Fifty Plus (50+) - Tell me about your handlebar tape.

It may be one of the most unappreciated parts of your bike, but lately it's been the unresolved bit with my overall riding experience. I noted one of my bikes needed some new tape. So, I picked up some at REI. After riding with it for two days, I realized I was not happy with it. So, I next get some Bontrager tape. Same thing…. a few days later I’m not happy with it. It just doesn’t feel right. OK, so today I put on some Cinelli cork tape, and it doesn’t feel right. I’m starting to wonder what’s going on. What is your favorite tape and why?

Can you be more specific about what feels wrong about it? Too hard? Too soft? Not grippy enough? I assume that color is not the issue. Have you considered gels under the tape? I prefer bars wrapped thick and nearly sofa pillow soft, but that's just me.

My current favorite is Deda... soft, thick and nice color selection... or Fizik soft touch.. thinner, but nice textures and contrasting inbeded logos in some. Shown below is the Deda in a navy blue color... though the pic makes it look brighter than it is. There is a nice Deda maroon tape too.

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Cinelli

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The Specialized and the Cannondale corks are my favorites NOS. they have a nice feel to them, not squishy but firm with good grip for my large hands to hold on to. They both allow me to use a light grip that does not tire or load my forearms. For all I know they are made ny the same company, they seem very similar and I'd be happy with either depending on stock at my LBS.

I tried Cinelli on my R500 and I didn't like it at all. it seemed flimsy to me. Best of luck in deciding on and finding a good bar wrap.

Bill

Can you be more specific about what feels wrong about it? Too hard? Too soft? Not grippy enough? I assume that color is not the issue. Have you considered gels under the tape? I prefer bars wrapped thick and nearly sofa pillow soft, but that's just me.

My current favorite is Deda... soft, thick and nice color selection... or Fizik soft touch.. thinner, but nice textures and contrasting inbeded logos in some. Shown below is the Deda in a navy blue color... though the pic makes it look brighter than it is. There is a nice Deda maroon tape too.

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Sure they feel thinner. I was using Bontrager, but they seem to have changed their gel tapes. It doesn't seem the same. The REI tape just feel thin and rough. The Cinelli feels thinner than all of them.

I had Specialized Gel tape and was quite happy with it. I needed to replace it after retrofitting my Ultegra 6700 shifters to Ultegra Di2. George recommended Lizard Skins. He did a fantastic job wrapping my bars. I bought some new fizik gel, but we didn't use it. I really like the Lizard Skins. I even purchased red and black tape. I love the way it looks. The Lizard Skins is comfortable even without the gel that I had become accustomed to.

Sure they feel thinner. I was using Bontrager, but they seem to have changed their gel tapes. It doesn't seem the same. The REI tape just feel thin and rough. The Cinelli feels thinner than all of them.

I wear gloves and ride with a light touch on the bars.

I tried pretty much all. My favorites used to be Deda and Fizik. For a long time before it used to be Cinelli. But recently I tried Zipp. It's by far the best. It cushions better that Deda or Cinelli cork but also stretchs when you put it so so it's not really thick and has better grip than Fizik.

I had Specialized Gel tape and was quite happy with it. I needed to replace it after retrofitting my Ultegra 6700 shifters to Ultegra Di2. George recommended Lizard Skins. He did a fantastic job wrapping my bars. I bought some new fizik gel, but we didn't use it. I really like the Lizard Skins. I even purchased red and black tape. I love the way it looks. The Lizard Skins is comfortable even without the gel that I had become accustomed to.

+1 to Lizard Skins. I should have mentioned that. I have the black/white combo on one bike and it rocks... I still used gels but that's just me. It's also the grippiest stuff going. I like it a lot.

I love screwing around with my bar tape. My commuter has this Rasta splash pattern made by Salsa. Several years ago I bought and used up several rolls of a black tape with a white desert and cycling motif (cacti,cogs, wheels, cow skulls, lizards, etc.), marketed by Scott. It felt rough but it was durable and started a lot of conversations. Bontrager is too spongy, and I hate gel--don't need it, really. I'm into LizardSkins now--durable as anything, washable, and the texture is addictive.

I've always used cloth tape. My wife prefers a bit of pipe insulation under hers on the tandem, but still cloth. I actually prefer it when it gets old enough that I have wrapped a third layer over it.

Leather is my favourite bar tape, however, it's pricey.

I also have found Bontrager gel cork tape pretty good, although personally I haven't seen a lot of difference from one brand to the other over the years. It may just be me.

The last couple times I used Fizik Microtex and had no complaints. However, I'm going to give Naubaum cloth tape a try next. I just received two rolls for $10 in the mail today. I hate to admit it but my decision to switch is based mostly on color.

