“Wrapping handlebars is a skill every cyclist should have,” says Nathan Riddle, a third-year instructor at the United Bicycle Institute in Ashland, Oregon. “It’s all about personal preference in terms of what direction to wrap your tape, but we teach our students and aspiring mechanics to wrap in one specific set of directions. We’ve found it works best for the majority of cyclists. But don’t be afraid to mix it up and experiment with your own method.”

Step 1: Wipe the handlebar clean with water or rubbing alcohol to make sure it is free of grime and debris. Cables should be positioned on the front or underside of the bar and secured using a minimal amount of electrical tape to avoid having them press against your palm. Brake hoods should be folded back to expose as much of the bar as possible.

Step 2: Begin on the ends of the drops, wrapping the tape up and to the outside of the bar, as shown. This would be clockwise on the right side of the bar and counter-clockwise on the left side. These directions ensure that the tape will not loosen over time, as most riders move their hands in the same direction as the wrap.

Step 3: Allow a small amount of tape to extend past the end of the bar. This will be pushed inside the bar-end using the plug supplied with the bar tape. After one or two wraps, insert the plug into the bar-end. Some cyclists prefer to install the plug after the entire bar is wrapped, but we recommend doing it early to hold the tape in place as you wrap.

Step 4: Continue wrapping the tape by pulling it taut to create a consistent amount of light tension. Overlap your previous turn about half the width of the tape to ensure total coverage of the bar and to maintain a consistent thickness. Inspect your work as you go. If you are unsatisfied with a section of your progress, unwrap the tape and start again.

Step 5: Most bar tape comes with pre-cut sections to help cover the brake hood area. If yours did not, trim a 2-3 inch section of tape from the end of your roll. Position this small piece around the area of your brake hood that will be most difficult to cover completely. While holding the small piece of tape in place with one hand, maintain tension on the main section of tape and continue wrapping. You will need to criss-cross the tape in different directions to completely cover the bar in this area. Be aware of how the tape will wrap the top of the bar once the brake area is complete. Don’t be afraid to back the tape up and try again.

Step 6: Once past the brake hood area, continue wrapping by bringing the tape over the top of the bar in a forward direction, as shown.

Step 7: When you reach your desired stopping point on top of the bar, hold the tape in place and trim any excess with a pair of scissors. Some bar tape comes with pre-cut strips of adhesive tape, but if yours did not, electrical tape works well. Use the tape to secure the end of the bar tape to the handlebar in the same direction as your wrapping. Wrap the adhesive a few times to ensure that it will not unravel.