Tips on fitting new handlebars?

humbert

I'm changing from straight handlebars to dropped handlebars on my 'commuter bike'. It has down-tube shifters(or whatever they're called) so that simplifies matters.

I have the bars the tape the cables and the breaks, all bottom of the line.

I've watched a couple of youtube videos about putting on the tape, the little pieces for the brakes and wrapping in toward the bike so you don't loosen it with your fingers.

The consensus on brakes' location is whatever feels right but I'm a bit concerned that I'll need a while to know and I really don't want to have to try and get the bar tape off. There's also the associated problem of the exact angle of the bars. I've seen a fair bit of variation on that but never given it much thought.

Any rules of thumb or good guides? Or is it something people usually just fire away at and it usually works out?

I'll probably spend a while in various positions before daring to put on the bar tape.

Bicycle Hunter

just slapem on, slap it all on except the tape and ride around for the day wearing gloves or if you have an old inner tube lying around wrap that around it and you get that chunky feal similar to the tape. When you have everything right for you put the tape on. Tie down the cables with tread so their in the place you want them before you tape up and things go smoother but use tread and not sello tape or cable ties. I try and put the cable behind where my knuckles would genraly be as the bump annoys me

dancecatz2000

try to have the bottom of the bars level as in the picture with the cross bar,
http://www.infobarrel.com/How_to_choose_the_right_bicycle
try and also get your brakes level,not pointing in the air or to the ground, also level them with each other u can use a level or stick an do it by eye,
get some electrical tape and tape the cables to the bars,