Bar tape and previous bikes have always had a proprietary tape supplied with them. Never thought anything about it but it was black and covered the bars. Last bike I got and the tape supplied was "White". Built up the bike and the last job to do was tape the bars. Forgot to go to the shop and get black tape so used the Tape supplied and it was Pinarrelo branded tape. Looked at it and it was a bit thicker than I had previously used-might be a reason for that. It may be white and it may be grubby but that tape is the best I have had on a bike so far. Bit thicker than the usual I have previously used and haven't bothered changing it yet.----But it is no longer grubby- it is dirty.

I noted one of my bikes needed some new tape.
Is there any way you can contact the manufacturer to find out which make of tape was supplied originally? Can your LBS not make an educated guess?

Plan B - how about changing your gloves . . . :o)

Fizik dual. it is a strip of black and then a strip of another color (your choice) overlapped %50 and then sewn together the long way. when you wrap it, its easy to keep it nice and straight because there is stitch down the middle and you bars end up with a double layer all around. you can flip it over and have solid black or white
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I had a bar tape that I used exclusively and liked. It was Sette ultralight tape and it is no longer sold under that brand name. I'll describe it because it may be available under different names.

It was the tape that hade holes in it with a double row of stiching down the center. It sometimes comes in two colors on each side of the stiching. I liked it because it reminded me of the tape that we used to use on tennis racquets. It has a grippy feel without being sticky. It works when wet. It's soft without being thick. It had an adhesive backing which I liked but some may not.

Very similar to the post just above I think but with adhesive.

Fizik microtex, used to use Cinelli. I really like the Fizik.

I replaced the OEM Colnago white tape with some Zipp tape and really noticed a difference in the way it grips and cushions. The tape is washable and being white, the dirt comes off real easy. However, any bleeding from the dye on your gloves remains on the tape. I'm thinking of changing saddles, so when I do, I'll change the saddle and tape colors to match.

Don't use the stuff. Have no need of it.

I love the gel (though not much in there except one little strip) padded, cork-like stuff. The feel of something grippy and padded under the gloves is just nice.

The brand/company doesnt matter so much as long as it's black and not thin.

I like Easton as it's long enough and it feels good and it come in a yellow that matches my bike. I also have bar phat under it and I'm really comfortable on it. Unfortunately I had a box of Nashbar yellow (too pale and too short) available so I used it. It's "OK" but not my fav. I also gotta undo and redo the right side. I goofed a bit and it's driving me crazy. :(

Oh oh! We may have found another "chain lube" topic - better suited for the Politics and Religion board. If you decide to post that question in the Road forum, you might want to blanket your computer monitor with a kevlar blanket.

I used nothing but unpadded Cinelli cork for ages. Wet or dry, it was never slippery and always felt good to me. Then, the last time that I reworked my Klein I chose Deda because I couldn't get Cinelli in gray. I liked the Deda just fine too.

Since I started riding recumbents I haven't wrapped a handlebar. I have some pricy but ultra-cool leather handgrips on my recumbent. If I ever rework my old "retro grouch" road bike again, I think it might get Brooks leather handlebar wrap as well.

Most often, it's BELL Black from Wally World.
Sometimes, it's a case of "Who has the color I'm looking for."
And then there's the Hockey tape method.

Brooks leather..really looks good, cleans easily, and last forever..or close anyway..

When I get my new trekking bar, I was thinking of putting a strip (or strips) of gel tape across the topish of the tube, where the palms come in contact with the forces transmitted up the fork into the handlebar, then wrapping with thinner tape, so that the bumps get absorbed by the cushioning, while the sides and bottom remain firm for a light steering touch...

Please tell me if I am having a brain fart. :)

When I get my new trekking bar, I was thinking of putting a strip (or strips) of gel tape across the topish of the tube, where the palms come in contact with the forces transmitted up the fork into the handlebar, then wrapping with thinner tape, so that the bumps get absorbed by the cushioning, while the sides and bottom remain firm for a light steering touch...

Please tell me if I am having a brain fart. :)

Why not? It's your bike, do whatever you think might make you happy. Even if you decide you hate it you can always take it off and try something else. The time and money won't have been a complete waste because you will have learned something through the process.

When I get my new trekking bar, I was thinking of putting a strip (or strips) of gel tape across the topish of the tube, where the palms come in contact with the forces transmitted up the fork into the handlebar, then wrapping with thinner tape, so that the bumps get absorbed by the cushioning, while the sides and bottom remain firm for a light steering touch...

