The handlebar is a crucial part of your bike. Your hands are bound to be injured on diverse terrains. You can never wish bruised hands to anybody, not even your enemies. When riding for long distances, the hands need to be protected from friction. That’s the essence of bar tapes. It feels good to ride a bike with rejuvenated handlebars. If you’re a cycling enthusiast managing a Twitch channel, you’re encouraged to broaden your viewership by showcasing your biking escapades and expertise, possibly with the assistance of platforms like StreamOz. Meantime, here are some of the best road bike bar tapes you can choose for your road bike:
Supacaz Super Sticky Kush Road Bike Bar Tape
Are you looking for long-lasting bar tapes of your bike? Then look no further Supacaz Super Sticky Kush bar tapes durability is top-notch. It stands for all types of harsh conditions. It is absorbent is, compelling and unparalleled. If you are looking for grips tape, this is the ideal bar tape.
Pros & Cons
- #1 best selling bar tape
- Super sticky and durable
- Bright colors, easily seen
- A little short
Fizik Tempo Microtex Bondcush Classic
It is a customized bar tape any road biker can think of. Fizik Tempo Microtex Bondcush Classic has an appealing look and fits every road bike. It is grippy enough and safe for your hands.
Pros & Cons
- Textured and thick
- Light and color matches almost everything
- Stylish and durable
- The material has a leather feeling to it so it’s not stretchy
Super Sticky Kush Classic Best Road Bike Bar Tape
Road riders whose hands sweat alot have no option but to try out this tremendous absorbent, super Sticky Kush classic bar tape. The look for this bar is impressive with multiple colors. Its longevity and durability give you more reason to go for it. Road bikers who use the unparalleled bar tapes can stand on all types of terrains and protect their hands from vibrations.
Pros & Cons
- Super thick and durable material
- Great color that doesn’t fade
- Laser etched
- Rubber finish, leather feel, super sticky
- A little short for some handlebars
Zipp Service Course CX
It has an average thickness of approximately at least two millimeters, not too thick or thin for your hands. It has an attractive look; that can catch the eye of every rider. Its durability’s on another level; it helps you save your money and time. Zipp service course CX is a grippy, sticky bar tape for all road bikes.
Pros & Cons
- Great classic colors that match with anything
- Synthetic cork material
- Carbon fiber bar end plugs included
- Some customers noticed that it can easily peel off
BTP Woven Best Road Bike Bar Tape
BTP Woven is had tons of colors to choose from for all riders out there. Besides having an appealing look, it is cozy and has excellent grippy capabilities. Any road biker would go for this bar tape with numerous dots on its surface, thus making it more grippy. Your hand size matters no more when it comes to the thinness of BTP Woven bar tape; it’s fit for all.
Pros & Cons
- Poly material
- Great colors and graphics
- Super durable, doesn’t peel off easily
- Great absorbing quality
- Easily installed, doesn’t leave glue residue
- Colors may not be as bright as pictured
ESLgrips RCT Wrap
RCT is an acronym for road cyclocross triathlon. It is a tape that anyone with go for with no future regrets. The tape gives you the benefit of being stretchy. You don’t have to worry about getting dirty during riding; it’s effortless and fast to clean. It attracts less dirt, making it an ideal choice for all terrains. ESL Grips RCT wrap durability is compelling for any road bike.
Pros & Cons
- Super sticky, stretchy and made of durable materials
- Easy installation
- Comes with 2 long tapes, 2 short tapes for hoods, 2 tapes, 2 end plugs
- Color matches any bike
- A little slippery when wet
Arundel Rubber Gecko Best Road Bike Bar tape
Arundel Rubber Gecko has a wide range of colors to choose from. The colors are attractive both for women and men. Its thickness is ideal for all types of hands. You no longer need to worry about the dirt it collects during cycling; it’s washable and easy to clean. It is an excellent absorbent solving the problems of excessive sweating hands. All riders looking for a significant grip should buy this unparalleled road bike bar tape.
Pros & Cons
- Great grip, especially when wet
- Amazing stretch
- Classic color
- Durable Material
- Not super thick
Cinelli Cork
Cinelli Cork has an appealing look to make you stand out in a group of riders. Its textured surfaces favor hot and wet weather; no cycler wants to break their training consistency due to weather changes. It is a true definition of absorbent; it plays well along with sweaty hands due to hot weather. Price is a factor when buying bar tapes; Cinelli Cork is pocket friendly. However, it is not easy to clean the Cinelli Cork.
