Essthreetee

Pre-Explanation: I have always only used cheap, adhesive backed foam tape. Mostly because I knew that I would be building/changing/rewrapping stuff and I didn’t want to waste money.

Now I am to a point where I am satisfied with my builds and need to wrap bars as a final step to getting back up and riding. So, what do you use? WHY? Is it really worth more?

Just curious. Thanks.

Roypercy

I like Fizik Microtex. It looks great, kind of like perforated leather, and wears really well. It's somewhat padded but not too much, which I prefer to a thicker padded tape.

due ruote 

+1 on Fizik Microtex. I usually use either that or cloth, depending on vintage. For cloth, generally Newbaum’s.

SurferRosa

For me, Newbaums cotton and Fizik are so close to the same cost on ebay, it just depends what I'm feelin' for that particular bike. Fizik sure feels better over 30 miles if you're without cycling gloves.

chainwhip

I have it on 3 bikes, currently.
Durable, nice texture, wraps easily, and even the White cleans well.

Typical MSRP is probably $20USD or more, but Amazon had a deal a while back, so I bought (2) sets @ $10.00 ea.

Chain Reaction had some great prices on some bright colors a week ago...looks like you could still maybe find a deal if the colors float your boat:
Fizik Endurance Classic Handlebar Tape. $8.39 - $9.59




The "Tacky" , which I haven't tried, is even cheaper:
Fizik Performance Tacky Touch Bar Tape $4.79 - $8.39

mechanicmatt

Fizik Microtex. It's very nice. Not much cushion though you may need an underwrap.

The Golden Boy 

Keep in mind, my comments are based on me having nerve damage in one hand- so I prefer/need more padding than just cloth or double wrapped cloth. (I like the look of shellacked cloth tape- but have not put up with a cloth wrap for more than a week.

I really like the Bontrager gel/cork tape. They just no longer make the cool brown stuff I liked.

When my Miyata 1000LT was being built, I chose Ritchey tape- it feels kinda slippy and plasticy.

Last year I tried the Brooks Microfiber tape. It doesn’t seem to lay right- I have to redo it- one of my winter projects.

FWIW- all 3 of those were right around $20 a piece.

TriBiker19 

I got some Marque hexagon bar tape that I love. It’s padded, super grippy (even when wet), and comes in crazy colors.

canklecat

Good bar wrap is much easier to wrap and more forgiving of rewrapping if we need to remove it to adjust the cockpit and want to reuse the wrap.

I've cheaped out on a few wraps from the bargain bins -- Eclypse from REI, Weanas from Amazon -- and it's terrible stuff. The Eclypse "cork" foam tape immediate picked up every speck of lint and dust in town. The Weanas was impossible to wrap. I'm betting the only way to make it work is with heat to melt it into place.

I like Arundel because it's a local company and they make good bar wraps. The plain Gecko type is typical "cork" foam wrap, comfortable and durable. I've reused it a couple of times on my Ironman and it still looks and feels great.

I also like Arundel Synth Gecko, although it's a peculiar wrap. It's 100% silicone, self-sticking and can be reused indefinitely -- it resists taking a set, and after hanging it for a few minutes any curl it developed will straighten out. Very grippy and soft, but thick and tends to look chunky -- like articulated metal conduit for electrical installations, or sausage casing. I mostly use it for test fitting new cockpits so it's easy to unwrap and rewrap to make adjustments. Not such a big deal with threadless stems, but very handy with clamped quill stems that require threaded the handlebar through the quill stem clamp.

Bontrager and Fizik appear to be comparable so I'd grab either of those off the rack at the LBS if I needed it.

mstateglfr 

3mm thick bar tape- it comes in multiple brands and costs $15-30 depending on color, brand, website, and time of year.
Cannondale Synapse 3mm tape is the exact same thing as Ritchey Pave 3mm tape. The same thing. These are my go to two brands, but there are others too.
The tape wraps easily, stays in place with the silicone strip, and is long lasting.

I have no desire to ride on thin tape that has minimal to no vibration/shock absorption and I have no desire to ride with janky thick homemade solutions.