Please tell me if I am having a brain fart. :)


Something like this
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http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=27995

... smacks forehead... Thanks! :D

like the fizik microtex, when the bf-nwt arrived a couple years ago, had the handlebars left unwrapped as i wanted to fiddle with the brake lever position (also the fizik color i wanted was out of stock). started by wrapping the handlebar with hockey stick tape, when i was ready to put the fizik on - just left the hockey tape on. since the, when i've replaced handle bar tape- have used the hockey stick & fizik combination; it is a good balance of comfort, grppiness, size and wearability.

When I get my new trekking bar, I was thinking of putting a strip (or strips) of gel tape across the topish of the tube, where the palms come in contact with the forces transmitted up the fork into the handlebar, then wrapping with thinner tape, so that the bumps get absorbed by the cushioning, while the sides and bottom remain firm for a light steering touch...

Please tell me if I am having a brain fart. :)


Something like this
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http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=27995Thanks Stampfam I was about to post a question similar to David's. I have been looking at potential new bikes lately and was surprised at how differently I react to various bar taping schemes. The onle I like the most are fatter with a good deal of gel underpadding to thicken the grip on the bar tops. Might be hard to get the shape just right but worth the try. The other thing that surprised me is that the hood shapes make a big difference. I love the feel of 2012 105 hoods - they are a little wider at the base than other hoods I have gripped and that makes a significant difference for me.

... smacks forehead... Thanks! :D

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Here, for your future use.

Bill

... smacks forehead... Thanks! :D

or.... http://www.anchoredbygrace.com/smileys/kopfpatsch.gif

It was the tape that hade holes in it with a double row of stiching down the center. It sometimes comes in two colors on each side of the stiching.
I have some bar tape like that on my bike right now. Brand name is Eleganza. I bought it from a seller on Ebay and I think the one I bought was bad from sitting on the shelf a few years. The black side flaked off just running my finger across it. Seller said to put it on and if it didn't hold up he'd replace it. It's been on the bike about 4 months, but has not held up well. Almost worn through where i rest my hands just behind the brake levers. Looked good when it was new, however.
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My favorite has always been the Cinelli tape, but they no longer make the celeste/black splash pattern that I love. I had that on my bike for years before it was too far gone to ride on anymore.

I'm using Brooks leather on the Indy.

Drop bars, I Double wrap the top curves, foam cushion tape..
in the 80's it was grab ons, on top curves, and cotton tape over them.

with the 'Off the Front' grip shapes, [lumps under the tape]
I widened and flattened the upper surface significantly, and for that on some randonneur bend bars
I glued on Wet suit foam , then cotton taped over that. for seamless feel ..

my Trekking bars get 'Cork' double layered entirely.. old tape the base,,

I just use the standard cork-mix tape found at local bike shops. The only different thing I do is put a strip of old bartape on the area around the curve just above the brake lever before doing the final tape job (its not an underwrap, just a 6"-7" strip). It seems to provide that little bit of extra cushioning I like. I've also tried using double wrapped bar tape on an MTB - works better than regular grips since I also like to use bar-ends (I tape those too). And I like to use black tape; the white stuff gets to looking pretty gunky, grimey, bad pretty quickly. I change tape about 1/year.

Fizik dual. it is a strip of black and then a strip of another color (your choice) overlapped %50 and then sewn together the long way. when you wrap it, its easy to keep it nice and straight because there is stitch down the middle and you bars end up with a double layer all around. you can flip it over and have solid black or white
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Same stuff I use. It feels good, the looks are distinctive, and I've been able to reuse it after a re-cabling. It's tough to get on right, but once you're over that hurdle, this stuff is great.

I use recycled tires for all of my bikes. It works for me.

I hadn't thought about it, but the 3 bikes I ride the most, all have grips not tape.

I use recycled tires for all of my bikes. It works for me.

Do you mean inner tubes, or actual tires with tread? I'm trying to imagine the feel of the old Specialized Nimbus tire treads as gripping surface... (from back when they had the same tread pattern as the Kenda Kourier K tires of today)

When I get my new trekking bar, I was thinking of putting a strip (or strips) of gel tape across the topish of the tube, where the palms come in contact with the forces transmitted up the fork into the handlebar, then wrapping with thinner tape, so that the bumps get absorbed by the cushioning, while the sides and bottom remain firm for a light steering touch...

Please tell me if I am having a brain fart. :)

No. An old school trick to get more padding was to wrap an old inner tube around the bar before applying the tape.

Big fan of the Fizik microtex (glossy, not soft touch), mainly because the white stays clean even without washing it. It's amazing.

On my new build, I was going with black bar tape, so I gave Lizard Skins DSP 1.8 a try. It has an extremely nice feel. But it has a bit more cushion than the Fizik, which I actually don't like. I will probably go back to Fizik.