Bar Tape - Worthwhile upgrade for Giant SCR?

milese

I've got a new Giant SCR 1, the bar tape feels a bit thin. Would it make a noticable difference to change it?

Maybe to gel tape?

I've no experience at all of bar tape, so any opinions on the quality of the Giant stuff compared to aftermarket stuff would be great, and a recommendation for bar tape if appropriate.

Cheers.

gkerr4

i like thicker feeling bar tape too - the best I have found is the cinelli gel tape - it looks like a regular cork bar tape but has a shock-absorbing gel inner and thickens up the bar a bit.

the other option is to look for the specialized bar-phat stuff which are like gel filled pads that you stick to the tops and the drops of the bars and cover with the bar tape of your choice. I have that on both my bikes at the moment - the trek road bike and langster fixed bike too. the trek has the 4.5mm stuff covered in easton cork tape which is a bit too thick to be honest. the langster has the 2.5mm pads with s-works bar tape and is excellent.

giant_man

Stella Azzura Eleganza, lovely stuff at about 12 quid. Supremely comfortable and a great upgrade.

milese

Thanks for the replies. I think that the easiest option would be for the cinelli gel tape?

Wiggle or CRC dont list the Stella tape, whats so good about it?

gavintc

I use specialized phat tape. It is spongy and comfy.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... Bar%20Tape

a_n_t

gavintc wrote:

I use specialized phat tape. It is spongy and comfy.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... Bar%20Tape

seconded!

gkerr4

thats the stuff I was going on about - only available in black now though...

gavintc

I had not realised that it was now only available in black. I have my 2 bikes with red and white - Iooks like I will need to find a suitable alternative.

gkerr4

i bought the bar phat stuff and the cheapest cork tape that Wiggle had - the easton cork tape - and used that wth the bar phat pads - just adds to the cost a bit..

milese

Thanks for the replies.

GavinTC and ant, what thickness do you have? 2.5 or 4.5mm?

Rich Hcp

gavintc wrote:

I use specialized phat tape. It is spongy and comfy.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... Bar%20Tape

So do I. fully recomended

dennisn

Go with cork tape and you won't regret it. Good stuff and you can get it in a
variety of colors. No one brand is "better" than the others as far as cork goes.

Dennis Noward

custom-freak

hello i have the phat pads on my tourer and they seemed like a great buy to me, came with a roll of the s-works tape, very comfy and when the tape needs replacing the pads are re-usable so can be covered with any tape you want, personally i use cheap tape over the pads unless i want coloured in which case i just buy whatever they have in my lbs, having said that i am very tempted by some leather tape for my fixie project, (over gel pads of course!)

Cf

a_n_t

Milese wrote:

Thanks for the replies.

GavinTC and ant, what thickness do you have? 2.5 or 4.5mm?

aha....correction, i use this stuff, the s-wrap.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?Cat=cycle&ProdID=5360009571&N=Specialized%20S-Wrap%20Bar%20Tape

peejay78

i'm always changing the tape on my fixed wheel. it gets grubby, or i fancy a new colour, or i don't like the new colour, etc...