ExMachina

I had the bright idea (taken from BF, I might add ) of trying hockey tape on my handlebars since it comes in nice long rolls and is pretty darn cheap.

I bought hockey blade tape (not the grip tape, which looked really bulky and kind of fuzzy).

Well, I must be doing something wrong. This stuff is sticky and is only getting stickier. Pretty soon I’m going finish a ride, with my handlebars looking like an entomology exhibit.

Did I buy the wrong kind of "hockey tape"? Are some brands less sticky than others?

jimbud

Nope, Most all "hockey tape" is sticky. The adhesive on the tape tends to blead through the thin cloth face. I used white hockey tape on the handles and ends of my vision tech base and aero bars and after about two weeks worth of use the tape will absorb enough sweat and oils from your hands so that they are not gummy or sticky any more. I recommend more then one layer of tape though. You will notice more vibration with the hockey tape then when using regular handlebar tape.

Kenal0

Try using these.
https://hockey.lax.com/item.phtml?pag...68_front.phtml

KL

jimbud

Those are some nice gloves. You could ride with them to the hockey rink!

jeff williams

Buy hockey grip tape..you smacking pucks with your bars?
My whole toptube is hockey grip -to carry the frame easy in wet and stops dings.
Not sticky @ all, no.
Dirty red and ugly, yes.

goldfish

i was in a bind once and the only place i could get bar tape was a 45 minute drive away, so i went to the local Canadian Tire and grabbed a roll of hockey tape...it was a little stick but not too bad. it didn't soak up any vibration and the bars always felt really cold because they didn't insulate me from the bars nearly as well as real bartape does.

i have since replaced the tape with real bar tape again. i would use hockey tape again if i had to though, but only on my old crappy roadbike(which is the bike i've been talking about...)

i don't think i'd feel right at all putting cheap-ass hockeytape on my cervelo though.

jeff williams

Ya, not for bars on a road bike...maybe an old inner tube then the right hockey tape. It dries...I ride steel so dings get some hockey tape..I ALWAYS ding the toptube = all wrapped.

sweetfracture3

Blade tape is sticky on both sides, kind of like a grimy stickiness. It allows the puck to grip the blade better, it also tends to fall off after being used for awhile in damp conditions. I've gone through alot of hockey tape in my life.

The stuff you should use would be the grip tape - the stuff you wrap around the top end of the stick.

ExMachina

All right, I'll give the hocley grip tape a try (though I still say that that stuff looks really weird--kind of like shag carpet )

wickywicky

you guys should give tennis racket tape a spin - great firm grip and no sticky mess.

i've used it to repair tears before and it works like a charm. it's cheap too.

ExMachina

Yeah, I thought about that--but the pre-cut lengths are too short to wrap a full bar and I can't find it in bulk rolls.

The whole reason I'm even trying hockey tape is that my bars are wide (44cm) and fat (bar phat) and none of the conventional grip tapes that I've tried are long enough--even the Performance brand is too short.

Rad once suggested that I try wrapping the bars in two stages (different pieces of tape, above and below the shifters)--might try that next if this adhesive situation gets any worse.

wickywicky

yeah, in my case i was just covering up a tear from a fall, so i didn't need that much. not even a whole strip.

i would bet you could easily do it in two pieces like rad said. i would also be curious to hear how it felt taping it on bare bars, since there's not as much padding as standard grips. how's the hockey tape feel for that matter? let me know if you try it.

ExMachina

The BarPhat is padding enough for my needs (and is also the reason I can't use standard length tape --see how I'm make things more difficult than they have to be )