Pros & Cons
- Comes in a variety of colors so that you can match any bike
- Great absorbing qualities, absorbing gel covers the inner surface of the tape
- Cork in a polyurethane base material
- Comes with a logo plugs and finishing strips
- Easy grip
- Thick enough
- Cleaning can be a bit tricky
Silica Nastri Fiore Best Road Bike Bar Tape
Silica Nastri Fiore is another bar tape for road bikes that you can’t afford to lack when riding. It is a great companion for long rides since your hands are fully protected; its grippy nature is ideal for cold and dry weather. Thanks to its durability, any rider who knows the value of their money will go silca Nastri Fiore bar tape. When riding, your hands are likely to suffer from vibrations due to intense road impacts. For particular types, there are limitations of colors. It is also affordable to the few.
Pros & Cons
- Quite thick and stretchy
- 3M Viscoelastic adhesive
- Amazing vibration isolation
- Way more durable than other tapes
- A bit expensive
- Comes only in 2 colors
Lizard Skin DSP 3.2
It is made from Durasoft polymer, ideal for riding for long hours. Lizard skin DSP thinness makes it a good choice for all types of road bike riders. It has excellent padding comfortable to soothe your hands during intense and long rides. When beating the rugged and rough terrains, the smoothness of the bar tape makes it more comfortable when during. It provides a beautiful contact between the rider and the bike.
You have no chances of experiencing numbness and shoulder aches when you befriend the amazing lizard skin DSP bar tapes.
Pros & Cons
- Unique pattern that resembles snake skin
- Updated polymer material
- 500% more durable than other bar tapes from this brand
- Comes in screw in plugs
- Great cushioning
- Is not as ling lasting as bar tapes from other brands
Fabric Hex Duo Best Road Bike Bar Tape
Fabric hex duo is another great bar tape for all types of road bikes. Its manufacturers understand the real meaning of attraction since it has many options for beautiful colors. Thanks to its rubber-foamed construction, the grippy factor is another beautiful thing about this bike. The grippy nature favors both the dry and wet weather.
It has a nice finish that’s making it’s looking more appealing—the rubber material making more comfortable for long rides. Road riders will not experience intense and immense vibrations; if they choose fabric hex duo with a silicone backing.
Pros & Cons
- Foam coated rubber material with silicone
- Unique hexagon pattern
- Quite grippy and comfortable, minimum vibrations
- Easy wrap and easy to clean
- Can be used with gloves as well as without them
- Weather resistant
- Comes with 2 tape rollers, 2 handlebar plugs, 2 end strips
- A bit short and only 1 color
Selle Italia Smootape Gran Fondo
Selle Italia Smootape Gran Fondo is comfortable materials ideal for long-distance riders. It also has an attractive glossy finish making it more unique among the other riders. Besides the appealing finish, it has a wide range of colors to choose from, suitable for all riders. Rough and daunting terrains are no longer an issue; since you have the zigzag designed Selle Italia Smootape to increase the grip.
Rewrapping is vital when riding for long distances. This bar tape consists of a silicone strip that makes the rewrapping simple. Its major drawback is that it has it short; not ideal for tall people.
Pros & Cons
- Reinforced with EVA foam that absorbs vibrations
- Can be used in all weather and riding conditions
- Asymmetrical hollowing that keeps the surface warp smooth
- Quite thick
- Easy to install
- Variety of colors you can choose from
- Colors are a bit washed out
Pro Sport Comfort Best Road Bike Bar Tape
Pro sport comfort is a pocket -friendly. It comes in a thickness of 4mm, ideal for all sorts of hands for road riders. It’s grippy enough to stand all types of gravel. The comfort of this bar tape cannot be resisted; all credit goes to its extra gel layer. It has an adhesive strip making it more grippy on rough terrains, thus protecting your hands from excessive vibrations. Unfortunately, it only comes in limited colors; however, it should not be a determining factor when buying a road bike bar tape.
Pros & Cons
- Standard blue color
- Comfortable with great grip
- Durable material and enough thickness
- Can be a bit short
MARQUE Suede Bar Tape
It is smooth and lump-free thanks to its generous of appropriately 35mm. It is attractive and eye-catching for all riders everywhere. Ere research genus bar tape is wide and fat, thus bettering its grippy factor. Besides the fat and wide tape, it’s user-friendly; it is easy to operate. Bar tape wrapping is essential when riding for long hours; the ere research has perforated leather layer exposing the under layer. Such designs make it more appealing on your handlebars. The perforations on the fabric further extend to creating an excellent grip when riding for long distances.