Salamandrine 

These days it's mostly Fizik superlight for me. It's pretty similar to the Ambrosio Bike Ribbon I often used BITD. Also still I like cotton, shellacked or plain. Leaning towards plain lately. I never used to need nor want any padding as a youth, and I didn't ever wear gloves outside of racing either. I find that approach is no longer that comfortable as I slowly am getting more like this... Considering cotton with some padding underneath now.

Classtime 

Bike Ribbon Pro from Pink Jersey is my current favorite. Fizik got a bit thick at the edges in the last few years. Not like the original old stuff. The Bike Ribbon lays flat.

arex

I've used Deda Elementi Mistral on a couple of bikes. I like it...wraps nice, feels good, looks good.

Mad Honk 

I use a layer of foam type tape and the a layer of Benotto tape over it. Finishes out waterproof and over sized for comfort. Not a cheap bar wrap but what is, if it does the job? Smiles, MH

Essthreetee

I ended up going with Zukka from Amazon. It was 11.99 shipped and looked identical to Marquee Hexagon. It’s comfy and feels grippy enough. Thanks for all the input.

Zukka

Slightspeed

+1 on the Fizik. I've used the real leather Brooks wrap, kind of pricy, but feels good and has held up well over 3 years. My current favorite is Kingou, $16.50 on Ebay. I have the faux leather, that feels great and has held up well, even after a couple of re-wraps.

Fizik in red.

Fizik yellow, has held up well for several years.

Fizik tape up close. This tape has held up well for 4 or 5 years, feels good too. I had Lizard Skins for awhile, pricy, felt good, but wore out at contact points near the brake hoods, and didn't clean well.

Brooks leather, pricy, but longwearing, feels better over thin foam wrap.

My new fave, Kingou faux leather, nice cush, grippy, has held up well even after re-wraps.

I've tried cloth tape, looks great, feels great when new, but gets dirty fast, and I don't like the shellac look or feel. After a couple years, I replaced this with red Fizik. Still looks good over 2 years later.

Red Fizik good, black foam wrap, BAD.

randyjawa 

Personally, I have no issue with cheap handlebar tape and that, with the exception of cloth tape now and again, and I tend to use it exclusively. Why? Because I rewrap my handle bar each season. At least, I used to do so but not all that much anymore.

As for the best tape to use today? I really do not know but I do know that anything with a pattern looks out of place on my vintage steeds.

Cheap tape - two bucks a set shipped. I but a dozen sets when I do purchase and will continue to use this cheapo bar wrap for years to come...

Miele Man

I like cloth tape but I do not like the price or how hard it is to get. Therefore I started using Renfrew Brand Hockey Tape. It looks just like old school cloth tape and is quite durable.



One roll will do at least two handlebars.

Cheers

jadocs

Brooks synthetic microfiber tape $18 Amazon Prime free shipping. I was going to get the Brooks leather, but now I don’t think I will. These look great and they have 3mm padding.

stevel610 

Cheap adhesive backed foam tape because that's mostly what I had. As I move forward I'll be upgrading to nicer leather like tape.

thinktubes 

OT - Nice ride Miele Man

Wildwood

Newbaum's = i appreciate color variety in my cycling life
I generally wear padded gloves.

scarlson 

I use the cheapest generic stuff I can find, and it's fine if you take the time to wrap it right. Sure it takes some wrestling, but I've never had a problem. I refuse to pay more than $10 to wrap bars, unless it's meant to be period-correct cloth.

On my Ron Cooper, for the past four years, I've had "natural cork" which is definitely just foam, bought for $6.75 on Ebay (the kind with no adhesive, which I actually like better). It's been comfortable, hasn't slipped, and got compliments at French Fender Day. I rode a fairly relaxed 80-miler into the wind with it and didn't go numb. I did a tour on which I wore no cycling gloves. It was all just fine. I have the same stuff in matching blue/yellow splash on the front and rear of my Colin Laing tandem. I used to use Cinelli cork, but honestly I can't tell the difference between it and the cheap Ebay stuff. Maybe I'm just not discerning.

Wildwood

Did anyone mention Newbaums', for the color choices???

SurferRosa