Bicycle Mechanics - Favorite bar tape? Or are all brands pretty much equal?

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.



PDA
Bolo Grubb
08-26-04, 03:08 PM
I might tackle moving my hoods and retaping (I have never done this before) and wondering if there is a prefered brand of bar tape that everyone likes to work with

bikedork
08-26-04, 03:09 PM
I like Deda and Cinelli both.
halfbiked
08-26-04, 03:12 PM
check out the fixie forum for an interesting take on this.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=62373&highlight=tape

Faust
08-26-04, 03:35 PM
I was browsing the 2005 high end Cannondales this week and noticed that some were supplied with Fizik Bar Gel. Last winter I retaped my bars with Cinelli bar tape, not gel, and it was not too hard to do.

Fizik Bar Gel (http://www.glorycycles.com/fizikbargel.html)

Excelsports has a good selection of bar tapes:

Bar Tape (http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=7&major=1&minor=32)
SanDiegoSteve
08-26-04, 04:02 PM
No matter what, look at the Park site for their tutorial. It is pretty easy, but it is also an art.

I did cork tape with a reflective strip. Was a little hard to get nice and flat around all of the corners. Accept that your first try won't be perfect, ride on it, and you'll do better next time. Electrical tape (colored if you care) comes in handy.
BigFloppyLlama
08-26-04, 04:12 PM
I've hated everyone I've tried except for the stuff on my Giant right now (Giant brand? I don't know.) Shame I don't think you can buy it since mine is getting pretty ripped up. I may try some of this stuff (http://www.coloradocyclist.com/common/products/productdisplay2_v2.cfm?PRRFNBR=31665&CGRFNBR=597&CRPCGNBR=597&CI=1,225,485,597&TextMode=0) next and hope it's similar.
caloso
08-26-04, 04:58 PM
I like Profile. It's cushier and less spendy than Cinelli. OTOH, Cinelli makes a really cool tape with a reflective stripe. Great for your commuter and makes a cool spiral design.
bandaidman
08-26-04, 06:03 PM
i like the cinelli gel...durable and comfortable
late
08-26-04, 06:12 PM
Got a confession. I don't usually wrap my own bars.
I bought some Bar Phat this summer, but decided I would
have the guy do it when I had the winter overhaul done.
It looks good, has a thick cushiony pad (I got the thickest one).
think5577
08-26-04, 08:52 PM
Stella Azzurra. Its retro looking but feels great.

OR...

Tressostarr... thats real retro.

(might wanna check spelling)
no3puttchad
08-26-04, 10:54 PM
I have been using the Specialized Phat Grip. It is almost spongey, but, not too soft. Absorbs a TON of vibration.
Raiyn
08-27-04, 12:03 AM
Cinelli's nice, Profile is OK, the Bar Phat system is pretty nice in my opinion. Depends on the bike really, that usually determines what I put on it.
Phatman
08-27-04, 06:08 AM
I dont like cinelli. it rips too easily. I actually like the bontrager stuff that came on my bike, but it is kida hard to get, all my shop seems to have is cinelli, so I use cinelli and replace it every 1000 miles. i dunno, maybe thats a good amount of time. how long does the bar tape on your guys bikes last?