Brooks Leather bar tape caters perfectly for those seeking a retro feel or a bar tape that matches their faithful Brooks saddle. If you're a serial tinkerer when it comes to your bike setup, you might find that you need to unwrap your bar tape to move your shifters or replace brake and gear cables. Handlebar tape is primarily designed to enhance comfort and grip. This is particularly useful in wet weather or long rides. It can also reduce the risk of blisters. While this is bar tape’s main purpose, the bright colours available can be used to increase visibility and personalise the look of your bike. Fabric Bar Tape To do its job well, handlebar tape has to be comfortable, hard-wearing and grippy, and it doesn't hurt if it looks good. We've wrapped scores of handlebars and ridden thousands of miles or Tarmac and gravel to bring you the best bar tapes you can buy. You're spoilt for choice when it comes to bar tape, but this is as nice as any I've used - comfortable, super-grippy and reusable. Lovely bar tape from Tortec. Recommended.

Always start from the bottom: It might seem obvious but you always wrap tape from the bottom of the drops, finishing on the tops. The best aspect of the tape is the diamond texture serves to increase grip. This makes it an ideal choice for any readers who happily ride without gloves, as even when you've got a bit sweaty there is still good grip on the handlebars. Your hands feel very secure with gloves too. It's also really good in the rain, as it simply serves up more grip than most regular bar tape.So to get it right the first time, you'll need to have a think about what you prioritise. To help you decide, here are a few common scenarios.

Finance is subject to application, financial circumstances and borrowing history. Performance Cycling Limited FRN: 720557 trading as Tredz are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. We are a credit broker not a lender – credit is subject to status and affordability and is provided by Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC. Terms & Conditions Apply. New handlebar tape is a sure-fire way to give your bike a new lease of life. Dave Caudery/Immediate Media Most of the options I've included in this list are smooth. The option from PNW does have a texture but it's not uniform. There's also the Brooks Cambium, my favourite on the list, but not everyone is going to love the price of that one. That leaves a bit of a hole in the lineup for something that has texture for those that prefer it but also comes with a more reasonable price.

Of course, this tape will not appeal to all, however, Brooks does offer microfibre and rubber tape alternatives that match its animal-free saddles. How to choose the best bar tape What kind of bar tape do I need? Watch the gap: As you wrap, always stay alert for any gaps in the tape. Not only is this unsightly and unprofessional it could also lead to a less than secure finish. Whether you're battling storms all year round or do your best to avoid the rain, grip is an important consideration when choosing the best bar tape for you.

When it comes to wrapping, some synthetic bar tapes are high-stretch, making it easier to wrap the tape around brake levers and hoods. Keep up the tension: Once you've started your wrap you'll need to keep an even tension on the tape to ensure a clean and secure wrap. This is when tape choice can help, with some tapes offering more stretch than others. Tester David writes: “Prologo is best known for its large range of saddles but also produces a range of bar tape, so if you're using a Prologo seat you can match the bar tape on your bike. There's nothing better than matched saddle and bar tape if you care about the appearance of your bicycle, and the grip and cushioning this tape provides makes it a good choice even if you’re not going for looks.

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Be prepared: Don't start wrapping the tape until you're properly set-up for the task ahead. You'll need some sharp scissors at hand, along with some electrical tape. The latter is to replace the finishing strips that came in the box with the tape. Discard these because they aren't very good at securing the bar tape in place.