Hocam

Due to a variety of often embarassing and sometimes idiotic circumstances, I have had the pleasure of using five or six different brands of handlebar tape over the last month.

Given that bar tape is almost as important as your saddle and pedals, and that most tape seems to really suck, I give you The Great Bar tape Review Thread (TGBRT). You're welcome to comment with your own bar tape stories.

To me, tape is rated on three different categories.
Squishiness Let's drop all the B.S. about vibration dampening, next thing you know people will start whining about which tape is laterally compliant and vertically stiff. It really comes down to how squishy the tape is after you wrap it. More is better.

Wrappability Does it have a sticky side? Does it rip when you tug on it too hard? Is it long enough? If you wrap your own tape, you know what I mean.

Appearance Do they only offer multicolored rasta color? How about the texture? Are there those stupid dots everywhere on an otherwise color coordinated bike?


I'll start with the worst, and move my way up to the favorites.

Cinelli Cork Tape Rating: 2/10
This is by far the worst possible tape you could ever attempt to put on your bars. I'm convinced most shops sell it so you frustrate yourself and come back to have them install it for a hefty labor charge and a second set of tape.

Squishiness - 3/10 There is in fact some squishiness there, not much.
Wrappability - 1/10 Awful. Absolutely awful. It rips when you least expect it, leaves a nasty crud if you unwrap it to redo a section or simply throw it away. Terrible. The only good part is they at least give you enough.
Appearance - 2/10 What the hell is with the dots? I don't want dots on my tape, they look like a bunch of tiny birds crapped on my nice black tape. Also, try cleaning it. Please, just try so I can picture your futile attempts and laugh.

Deda Cork Tape 4/10
Almost as bad as Cinelli but with one or two redeeming qualities, still unbearable.

Squishiness - 3/10 No better than Ci-garbage.
Wrappibility - 3/10 Doesn't rip but they short you a good 3" and I'm using 42 cm bars! Talk about a crappy way to save some cash Deda.
Appearance - 5/10 If their logo wasn't slathered all over it this would be higher, but it is, so it's a 5. Otherwise excellent texture but hard to clean if you have light colored tape.

Cannondale Bart tape 7/10
Dunno who makes it, but it's pretty decent. This comes stock on Cannondales bikes.
Squishiness 5/10 - One of the few major flaws, this stuff just isn't squishey enough
Wrappibility - 8/10 There is almost enough tape in one half of the set to wrap both bars, THANK YOU! In fact, you can cut off some of the extra and put it under the tape before you wrap to increase squishibility. This would be a 10 if there was a sticky coating on the back.
Appearance 9/10 No logos, cleans up nicely if it's dirty and looks great! All of what I reasonably could ask for, but a little too slick.

Salsa Tape 8.5/10
Salsa seems to get things right, I guess being owned by the best parts distributor ever (QBP) helps.

Squishibility - 10/10 Oh yes, this is exactly what I'm talking about. No need for gel pads, this stuff is perfect.
Wrappibility - 10/10 Sooo lovely. Lots of extra, never rips, no gross coating on your bars from the sticky layer.
Appearance - 7/10 LOGOS!! I don't want to stare down at my hands midway up a lung busting climb and see advertising. This is Salsa's achilles heel.

Specialized S-wrap 8.5/10

Squishibility 10/10 Excellent, rivals the Salsa squish.
Wrappibility 8/10 No sticky strip? Are you kidding? If I need to leg go of the tape to get my scissors I have to go back at least 5 wraps. Otherwise nice and strong, plenty of length but you may be a bit tight for 46cm bars.
Appearance - 8/10 Very nice, but there are some dots. Not to the extent of Cinelli, but it still makes me ask WHY?! No logos, which is nice.

Specialized Roubiax Wrap 10/10
Good god, I've finally found it. The perfect wrap. Squishiness is top notch, the texture is prefect for gloveless riding and there's no god damn dots! The length is plenty, the sticky stuff doesn't leave a residue and stays sticky if you redo a section. My god, it's full of stars...