The other day (more than a month ago), the bar tape on my right aerobar desided to unravel mid-ride. I didn’t have time to re-tape it, so I just wrapped some ducttape around it. It worked fine, but boy was it tacky. I knew I needed to re-tape it, and I had extra bar tape, but I hadn’t had the time (or the right adhesive tape) to get to it. After stopping at thre differetn stores (thanks for nothing Lowes and Wal-mart), I ended up at Menards. first I got sent to the electrical department, then they told me to go to the hardware department, and then finally I was directed back to the paint department near where I started. (Go figure) Anyway, I picked up some black ductape (much better than electrical tape becasue it sticks better and doesn’t stretch.)
So I started my project. (sorry, I’m just including links becasue the photos are huge, and when I shrink them, they lose their proportion.)
Here’s the before pictures:
Notice, it’s dirty, tacky, and the background is a mess.
Next:
I take off the bar tape.
Notice how small the handholds are. That had been a great frustraion to me. I don’t have gigantic hands, but they are far from small either. I don’t mind the aerobars, but I hate not being able to wrap my hand around the Visions (IfI were flexibile enough, I could probably wrap my hands around them twice.) This is uncomfortable, and it cause hands cramps and control issues during prolonged braking, climbing, ect…
So I decided to customize:
I took some special garden/insulating tube shaped foam I had and cut it into small strips. I then applied these to the bottom protion the the handlebar, and taped them in place (just to be doubly sure they wouldn’t move.)
This increase the depth of the handles with out increasing the width.
I then bar wrapped over the tape, as normal:
This is so much more comfy. I’m able to nest the inside of my knuckles with the ridge that is formed. This: 1. keeps blood circulating in my hands, 2. Allows my to have a little bit more control over where I am turning, and 3. shouldn’t hurt aerodynamics at all. The hand holds are simply deeper, not wider. Sort of, a reverse airfoil shape. With the brake lever already breaking the airflow infront of the handlebar, I don’t see how this could hurt aerodynamics (heck, maybe it even helps a little bit.) I’d tried to convince someone going into aerobar manufacturing of the merits of this handlebar chape, but I don’t think they were interested. Oh well.
Notice how much cleaner everything is (including the background.)
The last little detail involved a magic (permanent marker.)
I covered up the ugle scratches, and the mis-matched (red) colored vison logo’s, and then I also colored in the goofy rainbow design that is under the aerobar pads. I’ve done this before, and it always lst for a month or more. Much more stealth, and less gawdy.
The foam I used is fairley stiff, it only has a slight amount of give, so that should absorb some road shock, but it doesn’t squish to the point of affecting handling.
I don’t have a long ride on them yet, but they seem much better than before, plus they look cooler and cleaner.
(And with a note to Slowman, notice how I routed the cables internally, as opposed to sticking them where ever I felt like on a pro’s bike.)
