clockwise on the right,
>>counterclockwise on the left.
>>
>>Oddly, reasons given for both methods are to avoid the tape unravelling, but obviously one method
>>has to be better than another. Care to comment?
>>
>>
>
>I read somewhere that you should wrap towards the bike, starting at the bottom. Seems to work, but
>if you wanna go the other way, it should work just as well... The difference will probably be
>around the brake levers.
>
>Mike
>
>
>
>
>

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http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1"> <title></title> </head> <body>
Looking from the saddle, wrap the left side of the bar (left hand) counterclockwise, the right side
of the bar clockwise. Think of your hands on the drops, your palms on the bars and your
fingers wrapped around the bar. A person tends to rotate their hands towards their fingers.
This rotation will tend to open up the winds of bartape if not done in the correct
direction.<br> <br> MOO,<br> Matt<br> <br> Mike S. wrote:<br> <blockquote type="cite"
cite="[email protected]"> <pre wrap="">"Gary Kamieneski" <a
class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E"
href="mailto:[email protected]"><[email protected]></a> wrote in message <a
class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="news:[email protected]">news:2630-
[email protected]</a>... </pre> <blockquote type="cite"> <pre wrap="">I've
been wrapping road bars with Cinelli cork for years. Recently, I've seen some conflicting
information regarding the direction of the wrapping from the ends to the center of the bars.

The Park Tools website advocates wrapping counterclockwise on the right and clockwise on the
left, when observed from behind the bicycle. Barnett's manual and the Cinelli package does the
opposite, wrapping to the outside on both sides of the bar, clockwise on the right,
counterclockwise on the left.

Oddly, reasons given for both methods are to avoid the tape unravelling, but obviously one method
has to be better than another. Care to comment? </pre> </blockquote> <pre wrap=""><!----> I read
somewhere that you should wrap towards the bike, starting at the bottom. Seems to work, but if you
wanna go the other way, it should work just as well... The difference will probably be around the
brake levers.

Mike

</pre> </blockquote> <br> </body> </html>

--------------030001090804080502090904--

 

"H. Guy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > The Park Tools website advocates wrapping counterclockwise on the right and clockwise on the
> > left, when observed from behind the bicycle. Barnett's manual and the Cinelli package does the
> > opposite, wrapping to the outside on both sides of the bar, clockwise on the right,
> > counterclockwise on the left.
> >
> > Oddly, reasons given for both methods are to avoid the tape unravelling, but obviously one
> > method has to be better than another. Care to comment?
>
> i've always done things the cinelli way (though i didn't know it was the cinelli way...). my
> reasoning (and let me state here that i am NOT an engineer, i don't CLAIM to be an engineer, i
> never WANTED to be an engineer and i can't correct GRAMMAR like an engineer) is that the force i'm
> likely to put on the tape is more perpendicular to the edges of the tape that way. should reduce
> tape creep and probably reduces those nasty cork cuts my sensitive skin gets when rubbing against
> the sharp edges of the tape. (NOT REALLY.)
>
> does it make a difference? dunno. probably works equally well both ways, but after riding on
> cinelli tape done this way for, um, 20 years or so, i'm sure it'd bug me to change.

Interesting have been the responses. I only brought it up because recently I've seen this addressed
on a lot of sites. Funny, on one they did it the Park Tools way, but stated "just like on the
Cinelli box", which of course, is just the opposite. Myself, I think they really might be something
to wrapping both sides over the top to the inside. That way, when you pull back on the tops while
climbing, it really does "tighten" the wind.

 

"Gary Kamieneski" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> obviously one method has to be better than another. Care to comment?

It's not obvious to me why one method has to be better than another. Why is that?

JT

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"John Forrest Tomlinson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Gary Kamieneski" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > obviously one method has to be better than another. Care to comment?
>
> It's not obvious to me why one method has to be better than another. Why is that?
>
Well, you see, if there are two methods, one has to be better. May not be by much, but one method
may cause less to go wrong over the long term, etc.

But, if you live in the southern hemisphere, you need to wrap opposite the way those of us in the
northern hemisphere do. There's something about the coriolis forces that causes things to be
backwards. Just look at what it did to the roads...

Mike

 

"Mike S." <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> >
> Well, you see, if there are two methods, .one has to be better. May not be by much, but one method
> may cause less to go wrong over the long term, etc.

I am not sure if you are joking. In case you are not, what you said is not true. Sometimes
differences are insignificant.

JT

--
*******************************************
NB: reply-to address is munged

Visit http://www.jt10000.com
*******************************************

 

As sitting on the bicycle, I wrap the tape from the inside of the bar outward. That means clockwise
on right side. On the tops, I wind the tape away from me. I use a piece of back tape at the hood.
The stuff seems to stay put and I prefer tape w/o glue on it.

