How to Wrap Handlebars on a Road bike (SUPACAZ) REVERSE WRAP *NO TAPE* *SPECIALIZED TARMAC SL7* 

I used to work at Raleigh and this was the method used many moons ago. I still wrap my bars this way and in 40 or so years of bike riding I've NEVER had any problems with tape slipping, water ingress, tape fraying or any of the problems stated in these comments. IF you tape your bars properly in the first place you won't have any problems.

Bought my first bike a month ago, replaced the bars and used this method to wrap them. IT WAS EASY AND LOOKS GREAT!!! The key was taking my time. No issues yet!!

I do this wrapping technique on my trek madone for 3 years. Never had any unwrapping , fray or even tear. Looks clean and sharp too

Love this technique. I do it even with the Di2 junction box in the handle bar. You finish it off with a triangular cut (like you would from bottom towards up) but finish it off with super glue. You stick the last bit of the bar tape on itself. You'd think with wet, dirt, etc it wouldn't hold but it holds it perfectly! I even had to undo it before and reglue and was able to without damaging the tape.

Thanks for the video mate - wrapped my Rapide bars a few days ago with some “cheap” BBB tape and eh, immediately the tape started to come undone and I just didn’t like it. Picked up some Supacaz earlier today, did it to your method and it is CLEAN. Thanks brother!

I never really thought about starting from the top down but wow, I’m going to have to try that. It really gives a clean precise look!

I tried double wrapping the bar tape, and it feels great. The larger diameter works well for me. Great how to video.

Everything old is new again. I've taped bars this way since the 1970's. I guess we all did. In fact, if I'd had to wrap electrical tape to finish the job, I'd have called it a garbage job. Keep in mind though that the tape I used then was just tape with no padding. As such, pulling tightly when wrapping was enough to avoid significant ridges . I will admit though that with the padded stuff we get today, it feels much nicer when on the drops to follow the electrical tape method, If you don't wear gloves . Ending at the plugs technique is just one of those things that the new experts tell you to " never do ". Just as they told you that narrow high pressure tires are faster ,and high cadence is the only way to go, and always strive to pedal in circles . All of these have now been re-evaluated. Basically do what works best for you seems to be the current attitude . By the way, I once heard that Alberto Contador always taped his bars ending up at the plugs.

I taped my aero bars like this. Looks great. Switched the direction of the wrap going down the drops so it won't come undone. Ridden a few hundred miles on it so far and it's holding up fine. We'll see if it lasts. I love the way it looks!

I just tape normally, and finish it at the top with a small amount of super glue. If you wrap it right, you can simply glue the tape to itself underneath the handlebar, so you don't see where it ends, and isn't bulky. I've been riding mine this way for a few thousand miles without any problems. I use the Canyon tape with the Canyon aero bars.

Thanks will do this on my next set of tape. Came out really clean.

This was really helpful, thank you! Just tried the reverse wrap on my Fuji bike and it worked great! I used lizard skins tape, which seems to work really well as it's adhesive backed and also has the beveled edges, which sit really flat. Went for a quick 20 mile test ride and all good. The only negative might be if you don't have carbon bars with internal cables, you'd have to unwrap the entire bar from the bottom to change out cables. Otherwise, all good!

I really like how clean this looks, but every time I wrap my bars this way, the tape frays/lifts due to pressure on the overlapping seam. I find going the other way to be better (for me), and the clean look can be obtained by using a tape with a quality finishing strip applied over the electrical tape.

I just learned of the reverse wrap several months ago. I saw a video on a build and the guy wrapped the bar that way. It was a round bar and there were a lot of comments criticizing it. Not sure why as I thought it was a great idea. A couple of months later, I was returning home from a trip with my gravel bike on the back. I guess the rain I rode in on my trip combined with the little bit of rain I drove through caused the tape on my bar tape to come lose. I saw it flapping in my rear view mirror as I drove as it came unwrapped. I put new bar tape on the bike after I got home and reverse wrapped it to hopefully avoid another incident like that. I think it is a great idea and wonder why that hasn't always been them norm.

Thanks for the vid GC. I wrapped my prime aero bars from the drops and they didn't look very good and where uncomfortable. I tried your method and they turned out pretty good. No more humps from finishing tape, also a lot smoother across the top.

For me this is great as it removes the ugly cut bar tape from the top of my bars and hides the cut in the handlebar. I don't have an issue with the electrical tape but i don't like how the tape bulks out after cutting it. Thanks for the content and keep it coming.

Perfect for silicone bar tape, can reuse many time. Being practice this skill for years no problems at all unless you didn't pull bartape firmly

I have used this video since released 3 years time and time again...and here I am again haha. Love this method.

