How to stick an elevation profile on your top tube, handlebar or stem

Read this first. These are general good practices for vinyl stickers, not the results of my own tests. If your frame maker gives instructions for its paint, follow those first.

Pick the spot

The sticker is 25 mm wide. It needs a clean, roughly flat surface of that width, with no weld, cable, bolt or bag strap on it.

• Top tube (160 mm): on the top face, lengthwise, with the start of the route at the saddle end and the finish towards the stem, so the text reads from the saddle.
• Handlebar (120 mm): on top of the straight, bare section next to the stem, outside the stem clamp area and before the bar tape.
• Stem (75 mm): on top, between the faceplate and the steerer, without covering any bolts.

Hold the sticker in place with its backing still on, and check it doesn't wrap onto the curved sides: on a tube that's too narrow, the edges will lift.

Prepare the surface

1. If the bike is dirty, wash the area with soapy water, rinse and let it dry.
2. Wipe it with a clean cloth and isopropyl alcohol, sold in chemists and DIY shops. It removes fingerprints, lube and polish, which stop the adhesive from gripping. If you're unsure about your paint, try it on a hidden spot first.
3. Let it evaporate completely before fitting.

The right temperature

Vinyl adhesive grips badly on a cold surface. Fit the sticker indoors at room temperature, on a bike that has been there for a while: not on a frame straight out of a freezing garage, nor on one baking in the sun.

Fit it without bubbles

1. Position the sticker and hold it with a strip of masking tape across the middle, as a hinge.
2. Lift one half, peel the backing back to the hinge and cut it off.
3. Lay that half down, smoothing from the centre outwards with a finger or a soft cloth to push the air out.
4. Remove the tape and do the same with the other half.
5. Press firmly over the whole sticker, especially the edges and corners.

On a round handlebar, press the side edges for longer: that's where vinyl tends to lift. Vinyl adhesive usually reaches full strength after a day or two, so avoid rain and hosing straight after fitting.

Remove it without leaving glue

1. Warm the sticker for a few seconds with a hairdryer, without getting it hot: the adhesive softens.
2. Lift a corner with a fingernail, never a blade.
3. Pull slowly and flat, almost parallel to the frame, rather than upwards.
4. If a little adhesive remains, rub it off with a cloth and isopropyl alcohol.

Don't use a blade, scraper or harsh solvent (acetone, thinners) on a carbon frame or delicate paint.

No sticker yet? The race profile sticker is set up in the workshop from your GPX file, and the elevation profile generator does the same as a free image.