Any recommendations on bar tape (and those gel pad thingys) for reducing the pain on cobbles? We’re over doing the Paris – Roubaix sportive in a few weeks. Cheers.

You lucky sod, Spesh do one with gel pads seperate to the tape, apply the pads and then wrap, it’s quite good, think you only need one wrap with the gel pads or another good brand wrapped twice, but I’d use the Spesh one I’ve felt that gel and it’ s really comfy.

Fizik medium thickness tape and their gel strips.
Worked for me for 4 years.

Cinelli gel pads and Smoo tape xl (5mm thick) on my Fargo.

I remember Spesh used to do what I think was called Bar Phat (I think) tape which always had a great reputation. but it seems to be discontinued.

Tried that (2 wraps of thick Fizik tape) and came away thinking it wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be. The bars were bloody fat and the cobbles bounce your bars so much that any cushioning really is a marginal gain.

What you really need to concentrate on is not getting blisters from the hot spots where you are holding on. Making sure you have good padded gloves is a bigger win.

Meh, fizik superlight all the time everytime.

Made the mistake of buying some squishy tape today, its rubbish.

I remember Spesh used to do what I think was called Bar Phat (I think) tape which always had a great reputation. but it seems to be discontinued.

It’s still available from any Spesh dealer

Double-wrapping as long as it doesn’t make your bars too fat to grip comfortably. Good mitts essential – making sure they have no seams that rub, particularly between thumb and palm. My worst experience was riding the full 270km course in 30 degree heat wearing a metal watch with a protruding winder – it wore away a patch of skin on the back of my hand that stung like b*ggery.

Dovebiker, I did the same and still have a callous where the skin wore away, seeped in seat and right on the crease it was a bastard to heal up,

Cheers everyone. Have found some of the BG Bar Phat tape online so have ordered that. I think it comes with the gel pads.

I have actually done P-R before, about 8 years ago; the summer one that gets run every second year. Can’t remember what “precautions” I took but I do remember it being one of my best/worst ever bike experiences.