Pros & Cons
- Great cushioning and smooth surface
- Light flexible material
- Durable and water resistant
- Stretchy and adhesive
- Easy to install
- Comes with a handlebar end plugs and finishing tape
- Variety of colors you can choose from
- Can be a bit tricky when cleaning
Fizik Vento Microtex Tacky Best Road Bike Bar Tape
Fizik Vento Micro Tacky is another superb choice of bar tape. Its construction materials are unparalleled, thus heightening its durability. Talk of the wide range of appealing colors; you choose your preferences. Its glossy look makes it irresistible for any rider out there due to its gradient variations. This Fizik Vento Tacky bar has considerable weight, thus making it easy to handle. The raised textured surface; provides more grip in both dry and wet weather.
Pros & Cons
- Good materials that last long
- 4 blended gradient colors
- Thinnest option that provides great control of handlebars
- Tacky finish
- Slip proof sticky surface
- Can be a bit too thin
Domain Cycling Extra Long gel
Domain cycling extra-long gel is a bar tape built from scratch with the love of a family. Its manufacturers are family members constructing an excellent foundation for the tapes and the users. One of its significant and compelling features is the extra-long length. The great length helps riders not run out of bar tape when wrapping. Some bar tapes are cheaper but short in size.
This tape has a unique and effective antislip leather surface that favors riders in dry and wet weather. As the name suggests, it has a liner with thinning silicone that adds grip to the user’s hand.
Pros & Cons
- One of the longest options
- Comes in with a 2 rolls of grip tape for handles
- Variety of colors to choose from
- Non slip polyurethane leather
- Sweat and weather proof
- Cushioned EVA foam liner with Vex-Gel
- On a thinner side
Common Types of Bicycle Bar Tapes
- Leather bar tape
It is an appealing but perforated bar tape. The leather bar tape is also heavy, not ideal for beginners. Seasoned bikers prefer it to other bar types.
- Cork bar tape
Cork bar tape is not the best choice for riders who value durability. It keeps brittling, thus making it uncomfortable for your hands. The advanced and modern type has gel and synthetic materials, thus enhancing its cushioning.
- Synthetic bar tape
It is made of nylon, silicone, polyurethane. The bar tape construction can be single or double layered; it depends on your preferences.
- Low profile bar tape
Contrary to its name, low-profile bar tape is an excellent choice for racers. It offers fantastic rider road contact since it’s comfortable.
- Extra thick bar tape
It is vast and fat tape ideal for rough and tough terrains. It helps to stand intense and immense vibrations when riding on coarse gravel.
Things to Look For When Choosing a Bicycle Bar Tape
Just anything else, some things push you to buy a particular bar tape. It is fun whether you are riding for commercial purposes; your hand should be protected.
Below are some of the major things to look for in bar tape:
Materials
Material is the first factor to consider when buying bar tape for your road bike. It will determine the absorption of your bike and the grip of your bike. Initially, the bar tapes were made of Cork or perforated leather.
The materials have excellent absorbers, ideally for run hours of rising. Riders with excessive hands no longer need to worry since their problem is sorted. Leather bar tapes are stylish and appealing.
Its comfort is compelling. Today the materials have been replaced by synthetic materials. The materials are an excellent choice for people who value durability.
The synthetic bar tape has a gel that enhances its cushioning. They have rough raised textured to improve the grip of your handlebars. Textured surfaces favor wet and dry weather.
The materials create excellent contact between the rider’s hand and the bicycle handler bars. Finishings are diverse depending on the type of product.
Color
Bar tapes come in a wide range of colors. You choose your preferences, maybe depending on your riding group color code. The current fashion also weights the decision of your bar tape colors.
Going for colors that do not peel or wash off quickly is advisable. Some colors may look wrong when stained when riding. Point out colors that look new when the bar tape is cleaned and washed.
The choice of your color is also determined by the areas where you are riding; black is ideal for filthy places. However, the choice of your color depends on your; the bike is yours at the end of the day.
Thickness
Thickness is another vital factor to look for in bar tape. Too thin or thick bar tape will depend on your tastes and preferences. The thickness determines how well the bar tape will absorb moisture when riding.
Low-profile thin bar tapes are an excellent choice for racers who ride on types of roads. Racers who ride on all sorts of terrains opt for thicker bar tapes to handle intense and immense vibrations.
Another common denominator on the choice of the bar tape’s thickness is the size of the rider’s hands. Small has small hands meaning they should choose the thin bars for satisfaction.
On the other hand, riders with big hands should go for thicker bar tapes to achieve the desired feel, fit, and comfort.
Conclusion
Bar tapes are a vital part of your bike. Your hands and arms safety and health are paramount. The intense and immense vibrations when riding on gravels can hurt your hands.
However, the bar tapes are here at your service. They vary in size, color, and thickness. All you do is choose the bar tape of your taste and preferences.
