Handle bar tape - suggestions please

[ianrauk]

I change mine every few months.
Cost only a few quid a pop.

 

[Rob3rt]

I have been disappointed with the various tapes I have used over the years on my bikes ie; not lasting long and looking shabby after a years use. Ive got Brooks leather handlebar tape on my best bike and it is expensive for what you get. The result with the above reply is on par with the Brooks leather tape I bought and it has opened my eyes to making my own.



Thanks for the concern, but I hate waste and I enjoy making things out of the materials which i can get my hands on. No I am not into S & M what ever that is!! yeah I do no what it is.....honestly I have never tried it with home made leather goods.......

I would say a years use is pretty damn good, especially if you ride your bike a lot!

 

[Davidc]

Thanks all. No-one has identified any real duff stuff which is good.

Adrian's reply is interesting, as when I've refettled or replaced bars and had them completely stripped down I've used old tubes as a base layer to hold those cables which go under the tape in place, and it does make the final job comfy on the hands. When doing that I've continued it to the drops as well to keep everything uniform. That's with the tube slipped over rather than wrapped round though.

I may well use the tape TC suggests, which I hadn't seen when I looked around online earlier, as it's similar to what I'm used to, but a bit more padding does appeal (perhaps I'm getting old)

I change mine every few months.
Cost only a few quid a pop.

Its not the cost Ian, its the time it takes to put it on. I usually wreck it by scraping on walls and so on but I've been very good (or lucky) with this bike.

 

[bicyclos]

I would say a years use is pretty damn good, especially if you ride your bike a lot!

I find a years use it pretty dam bad in my book. The quality today depending what you get is "Barry White" so to speak. I bet the leather tape I have made and put on my bike from the old leather jacket will last more than few years to come.

 

[Lard Armstrong]

I always put my tape in a warm place before applying it, it shrinks into place a bit and is less likely to slip. Be careful though, or you might snap it.

 

[HLaB]

My bar tape experience is pretty limited to Spesh comfy but overpriced and non sticky backed (can un ravel) and Ritchey tape with a sticky back bought from Ribble it was more comfy, vfm, and stays in place better.

 

[Jmenorton]

I use Fizik Glossy Microtex, easy to clean, not much padding but i prefer a thinner tape.

 

[Lard Armstrong]

Cinelli always.

Only bad experience really was Specialized, didn't last long.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Even the cheapo "cork" tape from China at less than £2 a pop is quite good. Nice and thick and reasonably stretchy so if applied correctly it doesn't slip and gives a good level of padding. Am I the only one who likes to start taping on the top bar so that you finish by tucking the tape into the bar....so much neater than fixing o the top with pvc tape?

 

[Rob3rt]

Even the cheapo "cork" tape from China at less than £2 a pop is quite good. Nice and thick and reasonably stretchy so if applied correctly it doesn't slip and gives a good level of padding. Am I the only one who likes to start taping on the top bar so that you finish by tucking the tape into the bar....so much neater than fixing o the top with pvc tape?

Only neater for a short while, then it starts rolling over at the edges!

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Only neater for a short while, then it starts rolling over at the edges!

Not in my experience Rob and I have been doing it this way for 30 years!