Handlebar Tape
Used road handlebar tape from Lizard Skins, Supacaz, fi'zi:k, Cinelli, PRO and Brooks, listed by private sellers across the UK. Cork, gel, microfibre and leather wraps come in every thickness from 1.8mm race to 3.2mm comfort.
Does bar tape actually matter?
Bar tape is one of your three contact points with the bike, alongside the saddle and pedals, so thickness, grip texture and material all affect comfort and control. Of all the road components you can change, it's cheap enough to experiment with until you find a wrap you get on with.
How thick should handlebar tape be?
Thin tape (1.8-2.0mm) like Cinelli Cork or Supacaz Super Sticky Kush gives maximum bar feel, which is why it's popular with racers and crit riders. Medium tape at 2.5mm is the sweet spot for most riders. Thick tape (3.0-3.2mm) like Lizard Skins DSP 3.2 adds genuine vibration damping for long rides or rough roads.
Cork, microfibre, gel or leather?
Cork composite (Cinelli, Deda) is the classic — grippy, cheap and easy to wrap. Synthetic microfibre (Supacaz, fi'zi:k) offers better durability and comes in wild colours, while gel-backed tapes (PRO Sport Gel) add a cushion layer. Leather (Brooks) looks beautiful and moulds to your hands, but it needs break-in time and costs more.
Which tape grips best in the wet?
Tacky finishes such as Lizard Skins DSP and Supacaz Super Sticky Kush grip well in wet conditions. Smooth finishes look cleaner but can get slippery when wet. White and light-coloured tape shows dirt quickly, so black or dark colours stay looking fresh longer.
How do I wrap bar tape?
Start from the bar ends and overlap by one-third with slight tension, leaving enough at the ends to tuck into the bar and secure with a plug. The figure-eight wrap around the brake lever clamp is the fiddly bit — watch a video your first time.