.Dropped handlebars do not have rubber grips, but you can give your hands a good surface to grasp by taping the bar. A light-colored tape makes the bike more visible at night. Plastic tape withstands weather best, but cloth tape feels warmer in cold weather and provides a better grip. Before you begin, remove the end plugs and old tape. Clean the bar with nail polish remover or a commercial solvent, being careful not to get any onto the painted frame.
1. Begin from the center of the handlebar. Make first winding square to the bar, then unroll the tape at a slight angle.
2. Press tape down firmly, stretching it as needed to follow handlebar curves. For an even surface, cover half of previous winding with each new turn.
3. To incorporate such attachments as mirrors and levers into the taping, draw tape straight down for half a turn before angling it back and over.
4. Finish each side by extending windings 1/4 in. beyond end of bar. Cut and tuck these free edges back inside tubing. Replace end plugs.