There is another trick. I buy 2 tapings of the same tape. The tape wears from the lever to the
straight part of the bar. In my case, just at the hood and tape interface. I cut the tape where it
crosses the lever under the hood and stick the lower end down with Crazy glue. I take ½ roll of the
2nd box of tape, glue the end at the cut and wind as usual. With 2 boxes of tape, you can get 5
tapings. Most useful if you like light colored tape.

 

> "Mike S." <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
>>Well, you see, if there are two methods, .one has to be better. May not be by much, but one method
>>may cause less to go wrong over the long term, etc.

I always go out and under, i.e. clockwise on the left, widdershins on the right.

My rationale for this is that the end of the tape, at the middle of the bar, is coming over the bar
toward the rider. If the rider is in time-trial mode, pulling on the bar near the middle, the
direction of pull will tend to tighten, rather than loosen the tape.

I consider this to be a matter of importance about equal to my practice of always crimping cable end
caps in line with the airflow for improved aerodynamics, i.e. virtually none.

John Forrest Tomlinson wrote:

> I am not sure if you are joking. In case you are not, what you said is not true. Sometimes
> differences are insignificant.

Yep. What is important is to standardize on which way you do it, lest you fall into the error of
doing one side one way and t'other side t'other.

Sheldon "Always Glad Of A Chance To Write 'Widdershins'--No Magazine Editor Would EVER Let Me Do
That!" Brown +--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ...Which two mighty powers powers have...been engaged in a most | obstinate war for six and
| thirty moons past. It began upon the | following occasion. It is allowed on all hands, that the |
| primitive way of breaking eggs before we eat them, was upon the | large end; but his present
| Majesty's grandfather, while he was a | boy, going to eat an egg, and breaking it according to
| the | ancient practice, happened to cut one of his fingers. Whereupon | the Emperor his father
| published an edict, commanding all his | subjects, upon great penalties, to break the smaller end
| of their | eggs. The people so highly resented this law, that our histories | tell us there have
| been six rebellions raised on that account; | wherein one Emperor lost his life, and another his
| crown...It is | computed, that eleven thousand persons have...suffered death, | rather than
| submit to break their eggs at the smaller end. Many | hundred large volumes have been published
| upon this controversy...| --Jonathan Swift |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton,
Massachusetts Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 http://harriscyclery.com Hard-to-find parts
shipped Worldwide http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

 

Sheldon Brown wrote:

>
> Sheldon "Always Glad Of A Chance To Write 'Widdershins'--No Magazine Editor Would EVER Let Me Do
> That!" Brown

Why not try an occult magazine? Surely you could do a piece on the black art of cyclemaintenance. I
believe they will be most sympathetic
--
Marten

 

James Connell wrote:
> for a 'standard' rap i start on the drop and rap towards the center. taping starts on the bottom
> of the bar and comes out, over, in and under (that way you don't need CW/CCW).

<snip>

> it does leave the up edge exposed but i'm from a wet area and this adds grip to the bar on the
> downward slopeing parts.

I can't picture this. If you're wrapping from the bottom up, the "up edges" should be covered by the
next wind of the tape (until you get to the center where you use electrical tape to secure the end).

Art Harris

 

On Wed, 23 Apr 2003 03:19:42 GMT, Sheldon Brown <[email protected]> wrote:

>I always go out and under, i.e. clockwise on the left, widdershins on the right.

Wouldn't that make it deasil on the left?

>Sheldon "Always Glad Of A Chance To Write 'Widdershins'--No Magazine Editor Would EVER Let Me Do
>That!" Brown

John "Always Glad Of A Chance To Learn Two New Words" Everett

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

 

Alex Graham <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> Dunno about anyone else, but I wrap from the middle down to the brake levers, and from the ends up
> to the brake levers. Its a bit more tricky, but it means you dont turn up the sides of the tape
> with your hands when riding the tops/sides.

The very first time I wrapped a set of bars with cloth tape I did exactly this, and found that
within a few miles the edges of the tape on the bend of the tops began to curl down. Within a few
days the edges in the drops began to curl up. Since then I always wrapped cloth tape in 4 pieces
starting at the levers and working towards the bar ends or the middle of the tops. The edges of
modern tapes are much stiffer and I find that using 2 pieces, starting at the bar ends and finishing
at the tops is fine.

--
Dave...

 

Wouldn't know. Mine have been laced on leather since '85

May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris

Chris'Z Corner "The Website for the Common Bicyclist": http://www.geocities.com/czcorner