This is the correct way to wrap Aerofly IIs with bartape. But huge kudos go to the engineer who designed the handlebars in a way the bartape looks super clean when wrapped this way. Not sure you get the same result with others brand aero handlebars. Well done!

Just like we did it in the 80’s. Hopefully the newer tape will resist rolling at the edges like cotton tape did from hand pressure and movement.

Just did this and it turned out amazing. I’ll see how it performs on a group ride in the am.

Thanks! I've always wrapped the other way, but I recently wrapped some 2.5 Lizard Skins on an integrated bar and the results were dreadful. I was actually able to re-use the tape (it had only been applied the day before) and it came out very nice. Easier too.

After watching this video, all my bar taps are done this way thanks champ.

I am super stoked I found this video, I really like how clean the wrap looks without electrical tape. I've yet to test this over next few rides, but so far it looks and feels promising.

This is exactly what I needed to watch. I recently bought a used bike with Aero Fly II bars and I need to replace the tape ASAP.

Makes sense with this kind of bar where there is a specific indentation for the tape on the top. Tape can come of or get sticky anyway if the bike gets too wet etc. I have these bars. Will be trying next time.

do this if u change bartapes monthly or usually at the drops. bartape at the top part peels off easily because the exposed edge is where there's pushing/friction when using the hood area (majority of cyclists)

That’s exactly how I wrap my tape👍what a lot of tape manufacturers say don’t stretch the tape but I also wrap it tight👍

Looks totally clean, but I've learned why you DON'T wrap from the top to the end. Looks nice now, but the edges of the tape are pushed on by your hands as they hold the bars going towards the hoods. The edges quickly fray and even tear. That's why you always wrap from the ends to the tops, the edges of the tape are on the outside. Sorry, but that's why you need tape.

Just did this with some supacaz tape to my bike! Looks awesome! Thanks so much for the video! It was very helpful!

Sick, thank you! Will try this the next time I hate using tape.

Excellent video, I now have all the info to try a reverse wrap and the figure of 8 around the hoods! Really appreciate the video!

Nice video! If you do another handlebar wrap one, do it from the other way starting at the bottom of the bars. I always forget which way to go!

I just did it, it came out great. I appreciate the tutorial!

I know electrical tape is the most common way everyone finishes off the wrap job but not me. I use wax twine. Every electrical tape shifts and comes loose, it's just the glue doesn't hold well especially if you live in a warmer climate. The wax twine comes in any color you want from Amazon and if you know how to install it it will stay put and never ever loosen.

Thanks for the video. I will try this out on my SL7. I may reinforce the bar tape with electrical tape before the full loop at the start. It won't be visible, ofcourse.

Nice! I’ll give it a try. A suggestion for a future video is how to change the bearings on Enve wheels.

Perfect. Another great no nonsense informative video. Thank you!

Just ordered this exact same tape for the same bars yesterday and your video popped up. Spooky but useful 👍

I remember having a Peugeot bike years ago that came like this. It looks loads better, I’m going to rewrap like this 👍🏻

An old video, but SUPER helpful!!! Worked out awesome!!! Thanks!!!

Now, I’m ready to buy my S-Work SL7 :) Good job

this tape has soooo much of adhesive as well as its sticking so well to the bars that i wouldn't worry about the direction of the wrap. it looks cool and ill try it definitely on my system six. good video! Always cool to see something new :)

That makes a lot more sense. So many start at the bar end and need sticky tape to finish. Thanks. Could you do a video on building a bike with mechanical shifting? ie. what cables, tools to use, + the whole process.

Had speculated this would be the way! Appreciated

Thank You for such a great video. I was able to redo the tape that was originally on my New Tarmac Pro. First time wrapping bars and can't believe I was able to to it and make it look great. Thank You for make it so easy for me. Zimmer

Time to try this out *rolls up sleeves*. Clean wrap job 👍👍

Did this on my touring bike with surly cornerbars looks and feels good to me

Those are some nice looking bars. I like the recessed section for the tap. Makes for a much cleaner look

Thanks for the new knowledge, clean setup good job man

Nice! Gonna give this a shot next week after I get a new set of bartape!

Love it! Looks perfect on my venge. Great tutorial 👌🏻. Thanks 👊🏻

Thank you so much for this video! It looks very clean indeed. You earned my subscription :) The mechanic of Victor Campenaerts starts with some sticky tape on the bars first.

Great Job,, maybe you can show us how to make the brake levers closer or further from the hands

Amazing technique! Thanks for sharing! 👏👏👏

Yes, definitely My next wrapping job...✌🏼

Nice video brother!!! Thanks can you make a tutorial video on how to adjust a DI2 ultegra??!?

Best way to wrap bars for me ..always looks better and cleaner look.

