Bar Tape

Kieran_Burns

I'm clueless about what I need.

Could someone go here: http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/product/t/tape and recommend me some?

(looking for black / black.white - there's a definite mono-chrome theme going on with the bike. It's the Felt F65X)

cyclingprop

Matt/gloss? How thick do you like it?

majormantra

The cheapo Deda stuff is fine, albeit not particularly cushioned, durability average.

Microtex is more like fake leather and lasts longer, also not super cushioned though.

Deda Mistral is a sort of Microtex copy. Also, ok, but not the easiest to wrap if you don't have much practice.

You won't go far wrong with any decent brand, they just feel a bit different from one another. Bar tape is a consumable, don't overthink it.

ddraver

Thoroughly recommend spending extra for the Lizard Skin stuff - plus then you can go half black, half white...

Kieran_Burns

Prefer cushioned as this will be used in Winter and my winter gloves are not padded.

Also prefer matt as the frame is a matt finish

rolf_f

MajorMantra wrote:

The cheapo Deda stuff is fine, albeit not particularly cushioned, durability average.

Me don't like the Deda stuff - it tears easily. If buying cork, you might as well just get any old cork (except Deda ). As far as Ribble goes, my Gran Fondo has the black ITM embossed stuff. So far it has lasted about 15,000 miles but the sticky is a bit weak under the drops and I've had to rewind it a couple of times lately to keep it tidy. Done the trick though. It's a bit thin where it wraps over the cables but probably good for another 5000 or so and it looks perfectly smart. I suspect it does harbour the ebola virus though.

rubertoe

If you like it cushioned, get some cheap stuff as an underlay, then your tape of choice over the top.

What finishing kit/saddle does the bike have?

indyp

The Deda cork stuff is cheap for a reason, it's not good! I had to stretch it loads to fit and there's hardly any cushioning so one to avoid if you like comfy bars. My fav is Zipp Service but Ribble don't have it.

Anonymous

S-wrap cork tape from specialized

welkman

SRAM cork stuff or Fizik furry tape is lovely!

jomoj

The Bontrager Gel cork is really good stuff, its not adhesive but the gel strip is thick and tacky so it stays put. Easy to re-wrap if you make a mistake, washable and doesnt tear easily. I've also used Easton tape which is pretty hard wearing and cheaper.
Wouldn't ever bother with white tape personally. It looks great for about 15 minutes unless you only ever cycle in a laboratory. S-Wrap is nice but expensive and I didn't find it that comfortable.

cyclingprop

Thick and matt: fizik 3mm tape. Bit of a pain to wrap but looks lovely and lots of cushion.

Kieran_Burns

This is the bike it's going on to:



and I'm going to be fitting a black 105 groupset to it

ballysmate

cyclingprop wrote:

Matt/gloss? How thick do you like it?

I read that as
Matt Goss? How thick do you like it?

:shock: :shock:

rolf_f

We don't need pictures of your bike and info on the groupset for this. We are talking bar tape. Just get black cork or Fizik Microtex bar tape and stop being a diva! ENOUGH!

ddraver

Nope this - http://shop.lizardskins.com/collections ... dual-color

majormantra

In my experience, although LizardSkins looks cool, it has one of the worst durability/price ratios of any bar tape. Also, I don't know if this still applies, but it used to be that the white stuff turned yellow over time. (Observed on bikes sitting unused on the shop floor.)

daddy0

I really like the expensive Lizardskin stuff. I was getting numb hands and the LS stuff cured it. Have covered about 7000km and not always careful with resting my bike against walls or on the floor so its no longer new looking, but still acceptable. I have re-wrapped the bars a few times, which in the past may have required new tape, but the LS stuff is durable enough to put up with it. The black stuff doesn't fade BTW ;-)

Coach H

Cinelli Gel every time for me.
Comfy
Lasts well
Easy to wrap as it has good stretch and just a tacky rather than adhesive strip
Reasonable cost
Its Cinelli (when I started cycling in the [cough] 80's [cough] it was THE tape to have)
Looks cool when you wrap the drops lining up the Flying C logo (this also has the added benefit of perfect tension but lets face it, this is secondary)

rubertoe

Coach H wrote:

Cinelli Gel every time for me.

I really Like Cinelli tape as well. Their cork tape is very good, durable and easy to wrap.

Rolf is right though, it ain't that hard.

daniel_b

What is the leather bar tape like?
http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/BTSMGL/selle_monte_grappa_leather_bar_tape

Kieran_Burns

Rolf F wrote:

We don't need pictures of your bike and info on the groupset for this. We are talking bar tape. Just get black cork or Fizik Microtex bar tape and stop being a diva! ENOUGH!

So many anger issues....

It has to look right.

Do you need a hug?

rolf_f

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

We don't need pictures of your bike and info on the groupset for this. We are talking bar tape. Just get black cork or Fizik Microtex bar tape and stop being a diva! ENOUGH!

So many anger issues....

It has to look right*.

Do you need a hug?

We'll if you are offering it would be rude to say no. We can you make it over?

PS Have you got your bloody bar tape yet?!

*Everything looks right with black cork.

Kieran_Burns

Ordered the black 105 triple set and matching black cork tape.

Probably going to strip the Felt down in preparation. I need replace another spoke on it and the Tricross anyway, so I'll get both bikes sorted

rubertoe

bit late KB.

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/tech/com ... -tape.html