Bar Tape recommendations

[lordloveaduck]

Off topic i know but.
I hate seeing tape on bar tape. It's common.
I start at the top down and put the ends of tape in
the plug hole.
Why is tape used on tape?

Top Down Method

 

[Piemaster]

Would agree top-down looks better - BUT only when first done. I found the upward pointing edges of the tape started to curl over as I was sliding my hands up and down the bars so wrap from bottom up now.

 

[Rob3rt]

Fizik Microtex is by far the best tape I've ever used. If you want extra padding there's also the Fizik Dual.

I would agree! Very nice tape, but low on padding. I use Microtex with a little strip of cork tape under it on the drop and tops (same principle as those gel pad things, but this is free as I use a clean intact section of the bar tape I removed prior to applying the microtex).

Would agree top-down looks better - BUT only when first done. I found the upward pointing edges of the tape started to curl over as I was sliding my hands up and down the bars so wrap from bottom up now.

Agree, bottom to top is better for longevity.

 

[doctornige]

Specialized S-Wrap is cool. Evans do it.

 

[Tomba]

Another +1 for Fizik Microtex.

 

[black'n'yellow]

I've used a lot of bar tape over the years, and I can honestly say that (in my opinion) the more you spend, the less value you get. In addition, there does not appear to be any appreciable difference in quality of feel, or ride, or comfort between £5 bar tape and £25 bar tape, as far as I can tell. Consequently, I now tend to buy the cheapest cork tape I can find on ebay. I'm currently using some ITM-branded cork tape which is fine - I think it was about £6 or thereabouts. Tape with adhesive backing is better than the non-adhesive gel backing, which tends to shift in use after a while. The adhesive backed tape is usually cheaper anyway...

 

[NorthernSky]

might go for the lizard skins. interesting use of it here

 

[NorthernSky]

i did go for the lizard skins in the end. feels nice and soft, tacky too. its expensive but looks cool i reckon

 

[black'n'yellow]

green - a good match for the rest of the bike, by the looks of it.

The surface of the Lizard Skins tape will start to break up after a while, incidentally....

 

[NorthernSky]

yeah, i like to do things differently. they are actually complimentary colours

if the tape breaks up in a time frame i'm not happy with i'll speak to the retailer, no worries

 

[black'n'yellow]

if the tape breaks up in a time frame i'm not happy with i'll speak to the retailer, no worries

there is never a good time frame for £25 bar tape to fall apart - the cheap FSA tape on my winter bike easily outlasted it...

 

[tiswas-steve]

As a few people have been saying, Fizik micro is by far the best tape I have ever used, a joy to keep clean in white too !!