How To: Wrap Handlebar Tape on a Road Bike or Gravel Bike

Secure your bike in a workstand and use a handlebar holder if available. Alternatively, lean the bike against a stable surface.

First, remove the bar end plugs – use a tyre lever if necessary.

Next, roll back the hoods, i.e. the rubber covers of the integrated brake and shift levers.

Then remove the finishing tape and carefully unwrap the old handlebar tape. Take your time to remove any adhesive residue completely.

Spray some cleaner onto a cloth and thoroughly clean the handlebar.

First, check that all brake and, if fitted, shift cables are securely attached to the handlebar and don't get in the way when gripping it. Some handlebars feature grooves that allow cables and hoses to be routed neatly. If yours doesn't, we recommend securing them underneath the handlebar with electrical tape.

Here are a few important tips before you begin:

Always wrap the handlebar tape from the drops towards the tops.

We wrap the tape from the inside out because many riders naturally rotate their hands slightly outwards when riding in the drops. This means the wrapping direction follows the movement of your hands. Looking in the direction of travel, wrap clockwise on the right-hand side and counter-clockwise on the left-hand side. Some riders prefer the opposite direction and wrap from the outside in.

How far you wrap the tape along the tops depends on your handlebar and your personal preference. The length of the tape is often the limiting factor. Good to know: handlebar tape is available in different lengths. If your handlebar has no markings for the finishing point, use electrical tape to mark the same distance from the centre on both sides.

If your handlebar tape has visible logos, position them so they face backwards. Otherwise, they'll disappear as you wrap the tape.

If your handlebar tape is side-specific, make sure you don't mix up the left and right sides.

Now you're ready to start wrapping the handlebar tape.

Don't remove the entire protective backing from the adhesive strip at once. Peel back only the first few centimetres.

Position the tape at the end of the handlebar below the drops. The cut edge of the tape should face outwards.

Leave a small overhang so it can later be secured inside the handlebar with the bar end plug. If the overhang wraps all the way around the bar once, the plug will hold securely.

Wrap clockwise.

For a clean result, make sure the overlap and wrapping angle remain consistent throughout. You can use the adhesive strip on the back or, if available, the pattern on the tape as a guide.

It's also important to keep constant tension on the tape while wrapping. However, avoid stretching it.

Wrap the tape as close to the integrated brake and shift lever as possible.

Now the figure eight begins. Guide the tape from the outside of the handlebar over the brake clamp to the inside, then over the brake lever back to the outside and finally back over the clamp to the inside underneath.

This covers both sides of the brake clamp while wrapping around the upper section of the brake lever.

Don't forget to keep sufficient tension on the tape. Also make sure you don't cover the clamp bolt of the brake lever.

Now guide the tape from the inside of the handlebar back underneath the brake lever. Half of the tape should cover the brake lever and the other half the lower section of the handlebar.

With the final wrap around the lower section, cross over the previous layers so that the brake lever and clamp are completely covered.

Now guide the tape below the top section of the handlebar towards the inside and upwards. The brake lever transition is complete.

Once you reach the tops, change the wrapping direction. On the right-hand side, looking towards the stem, wrap counter-clockwise. When climbing with your hands on the tops, your hands naturally rotate slightly backwards. This wrapping direction keeps the tape tight instead of allowing it to loosen.

Choose a smaller or larger overlap depending on how thick you want the tape on the tops to be.

When wrapping around the bend of the tops, make sure the tape lies evenly without leaving any gaps.

Continue wrapping until you reach the finishing point you marked earlier.

For a clean finish, trim the end of the tape into a point. Leave around ten centimetres of tape for the finishing wrap.

Pause the wrapping underneath the handlebar so the adhesive side of the tape faces upwards.

Place the scissors against the outer edge of the tape and cut it diagonally over a length of about ten centimetres towards the stem.

You no longer need the cut-off piece of tape.

Wrap the remaining tape around the handlebar.

You can now secure the tape with electrical tape for a cleaner finish.

Now apply the finishing tape over the electrical tape.

Before sticking it down, check where to position the finishing tape so it ends discreetly underneath the handlebar.

Apply the finishing tape.

Finally, push the overhanging tape and the bar end plug into the handlebar.