DIY Handlebar Tape - Repurposing Inner Tubes

Reader Rachel contacted us with yet another tip for repurposing old inner tubes - is there anything they can't do?!  She used some old tubes for handlebar wrap and her story is below.  Thanks Rachel!

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I found this 1989 Schwinn Traveler sitting next to a dumpster outside the building where I work. It needs some minor things done to it to make it ridable, but the easiest thing to fix that makes a huge difference right away is new handlebar tape.

I saw a tutorial on YouTube (see below) and have been saving my holey tubes ever since to reuse them just for this purpose. The bike only had one bar end plug, which I removed when I took off the gross old tape, so I was thinking a cork of some sort jammed into the ends might work. I also save corks from wine bottles because I'm crafty and never know when an opportunity might come to reuse something I've saved from the trash, so I went digging in my junk drawer looking for one I could cut in half when I saw one stopper I had saved from a bottle of olive oil. Ah ha!

This would work perfectly because the cork part is attached to a plastic cap, and the cork just happens to be the right girth to fit into a bar end. I knew I had another one in that drawer, so I found that one, wrapped my bars, and stuffed the stoppers into the bar ends. I think they add a certain amount of charm to the handlebars now, and the cost for everything was free. Magnifico!

Here is the YouTube video referenced above:

 

Comments

[Matt B]

I also performed this hack inspired by the same crazy video.

I liked how the tubes goes on and stay put. Your hands should not slip and the rubber is weather resistant and washable. The only down side was a lack of comfort. I was unimpressed with the cushion that stretched out inner tube provides (almost none).

[Jim]

I have got to try that! I'm sad to here the lack of cushion though. I'll still try it.

[Ed H]

I do this and it works great!

[Sam]

This guy is pretty goofy, but the hack is really cool. I need to try this, my Free Spirit has tape on it that looks old enough to maybe to original.

[geologyjoe]

shouldn't he have started wrapping that at the other end?

[Jangari]

I had inner tube bar tape on my regular commute for a good couple of months, but I found it so painful that I had to shell out for cork tape. I suppose you could double-wrap, or put some gel or other padding underneath. Another thing that didn't work in its favour was end caps; they wouldn't go in!

[Z]

No. You begin the wrap near the stem since(as mentioned in the video) there's no need for tape with the grip of rubber to bar. And why velox plugs or the crappy end plugs from the old bars? Don't they cost alot of money like new bar tape? Why not olive oil or wine corks for that Colnago? Never let a guy in boat shoes touch your bike. Never let anyone using words like "air filler thingies" or "bar lever covers" instead of valve stem or brake hoods touch your bike.

[Z]

PS I have been "commuting" almost everywhere(without a car 5 of 7 days a week for about 6 years distances of 5-12 mi each way with bare bars. No wrap. No gloves except when its below 60°F and/or raining. I don't recommend it but dont 'Pricess & The Pea' yourself about bar tape and gel gloves.
Find seat and bar/stem positioning which is suitable for riding but lessens your forward(hand) weight distribution. Sit up and ride handless when its safe from bumps or traffic. Find different hand placements on your bars. Get or make panniers instead of wearing that 30lb backpack.