Day late and a dollar short. I used the very same SuperCaz tape and wrapped my rt side bar last nite, using the standard method. great job and I suck at wrapping bar tape, I don't think im stretching the tape as i move up the bar.

Awesome job!! I guess I have just learnt how to do it myself. What a shame the syncros ic sl cockpit from scott doesn't have that recessed part so the tape sits nice and flush with the handlebars. Canyon bikes also have that. I don't see a reason why other manufacturers won't do it like that.

Very clean. I like it:D All bar tape should be done up like this.

FAck! Love it. I've been trying to get a clean look/setup on my bar wrap for years. Does it only work in Sup[a?

Thanks, will do on my next wrapping.

I wrapped my bars very nicely.

I did this back in the days. But the way the edges is facing where I have most of the movement of the hands... makes them tear little by little. That's why I wrap them from the bottom to top. The edges are covered by the one overlapping it. 😁 Great tutorial though 💪🏾

Great tip, great video, love it, thanks 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

I’ll try this out on my new set of tape 🙌🏻🙌🏻

love this wrap method, I always come back to this video, will I ever be able to wrap bars without it?! :D

All about the reverse Wrap. It's so clean! 🙌🏽 #RobbArmstrong

Mmm, looks neat but not practical. I agree with Ryem3, over time the bar tape will be pushed back by the shear momentum of the hands pushing the bar tape forward and thus catching the edges towards the hoods. You don't see the Pro Peleton Teams ever using this process at all. I was always taught to wrap the right side clockwise and the left side anti clockwise as the natural movement of the hands and wrist moves in that direction when down on the drops. By moving in that natural direction, the bar tape is getting further tightened by that way. Oh well, each to their own whatever the client wants the way their bar tape to be installed! Great explanation in sharing this content to us weekend hacks!

Done! I hate the look of tape. I have a couple bars to wrap soon, and I will be doing exactly this

I am about to atempt this tomorrow pray for me :)

This method is from the older days when you used thinner textile bar tape. And the figure 8 is out of fashion, especially with the stiffer and thicker modern bar tapes. The „knot“ at the levers will be much too fat. Always start at the bottom: right side clockwise, left side counter clockwise. After the levers change the direction, so you‘re coming from the outside over the handlebar

You can do it like this and from bottom to top like the mechanics of team ineos, they use super glue instead of electrical tape.

Thanks for the tip, I will try this next time

Such a cool bike too 👌🏼

Best Tape wrap video on YT, coming back to this every year 😅

Wow looks super clean, never tapped from the top down, anyways my Aerofly 2 cracked right were you started (🍋) hope I can get same clean look on Enve SES Aero

I will try this method when I get my aero handlebars

Ever since I noticed this trick; I have redo all my bartape to reverse wrap

Looks great very clean looking 👌

Right Drop Bar proper wrapping is Clockwise. It Will hold for a while but if you start on sprinting Or holding the Drop Bar it will loosen the Tape cause of the outward movement of the hand. It wil be good if you end up on that part wrapping clockwise. The overlap on the Brake Lever should not be done so that you’ll end up the Drop Bar on a clockwise pattern.

Thanks for info bro well done

Can't wait to try it out on my old 2013 Specialized Tarmac.

Just tried this for the 1st time. I always have trouble with the ending/cutting the tape at the top. Looks good now, hopefully the supacaz stays in place

nice job on that one. love those bars

Many people say wrapping from top to drop is wrong. because of the direction of the grip is the reverse. I also agree with that. But, in these days, quite many bar tapes have good silicon glue or gels. So now, Actually, We don't need to care about the direction of bar tapes because it has enough adhesion to stick.

Looks nice, but the tape will not last longer. I don't recommend to use like this ever.

Extremely clean!! 👍🏻

Nice, super clean.

Damnnnn, that flat bar is very beautifull. Can flat bar stock fit on just about any bike?🚴🏼‍♀️

How would you finish it off if you had a Di2 bar end plug?

Wrapped my bars on my SL6 like this for the first time today. An additional way to help stop the tape from unravelling is to wrap insulation tape adhesive side out. (Tip stolen from Park Tools video).

This is very neat, but will only work with tape that's thin on the edges, otherwise the fact that the direction of the overlap does not follow the way your hand is pushing means your peeling every wrap up when you're pushing on the drops.

This looks super nice !

Hey man. I've used this method with a supacaz tape and no issues at all during 2 years. Great way to wrap it up. Do you know if with a Lizard Skins tape it will work too? Thanks for the video 😉

good job, so good

Hi, thanks very much for the method! How are these Supacaz bands holding up since you installed them 3years ago? Thanks!

Very Nice. Hope to try it soon.

Great video, so clearly explained!