The Greatest Handlebar Tape of 2024

Handlebar Tape is an typically ignored improve that may significantly enhance your relationship together with your bike. The tape in your handlebar is kind of actually the place your fingers connect with the bars, serving as a crucial contact level between you and your machine and one that may significantly influence your consolation and management.

Most bikes’ authentic handlebar tape is chosen for its low value, however a well-chosen and high-quality roll will maximize management and luxury whereas refreshing your bike’s look and amplifying its model. Whereas it received’t rework your using talents, the appropriate tape can enhance efficiency by offering the specified grip and vibration-dampening traits. And like the rest in biking, handlebar tape is available in an unlimited array of supplies, constructions, thicknesses, floor textures, costs, and colour/sample choices to swimsuit various wants and preferences.

For many riders, as soon as they discover a tape they like, they have an inclination to stay to it, pun meant. That mentioned, if it’s been some time because you tried one thing new, there could also be one thing higher that makes use of extra superior supplies and presents a nicer really feel. However with a whole lot of choices to select from, discovering the perfect handlebar tape generally is a problem. To assist, we gathered 15 of the perfect and hottest handlebar tapes in the marketplace to check and examine.

After months of testing, we’ve chosen our favorites with our prime suggestions listed beneath, adopted by the perfect of the remainder that are all high quality choices that we really feel are worthy of consideration. You possibly can try our comparability chart to see the fashions we examined at a look. Should you need assistance deciding what to purchase, our shopping for recommendation offers helpful data, and we’ve acquired solutions to widespread questions in our FAQ part.

The Greatest Handlebar Tape of 2024

Better of the Relaxation

Comparability Chart

Why Ought to You Belief Us?

The staff at Bikerumor takes biking very critically and we’re lucky to get to spend plenty of time using bikes and making an attempt totally different merchandise. Spending as a lot time using as we do, we’ve discovered that the touchpoints on our bikes are of crucial significance in relation to our consolation. And within the case of handlebar tape, it additionally performs a serious position in our management. As such, we’re all the time searching for and testing out the perfect merchandise that may improve our expertise and enhance our efficiency on the bike, handlebar tape included. And, this isn’t an inventory we’ve simply thrown collectively, as a substitute, we’ve really examined all of those bar tapes ourselves to see how they carry out in the true world.

For our handlebar tape purchaser’s information, we leaned on the experience of Bennett Shane to check nearly all of the choices on this evaluate and sprinkled in a few choices which might be favorites of our workers writers. Bennett is a dedicated street, and generally gravel, bike owner who lives within the Portland, OR space and rides year-round for enjoyable, health, and product testing. Whereas he has a racing background, Bennett has shifted his focus lately to non-public challenges, vertical objectives, and lengthy rides by the countryside and mountains of the Pacific Northwest. With over 20 years of using expertise, Bennett could be very meticulous about bike setup and upkeep and takes pleasure in dialing in his cockpit to perfection with completely wrapped handlebar tape. He’s additionally spent years working for quite a few outstanding manufacturers within the biking business and has an uncanny depth of information and expertise utilizing, or at the least tinkering with, practically each product in the marketplace. Spending as a lot time using as he does, Bennett deeply understands the significance of the contact factors on his bicycles and the position they play in his consolation, management, and delight on each trip. Moreover, Bennett has contributed to our purchaser’s information of the perfect street bike saddles, bib tights, biking shoe covers, street bike tires, and a number of other different classes of equipment and equipment.

Nearly all of these handlebar tapes have been examined by Bennett over the course of a number of months throughout the fall and early winter within the Pacific Northwest. Every tape was wrapped on the handlebars of one in every of his street machines, starting from carbon superbikes to boutique metal customized builds, and ridden for a whole lot of miles within the wildly variable climate of the PNW. Within the house workshop, we analyzed the benefit of wrapping every tape, and on the street, we thought of the grip (gloved and gloveless) in each moist and dry circumstances, suggestions, cushioning, thickness, and the general really feel of every tape whereas using in the true world. Tapes that weren’t examined by Bennett have been examined by one in every of our workers writers and used for a number of months or extra. After in depth testing, we compiled this record of our favorites and those who excel in particular methods in comparison with the remainder.

Shopping for Recommendation: How one can Select Handlebar Tape

There are actually a whole lot of choices for handlebar tape in the marketplace. So many, that determining what you want could be complicated and downright irritating. It’s essential to contemplate what you need from a handlebar tape, whether or not that’s cushioning, an excellent direct/excessive suggestions really feel, moist climate grip, or perhaps a enjoyable and funky model. There are many variables to contemplate in selecting tape together with thickness, floor texture, stretch, colour or sample choices, and, after all, value. And, consolation on the bike doesn’t cease on the handlebar, so it’s essential to contemplate different contact factors like a high quality saddle, well-fitting bib shorts, and the proper pair of street bike sneakers too.

