New favorite bar tape...

[Ryun]

Been trying some different bar tapes lately.
SO some mini reviews... I really prefer thin tapes. Coming up on benotto tape, I just cant deal with thicker tape. So comfort isnt really a concern for me. I wear the zero gloves and LX gloves from giro. Really just looking for a decent grip in the super hot and humid Florida climate.

I like fizik microtex 2mm and it is usually my go to tape. Sometime the edges curl when wrapping but otherwise its pretty solid. I had swapped a few bikes over to the thin Lizard skin 1.8 dsp tape. It wraps very nice and flat. ITs a bit glossy looking for me and the finish is squeaky. Get a lil slick in the wet. Does re wrap nicely if you need to change something on the bars.

I bought a couple rolls of the zevlin tape. First the stitched big 40. Mostly cause I wanted something with green stitching cause you know vanity.
Its okay, wraps a little lumpy for me in the curves but the main issue for me is that after just a couple of rides, the stitching looks terrible like it needs a shave. Havent used stitched tape before so maybe this is normal but not acceptable for me.

Also tried a roll of the Z attack polymer tape. I like this a good deal. Nice matte finish and very tacky. I quite like the way it wraps and so far it is wear well. Only issue is it sticks to itself badly and gets torn up if you try and re wrap it. You end up with chunks coming out of it.

then by complete accident I ended up with some mystery bar tape on a bit. Thin black and very grippy. Edges lay flat. Turns out it is the fizik superlight tacky touch. It has such a nice texture to it and seems to be very grippy in the humid conditions we have around here. Im not sure when this tape came out but it was completely under the radar for me. It is super product. Unfortunately not many colors available with out the logos if colors are your thing. Also a bit pricier than the usual microtex.
If you are unhappy with DSP tape and prefer it on the thinner side, Id give it a roll.

Ryun

Ryun

[JasonF]

Ryun, is it the same thickness of the microtex? I had the tacky touch in 3mm and found it to be way too thick - had a nice feel but the extra mm in thickness seemed to make a bigger difference (negatively) to me than it should have.

[Ryun]

Yes it is listed at 2mm and wraps at least as thin.

[bluesea]

...then by complete accident I ended up with some mystery bar tape on a bit. Thin black and very grippy. Edges lay flat. Turns out it is the fizik superlight tacky touch. It has such a nice texture to it and seems to be very grippy in the humid conditions we have around here. Im not sure when this tape came out but it was completely under the radar for me. It is super product....

Ryun

Ryun


Thanks! Been having a hard time finding the original 2mm Microtex, and was hesitant to try the tacky stuff. Still I'll take any of the older stuff off of you, if you still have some. :O)



http://i.imgur.com/uESNvh9l.jpg (http://imgur.com/uESNvh9)

http://i.imgur.com/SoejdLJl.jpg (http://imgur.com/SoejdLJ)

http://i.imgur.com/sNyvfznl.jpg (http://imgur.com/sNyvfzn)

http://i.imgur.com/KOLs1zul.jpg (http://imgur.com/KOLs1zu)

[beeemmjay]

If you're into leather wrap - I've been very impressed with the Adarga tape (no affiliation, other than I like it lots). It's durable, It's easy to wrap (flat), no trouble to re-use, cleans up very easily, and feels great. To boot, it's logo free (my preference). It wouldn't rate as tacky compared to the synthetics, but I'm a gloved rider (one major biff with gloves on sold me forever - I don't enjoy the thought of what if, had I not been wearing them...). Haven't tried Handlebra, but I have run the Dipell; there's nothing wrong with it, but for my shekels, I'll run Adarga every time (it doesn't hurt that Ryan, the owner, is a super nice, upfront dude).

[bluesea]

I really wanted handlebra, but from all the pics I've seen it wraps *super* lumpy.

[Elefantino]

If you're into leather wrap <snip> Haven't tried Handlebra
You should. It's the Ottrott, the MX Leader, the C50, the Speedvagen, the Strong, the Terraplane, and, dare say, the e-Richie of leather wraps. Wears like iron; feels like butter. And Ray is one of our own!

[Elefantino]

I really wanted handlebra, but from all the pics I've seen it wraps *super* lumpy.
Not necessarily. Depends on the wrapper.

