Also some bar tapes (not to mention end plugs) work best if the bar is 'taped from the top', under modest tension.
Could you explain why? When I wrap the tape from the top, it always tends to unwrap while riding under the pressure from my hands. When wrapped from the drops, no problem!
you can wrap tape very quickly from the bottom, but this leaves a free end at the top that must be secured with tape or something. If you spend much time riding on the tops this often needs to be renewed. If the tape pitch has been guessed wrongly, you end up with a funny pitch on the tops, which are often more used than the drops. An advantage is that the tape can be unwound from the top should the brake cables/gear cables need to be renewed before the bar tape.
However if you wind from the top downwards the tape can be overlapped at the top and won't come undone at the end, with or without crummy finishing tape. If the tape moves on the top bend, there are only two reasons for this; the glue on the tape was rubbish or you didn't wind it on tightly enough. There are a few tapes that are so flimsy that the edges tear, but mostly the edges (which face upwards this way) offer more grip when you are riding with your palms on the top bends. When you get to taping the drops you can easily vary the pitch of the tape so that it is all used; by contrast when winding the other way the best result you can hope for is that you throw about 10% of the tape away; variations in tape pitch are a lot more obvious on the tops. Taping from the top you can secure the end of the tape properly by using an expanding end plug, instead of those crummy brittle shiny things. BTW because the glue on many tapes is so poor these days I often use a little double-sided tape beneath the main bar tape.
Winding the tape on from the tops you get to choose the best tape pitch on the tops; if you do much climbing on the tops then this area sees lots of sweat (because you are riding slowly and it doesn't evaporate so quickly) thus IME this part of the tape sees the most heavy wear and needs to be done with the most care. By contrast the drops see much less wear (on my bikes) and are not so sensitive to tape pitch and overlap.
With the right tape and the right method, none of the usual objections to this method apply, and there are advantages to be had.
cheers
