Drop bars with flat (aero) top portion - tape or no tape?

rohloff-rich

Need to get some wider bars and am thinking about a set with the flatter top portion (i.e. like the FSA and Easton 'Wing' bars). What I'm not sure about is whether these portions are supposed to be wrapped in grip or not?

They look to be like they're kind of design to be aerodynamic and fit the hand at the same time - to me wrapping grip around that will just make the top portion of the bar really fat?

Aidocp

I'm not sure if its right or not but when I bought my road bike the lbs only put tape on the rounded portion of the drops, not the flats. The reason they gave was it shows off the logos :?:

bahzob

Got an IT Sword and only wrap the drops. Leave the top bare and find it plenty comfortable enough even on long (200km+ rides).

One side benefit to this is that it helps me keep hands relaxed when climbing

Aidocp

bahzob wrote:

Got an IT Sword and only wrap the drops. Leave the top bare and find it plenty comfortable enough even on long (200km+ rides).

One side benefit to this is that it helps me keep hands relaxed when climbing

Ive only done 70miles in one go with mine so far and I'd agree, the bare flat aero section doesn't cause me a problem. Its also nice to have somewhere cool occaisonaly to put my hands

rohloff-rich

So do I spend a bit more and go for one of these types of bar or would a padded and wrapped 'traditional' bar be better?

Aidocp & Bahzob - what are your thoughts from experience?

Aidocp

rohloff-rich wrote:

So do I spend a bit more and go for one of these types of bar or would a padded and wrapped 'traditional' bar be better?

Aidocp & Bahzob - what are your thoughts from experience?

Ive only had these type of bars, so I can't compare them to a "traditional" rounded bar but I like the aero drops or whatever they are called.