[Ryun]

Yeah leather tape is past what find reasonable for bar tape.
I know its nice and all but whew $100 is tough for me.
although the Adarga at $60 its a maybe. My vanilla came with some leather brooks and it showed salt stains pretty quickly.

[Cicli]

I like the brooks Cambium rubber stuff.
May be a bit thick though.

[beeemmjay]

Was thinking of the Brooks Cambium rubber stuff for my upcoming build, but couldn't pull the trigger and got sucked back into leather town.

[Red Tornado]

+1 on the Fizik bar tape. Pretty good stuff, and their finishing tape is actually usable. Feels like it's just wide electrical tape; unlike most other mfr's finishing tape.

[Onno]

Yes, what's up with finishing tape!? After a dozen or so attempts, I just throw it out now as too stiff and shiny and not sticky to be useful.

[jmoore]

You could try some Neubaum's cloth tape. Green Grips is another cloth tape manufacturer. Very thin stuff.

I use the cloth as an underwrap for my Handlebra.

[bluesea]

Not necessarily. Depends on the wrapper.

Thanks! I really like the WC threading.

[jmoore]

Thanks! I really like the WC threading.

And FYI, the Handlebra cord is super durable. No fraying at all. I've got double corded wrap on two bikes and they look brand new after multi-1000's of miles. No fuzzies like the Zevlin stuff shown above.


The Zevlin guys are good guys. I have talked to them several times and their regular wrap is really good. They just need to upgrade the thread in their corded models to something that isn't 100% cotton. I should drop them an email.

[drewellison]

Normally I don't shop from these guys, but based on a recommendation from another forumite, I bought some of this Performance Grip-Tec2 hbar tape.

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1187768_-1___000000

What I like: Not adhesive (I hate adhesive tape) but still very sticky 'cuz of the silicone strip on the back (so it's easy to unwrap and rewrap). Nice and cushy. Generic (I don't want my hbar tape to be emblazoned with thousands of mini logos). Long enough for big bars.

[Joachim]

Has anyone been able to reach Ray of Handlebra? I've sent three emails and nothing. Zero response.

[Joachim]

If you're into leather wrap - I've been very impressed with the Adarga tape (no affiliation, other than I like it lots). It's durable, It's easy to wrap (flat), no trouble to re-use, cleans up very easily, and feels great. To boot, it's logo free (my preference). It wouldn't rate as tacky compared to the synthetics, but I'm a gloved rider (one major biff with gloves on sold me forever - I don't enjoy the thought of what if, had I not been wearing them...). Haven't tried Handlebra, but I have run the Dipell; there's nothing wrong with it, but for my shekels, I'll run Adarga every time (it doesn't hurt that Ryan, the owner, is a super nice, upfront dude).

I bought some white Adarga and will wrap it this week. It is stitched together though and rather crudely.

[beeatnik]

I'm loving this stuff:
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1597/25772603674_7e7bee40da_b.jpg

Cheap as Deda, but as comfy as the thicker Fizik.

[Hilltopperny]

I recently bought the cambium cotton tape and like it so far. If you like thicker cushy bar tape, try the fabric rip race knurl tape, it's silicone, re wraps well and I prefer it over the lizard skin.

[jmoore]

Has anyone been able to reach Ray of Handlebra? I've sent three emails and nothing. Zero response.
I will call him tonight. He has a lot of family stuff going on usually.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

[buddybikes]

Handlebra and done: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fireflybicycles/10074446306/in/album-72157636160361504/

[Gummee]

Thanks! Been having a hard time finding the original 2mm Microtex, and was hesitant to try the tacky stuff. Still I'll take any of the older stuff off of you, if you still have some. :O)

The Bontrager microfiber stuff is pretty thin. The microfiber foam is a little thicker, but not overly so.

HTH

M

[Clancy]

I've been a big fan of Fizik for a long time, then I tried a new tape by Cinelli, a black rubber like tape. Think of wrapping your bars with an inner tube - then think of wrapping your bars with a really nice inner tube that's actually made to wrap your bars with, it's like that. I'll try and get a picture up but it has an industrial look about it. On a bare frame Ti bike, it looks spectacular. But even if it didn't look so good, I'd still use it - great grip and it wraps very uniform.

[jmoore]

Handlebra and done: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fireflybicycles/10074446306/in/album-72157636160361504/

Nice!