Handlebar Grips
Used bar tape and grips cover a road bike's most frequently replaced component, and one of its biggest comfort factors. Thickness ranges from 1.8mm for a race feel with minimal padding to 3.2mm+ for maximum cushioning, in cork composite, synthetic leather, silicone, EVA foam and genuine leather. Fresh tape transforms a bike's feel for under £20.
How thick should bar tape be?
Thinner tape (1.8-2.0mm) gives maximum bar feel and feedback, preferred by racers who want to feel the road. Medium (2.5mm) is the all-round choice — enough padding to smooth out road buzz without deadening feel. Thick tape at 3.2mm+ provides maximum cushioning for rough roads and long rides, with Lizard Skins 3.2 and Supacaz Super Sticky Kush the popular choices. If your bars are already carbon, which damps vibration, thinner tape works well; on aluminium bars, thicker tape compensates for transmitted vibration.
Which material grips best in the wet?
Cork composite (Cinelli Cork Ribbon, Deda Mistral) has a classic feel and decent grip and absorbs sweat, but degrades in wet conditions. EVA and polymer tapes (Lizard Skins DSP, Supacaz) give excellent grip in all conditions with durable, consistent feel — Lizard Skins DSP is the grip and durability benchmark, with Supacaz Super Sticky Kush the flashy alternative. Silicone (Silca Nastro, some Fizik tapes) offers supreme grip especially when wet, but can feel sticky in warm conditions. Genuine leather (Brooks, Fizik Classic) is beautiful when broken in and develops a patina, but is expensive and needs maintenance. For UK riding where rain is frequent, EVA or silicone tapes grip best when wet.
How do I wrap bar tape properly?
Start from the bar end, wrapping upward with slight tension and one-third overlap. Wrap from outside to inside — clockwise on the right, anticlockwise on the left — so the tape tightens when you grip. The most common mistake is insufficient tension: loose tape wrinkles and moves. Use the supplied finishing tape or electrical tape to secure the end near the stem. Most tapes include short strips for the clamp band gap on your shifters. Bar-end plugs are essential, as open-ended bars can cause serious injury in a crash.
Is used bar tape worth buying?
Because tape is replaced so often, most second-hand listings are unused or part-used rolls left over from a rewrap, and premium tape that costs close to £20 new is worth picking up that way. Skip cork composite that has already seen a wet winter, since it degrades in the wet, and check genuine leather for how far it has been broken in — it will need maintenance from you next. Compare what's listed against the handlebar tape and component listings before committing, as full-price tape is cheap enough that a worn roll is rarely the bargain it looks.