Materials/Texture

Whereas handlebar tape is available in rolls and infrequently has sticky backing, “tape” is a little bit of a misnomer since we’re speaking a few multi-layered wrap designed to supply grip and cushioning with solely the minimal adhesive properties wanted to remain safe as soon as it’s tightly wrapped. Historically, bar tapes have been manufactured from leather-based, fabric, or easy cork-infused foam. Different choices used gel inserts to supply cushioning, however tended to be fairly heavy. Like all issues within the bike world, handlebar tapes have undergone regular marginal enhancements through the years and at the moment are being touted as efficiency upgrades, with claims of lowering rider fatigue. 

Lately, handlebar tapes are available in quite a lot of supplies, typically consisting of a cushioning layer bonded to a floor layer the place the fingers make contact with the tape/handlebar, whereas some nonetheless take an easier strategy with a single materials all through. Every tape could have a floor texture inherent to the fabric, like Microfiber/artificial leather-based, polyurethane, or Microtex, or that has been added throughout the manufacturing course of. Totally different supplies, textured or not, present various ranges of grip or tackiness for gloved or gloveless fingers and in moist or dry circumstances. Textures can add tactility and grip, and for riders who are likely to perspire or who trip in moist circumstances, extra texture normally can’t harm. 

Thickness/Cushioning

Handlebar tapes are available in a variety of various thicknesses to swimsuit various wants and preferences. Lately, you could find handlebar tapes in thicknesses starting from round 1.5mm as much as roughly 5mm, with the overwhelming majority of tapes falling between round 2mm and three.5mm. Some tapes are even provided in a number of thicknesses, just like the Lizard Skins DSP which is available in 1.8mm, 2.5mm, 3.2mm, and 4.6mm, so you may select which is greatest on your wants. What works greatest for you sometimes is dependent upon the dimensions of your fingers, the kind of using you do, the surfaces you encounter, and the way a lot (or little) cushioning you want.

Typically talking, the thicker the tape, the extra cushioning and vibration-dampening it offers. Most tapes have a cushioning layer of froth that’s largely liable for its thickness, and the extra there’s, the extra it could take up street buzz and vibration over tough surfaces. After all, thickness isn’t the one figuring out issue, because the density of mentioned foam additionally performs a job in its cushioning capabilities. And, given current developments in foam know-how, fashionable bar tapes can present enhanced cushioning with out including extreme thickness, thus providing riders properly balanced ranges of consolation and management with thinner tapes as nicely.

Tape thickness additionally impacts the efficient diameter of the handlebar, making it adaptable for riders with different-sized fingers. Riders with bigger fingers, for instance, might desire the texture and management supplied through the use of a thicker tape that makes the handlebar match extra proportionally of their fingers. Likewise, riders with smaller fingers might discover {that a} thinner tape helps them grip the handlebar and subsequently management the entrance finish of the bike a bit extra simply. This principally comes all the way down to rider desire.

Stretch

Handlebar tapes have various ranges of stretch relying totally on the supplies and building. Tapes with extra stretch are sometimes a bit extra forgiving throughout the wrapping course of and make it a bit simpler to get round tight bends and the hoods whereas tapes with little to no stretch require a bit extra care to wrap completely. Moreover, one may also alter the thickness and/or cushiness of a stretchy tape relying on how tightly you wrap it. The tighter you pull it, the thinner and fewer comfortable it turns into, and vice versa.  

Type: Colours and Patterns

Your handlebar tape is among the most cost-effective methods to specific your private model in your bike. Whether or not you’re searching for one thing subdued and fashionable or vivid and flashy, there are alternatives to swimsuit nearly each style and match any construct. Some tapes are available in only some colour choices, whereas others are available in an unlimited array of colours and/or patterns to select from. Whereas we wouldn’t essentially advocate selecting a handlebar tape primarily based solely on the colour, you must be capable of discover one thing that meets each your efficiency wants and elegance too.

Worth

Bar tapes have elevated considerably in value just lately, with most rolls costing over $30 and a few upwards of $50. Tapes on the costlier finish of the spectrum, just like the Supacaz, Silca Nastro Cuscino, and Lizard Sins DSP, sometimes will present low weight and bulk, supreme consolation, and hard-wearing sturdiness. Mid-price level tapes may also present all three of those however typically lack in one in every of these areas. The least costly tapes, like Cinelli Cork Ribbon, can carry out nicely however might degrade sooner, both by tearing, compressing, or shedding stickiness because of floor erosion, however they’re reasonably priced to switch. After all, often cleansing most tapes with gentle cleaning soap and water will significantly prolong their lifespan and value. Relying on how a lot you trip, it’s cheap to count on to get a full season, or probably a number of, out of your handlebar tape, even with inexpensive choices.

Regularly Requested Questions