# Tips for installing Velo-Orange elk hide tape?



## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

I just got some Velo-Orange elk hide handlebar tape for the bullhorns on my De Bernardi. The color matches my saddle almost perfectly, and it is gonna look great. However, the directions for sewing on the tape are confusing at best. Does anyone have any tips for installing? I'm also wondering how the tape "bends" around the curve without wrinkling.


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## Squidward (Dec 18, 2005)

Make sure that the handlebar is absolutely smooth with nothing stuck to it. On the one bike I installed the VO elk hide bar tape onto I used electrical tape to hold down the internally routed brake cable housings and the thickness of the electrical tape stood out visibly and could be felt. The stuff stretches to go around curves but you'll have to pull it around those turns while stitching it. I pulled off about 6" of the adhesive backing at a time and would tear it after it was about 24" long or was getting in my way. Make sure that you have plenty of uninterrupted time to work on it as any interruption would just mess up the flow of things.

I took it off because it scratched and scuffed way too easily. The bike I installed it onto was my fair weather ride and I rode it rarely but I still ended up getting it scuffed and scratched anyway and changed it to synthetic after only 6 months.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Thanks. The stitching directions are what confused me. I'm not too worried about scratches and scuffs as I don't baby my bikes.

BTW, the sew-on city grips are long enough to cover bullhorns, and they only cost $18.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*stitching*



tarwheel2 said:


> I just got some Velo-Orange elk hide handlebar tape for the bullhorns on my De Bernardi. The color matches my saddle almost perfectly, and it is gonna look great. However, the directions for sewing on the tape are confusing at best. Does anyone have any tips for installing? I'm also wondering how the tape "bends" around the curve without wrinkling.


You loop the thread down to the middle of it, then stitch both ends with one needle each, alternating in a herringbone pattern. The key, which is not clear from the instructions, is to route the string down through the middle of the seam, up and through the holes in the leather each time; this pulls down the ends of the leather and flattens the seam. You can pull pretty hard and not tear the leather or the string. 

The leather has enough stretch to conform to the bend without wrinkling. The trickier part is going around the brake levers. First, install your levers and get them in the right place; then, keep the clamp in place, but remove the levers. You work around just the clamp, not the lever body. The levers will re-install over the leather. You get a smaller gap in the leather that way. At the opening, do an extra loop with the string at the bottom and then top of the hole. Above the levers, gradually twist the leather as you stitch to work the seam around to the bottom, or wherever you want it. 

I found some difficulty making the ends, both at the bottom and top, look right. Also, this stuff has about zero padding, so I removed it in about a week, as it was on a fixed gear and I climb out of the saddle too much not to have padding. Looks good, though.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Thanks, that helps. This bike has bullhorns with bar-end brakes, so I don't have to worry about routing around the levers. I've heard about the lack of padding, so I plan to keep a layer of cork tape beneath the leather.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*then...*



tarwheel2 said:


> Thanks, that helps. This bike has bullhorns with bar-end brakes, so I don't have to worry about routing around the levers. I've heard about the lack of padding, so I plan to keep a layer of cork tape beneath the leather.


At the end near the brake levers, shove the leather up against the lever body pretty hard, as it will tend to work away from it, leaving a gap.


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