The cheap stuff that came on my B’twin is already very thin. So what stays plump and adds a bit of comfort? I have thick grips on my mountain bike I was hoping I could get a bit bigger on bar tape?
this any good?
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=59631

Dunno.

The thicker Bontrager stuff is very good though.

I use lizard skins dsp stuff.. expensive, but worth it i think..

The lizard skins dsp does keep coming up in reviews. Is it a gel type lining to it?

Lizard Skins is quite nice, grippy even when wet and semi-cushioned. I use either that or Spesh bar phat stuff inc. the pads under it.

Specialized ‘Bar Phat’ I think it is on all of my roadbikes (white of course as it is the fastest of all of the coulours)

I don’t get the stuff with pads in I just cut up old mouse mats, it works surprisingly well.

Arundel Gecko Grip is great, similar to lizard skins but a nicer feel if you prefer not to wear gloves. Fizik is good too the flocked type.

i like the bontrager stuff on my cross bike but (after about 3-4 years use) its wearing on the bends.

easton is similar and really nice.

zip is also nice and i find really hard wearing, on my road bike also 3-4 years and no wear like the bont.

Cinelli Gel Cork stuff is good. Comfy, nice colours and a decent price too.

I like Fizik bar tape.
For more comfort, you can get Fizik “bar gel” which goes underneath the tape. http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=27914

I half-like my Fizik. It went on easily which is a bonus, and it’s durable. But it’s a wee bit edge-ey, you can really feel where the tape wraps are. I don’t like it without gloves. Still, good grip and comfort

Oh, also it’s fairly stiff so was a total balls to get into my bars at the end, but ymmv- I think the bars are quite thick. But the upshot was their end caps wouldn’t fit and actually getting a nice wrap-in was hard work.

Which bar tape?

Single layer of Fiz’ik microtex and a bit of mtfu

I`ve used Fizik in the past and found it to have a good blend,of loooks,grip and durability.

Goes on easier if you leave the roll on the radiator before applying.

Next time I feel I could do with a bit more cush so might try Lizardskins or Arundel Gecko.

If you must, although I’ve never felt the need, rather than wasting money on the gel strips for under your bars you can use a strip of your old bar tape to thicken things up

Stella Azzurra Tecno-Spugna – partly for the name, partly because it works and partly because they do a really nice sort of dark Prussian blue version. And the Easton stuff works decently ime.

I tried a set of under-tape gel inserts for a while, felt really odd and wrong to me, though obviously that’s just personal taste and I don’t have any… 😉

Double wrapping might be cheaper than fat tapes. No idea if it’s a long-term solution but it always get mentioned in bike prep for the cobbled classics.

On the subject of bar tape, which way are people wrapping? Bottom up would stop dirt/water running between wraps. However, top down gives a cleaner look as no bits of tape to hold it all on.

Prologo.

Used/raced/abused for years. Always holds up

Start at the bottom, leave about half a width of the tape outside of the bar end (for bung) and begin to tape, pull the tape tight on each wind.

Lizard Skins DSP is lovely stuff and they do a 3.2mm version now as well for more cushioning.

Fizik Microtex

Charge U-Bend is lovely.