CNY James

I see a lot of people on BF using cork bar tape, can anybody tell me why?

I am just curious, as I am about to tape a new barset on my winter build and have never used cork before, maybe you can convince me to go with cork instead of whatever they have on the shelf at the LBS

Robert Foster

I just like the feel of cork. It doesn’t get hot or cold to touch. It doesn’t get slippery when wet. You can take it off and redo it more than once. And it doesn’t cost much.

iforgotmename

agreed...and it does feel nice

Velo Dog

Agree about the feel, but not about the durability. I don't think I've ever had cork tape last more than a couple of hundred miles, while cotton cloth tape (my second choice) will go a couple of thousand. The overlapping edges of the cork split and curl up after just a few rides.
You can get much the same feel, when the cork starts to go, if it does, by wrapping over it with cotton tape, which is still available in a few places. Rivendell (www.rivbike.com) carries cotton in several colors.
FWIW, I don't use plastic anymore at all. I just don't like the feel.

CB HI

+1 and Cinelli cork tape has lasted a long time for me.

Sirrus Rider

+1 As long as I'm not too hard on it Cinelli Cork will last a couple years.

Robert Foster

I must be easy on my bar tape because I have had Cork on my Lapierre for several months so I just got it for my Jamis build. Like I said, I like the feel and how easy it goes on. I haven’t had any problems yet. We will see what happens this summer.

hairnet

very cushioning

tsl

It's bar tape, for heaven's sake. It's cheap and consumable. It's not like you're buying securities or getting married to it.

It's under $15. Try it. If you don't like it, take it off and try something else.

Note: If you're used to pulling gel tape tight, you need to change your technique since cork doesn't stretch like gel. It has some give, and it needs to be pulled tight, but go gently with it.

surfrider

Am I doing something wrong and not helping the economy by constantly changing it every few months? The only reason I usually change my bar tape is just for a different look. My 'wraps' seem to last a few years, not weeks or months. You can try cotton, plastic, or even leather, but I'll stick with the cork mix stuff; its only $6 - $9 a box at my LBS, so its no big deal to change it out. Gotta admit that white tape gets dirty and 'funky-looking pretty quickly.

BTW -isn't most bar tape these days a mix of cork and some type of poly-material that increases its lifespan? The stuff I buy sure doesn't feel like pure cork.

DieselDan

The bar tape on the shelf at your LBS probably IS cork.

CNY James

my lbs didnt have any pure cork (??) so I got some stuff that says "natural cork with special synthetic EVA"

It also says on the bottom of the box that it is safe to burn it

Shimagnolo

There is no such thing as pure cork bar tape.
It is all polyurethane with bits of cork mixed in.
At 5,000 miles/year, it lasts me about a year.

Panthers007

"Safe to burn it?" I guess this is in case you get lost and need a fire to signal and keep warm by? Must be some rad cyclists out there burning their tires on the north face of K2.

CNY James

pardon my noobness, this is my first retape. Prior to this bike, I never had to change it on my roadie and my mtb had rubber grips


yeah i got a laugh out of that... i guess it's good to know in a crucial survival situation, I could use this stuff to start a small fire! that said, if I ever find myself in such a situation, I might have bigger problems than starting a fire!

CB HI

Safe to burn for when you want
to do a little Ghost Riding!

CNY James

I'll admit it, I laughed ^^