New bar tape

[livpoksoc]

Sunday's heat let the electrical tape peel on my bars & as the original tape is starting to smell a bit sweaty I need to replace it.

I have seen Fizik and Lizard Skins on wiggle which gets good reviews, but want some extra padding as my hands do get numb after 4 hours or so.

Any recommendations? Or even if I should just buy the gel inserts?

 

[ianrauk]

Hoy Bar Tape.
Used it for the first time recently. Good stuff. Well padded and goes on the bars easy.

 

[smutchin]

Fizik and Lizard Skins are good. Specialized S-Wrap Roubaix is good. So is Cinelli cork gel tape. I don't know the Hoy tape but if @ianrauk says it's good, I'll take his word for it.

However...

I wonder if this could be a sign of problems with your riding position rather than the bar tape. How serious is the numbness? Do you ride regularly on very rough roads? What gloves/mitts do you wear, if any? Have you had a bike fitting?

 

[Nibor]

Cinelli Cork Gel

 

[Nibor]

Some people double wrap for comfort.

 

[ianrauk]

Fizik and Lizard Skins are good. Specialized S-Wrap Roubaix is good. So is Cinelli cork gel tape. I don't know the Hoy tape but if @ianrauk says it's good, I'll take his word for it.

Cheers Smutchin. Over the years I have used all the tapes you mentioned and more. The Hoy tape is up there with those you mentioned. I only bought it a few months ago as it was on special offer so bought it to top up a bigger order. Glad I did. I'm usually a Cinelli man but I think Hoy is now for me.

 

[Deleted member 23692]

Zipp Service Course and Service Course CX are my tapes of choice at the mo

 

[cyberknight]

I got some cheapo stuff of ebay to rewrap the daughters toy pram handle and it came almost like the consistency of thick rubber with no backing adhesive so it was easy to apply and should have good vibration properties.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-Bicyc...580926?hash=item1eab74da7e:g:Q4oAAOSwFqJWtJxd

 

[davidphilips]

I got some cheapo stuff of ebay to rewrap the daughters toy pram handle and it came almost like the consistency of thick rubber with no backing adhesive so it was easy to apply and should have good vibration properties.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-Bicyc...580926?hash=item1eab74da7e:g:Q4oAAOSwFqJWtJxd

i have even bough similar on auction for less that a £ its ok as long as you pull it really tight when fitting.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cycling-H...828135?hash=item33bc8f1e67:g:Y~UAAOSwaB5Xn5tX

 

[Mrs M]

LBS replaced my torn white tape with black cork tape.
Think it's cork gel, don't know what brand though, buts it's thicker than the original tape and really comfy, been on the bike for a couple of years

 

[T4tomo]

Leave original in place (except remove at the bar end tuck in and secure with tape) and wrap new over for that double wrap comfort

 

[Roadrider48]

I use the thickest Lizard skins. Spongy and very, very grippy.
I use it over the top of a cheap one for masses of padding. It suits my needs.

 

[livpoksoc]

However...

I wonder if this could be a sign of problems with your riding position rather than the bar tape. How serious is the numbness? Do you ride regularly on very rough roads? What gloves/mitts do you wear, if any? Have you had a bike fitting?

just had a fitting at Vankru in Winchester about a month ago and was very satisfied with the service. I do get a second appointment for free, so may go back. I swapped back to my old altura gloves for Sunday as my BTwin ones got covered in chain gunk when putting my chain back on & no amount of soap has shifted it. The padding was reasonable in those, but they are a few years old.

The numbness isn't unbearable, but noticeable & I doubt I'll be doung long hours in the saddle again for a little while, but want to be sure I canbuold back to it in the future & figured that as the tape on there now was peeling, it was an ideal opportunity.

 

[lazybloke]

Expect most would hate the idea but I fancy trying a harlequin tape wrap. Not entirely sure how it works but think it gives a double thickness.

 

[vickster]

Lizardskins 3.2