Recommend me some bar tape please

carl_p

Just settling down for an Election Night Special, but let's get the important things out the way first. What bar tape for my CAAD9?

I want it to look quality, provide good comfort and road buzz absorbtion.

My bike is matt black with a fair splattering of white graphics. I have a black saddle with a smallish red graphic. I was thinking along the lines of white tape, but if anyone has some "creative" suggestions - all greatly received.

BigG67

Fizik...not heavily padded so you might want to put some gel pads underneath if that's what you're after, but the easiest white tape to keep clean.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Fizik ... 360022953/

Pokerface

Yup. Fizik can't be beat. Have had mine on for months now and it's still clean. Unbelievable stuff.

ajb72

Fizik is tops for quality and is easily cleaned if you go for white.

My personal favourite though for feel and comfort has to be Specialized s-wrap. It's thick enough not to need the gel pads and absorbs road buzz like nothing else. Bit of a pig to keep clean and is more easily damaged than the Fizik stuff.

desmosedici

I use San Marco Lorica bar tape in black. Very nice grip, and doesn't soak too much sweat/water.

Anonymous

Big fan of Fizik here too, although the new specialized one looks smart with the different sized holes...

I may try some when my Fizik needs replacing (not likely for a long while, the white stays clean very easily!)

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=47334&menuItemId=0&eid=0

louismichaels

I like the Specialized Bar Phat tape (with the less bulky of the two gel pads). Really comfy. Makes your bars look a little fatter, but that doesn't matter to me.
White? Will look grubby quickly....

hopper1

Fizik Micro Tex...

marin_maniac

Bontrager double gel.

moonshine

i've white fizik microtex, with gel pads from old bar tape - I'm amazed at how good it looks after 2 months of hard riding & racing -

it cleans up very well with baby wipes.

racingcondor

Red electrical tape on the bars (to match the saddle markings) wrapped in either the Fizik or Specialized (white). That way you get good, comfy tape and can see a little highlight of the red through the holes.

I've heard good things about Lizard Skins tape as well if you wanted something a little more unusual.

carl_p

Thanks for all the replies so far. Think I will go for the Fizik Microtex in white. A bit undecided about the separate gel pads you can get. Seem a bit expensive for what they are. Are they worth the extra?

www.richtreen.co.uk

I have just picked up some of the Fizik but will be going back to get the gel pads before I fit it as it really is wafer thin.

carl_p

www.richtreen.co.uk wrote:

I have just picked up some of the Fizik but will be going back to get the gel pads before I fit it as it really is wafer thin.

Thanks for that. Will probably do a bit more research yet.

huuregeil

If you want something thicker, classic cork tape (e.g. Cinelli or Ambrosio, both relatively thick) is excellent stuff.

Otherwise Deda tape is the bomb, but a little thinner. I now use Deda pretty much exclusively.

http://thatswhatshesaidaboutyourbike.bl ... -tape.html

markos1963

+1 for Fizik Microtex. If you want some extra padding on the cheap I use the old bartape cut into strips and laid along the bar in the areas I want it and secured with electrical tape. Then just put the Fizik over the top. One tip though, make sure the Fizik is warmed up a bit before putting it on as I find it difficult when cold to get it to lay flat.

rick_chasey

Obviously.

stevie63

I really like the Cinelli Gel cork tape. I found it was really easy to fit and nice and comfy. Mind you mine is blue I don't know how easy the white would be to keep clean.