What is the best bar tape to work with?

Pearl

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
I try to get better and better at wrapping my road handlebars and I've noticed some tape just seems to wrap better than others. Some gets creased and looks like crap. For the people who take price in their wrap job, what is your goto?

thank and bless
 

RobW

Well-Known Member
I just had some fabric(brand name) bar tape installed on the new steed. I’ve installed the supacaz tape on my other bike and it was fairly simple without creasing.
 

Santapez

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I'm amazed at how good the Fizik tape is on my cross bike. It's gone through a few seasons, tons of crashes and it's finally starting to show wear and not even in the areas where I'd expect it but where it gets wrapped tightly on the inner part of the drops. And it came used on my bike... It's also the best feeling of the various types I've used.

Cinelli bar tape was the worst I've used by far.

I'd like @jShort opinion on the ESI tape as it's appealing however expensive.
 

szymon

Active Member
Lizard skins is nice and easy to wrap but doesn't seem to last too long and expensive for what it is, had to change it twice on both bikes in one cx season. I really liked arundel gecko fur which was easy to work with, cheap and lasted long but couldn't find it in stock last year. I ordered Weanas Vex Gel SuperSuede off amazon last week and so far it feels nice and went on easy with enough to cover 46 bars, feels similar to the Arundel fur or fizik suede tape when gripping. Cheap cork tape is the worst to work with and wrap.
 

Karate Monkey

Well-Known Member
Ditto, Fizik microfiber. Hands down the easiest to wrap well, second only to "cork" for a tight lay.

I prefer cloth, though...
 

shrpshtr325

Infinite Source of Sarcasm
Team MTBNJ Halter's
w/e my bike shop stocks, im too lazy to do it myself id rather be riding, plus i get several years out of the tape and usually have it replaced because the ends of the drops have worn thru from being tossed in the bedlined truck bed to transport . . .
 

grilledcheeseking

Well-Known Member
Liking the Salsa stuff lately. Rolls are plenty long and it holds up well to use and cleaning. In the past I usually got along fine with whatever cheap cork. Deda cork rolls are shorter than I'd prefer.
 

Pearl

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
sweet, tons of googling to do.

i tried some specialized tape but it i couldnt get it to lay the way i wanted near the brake hoods and it looks like crap. i did tape a set on my sscx with fizik and it came out well, but had the logos on it which i dont want now. i bought a roll for my cx bike and its a different material, hoping it looks good, but need one more for mr pink since it needs new housing/cables...
 

Karate Monkey

Well-Known Member
sweet, tons of googling to do.

i tried some specialized tape but it i couldnt get it to lay the way i wanted near the brake hoods and it looks like crap. i did tape a set on my sscx with fizik and it came out well, but had the logos on it which i dont want now. i bought a roll for my cx bike and its a different material, hoping it looks good, but need one more for mr pink since it needs new housing/cables...

http://www.mtbnj.com/forum/threads/...lebar-bag-bracket-tape-etc.45547/#post-817533
 

jmanic

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
Staff member
JORBA.ORG
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Odi Rogues all day.
Don’t wear out, only downside is you need 3-4 pair to cover the drops.
Worth the investment.
 
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