Bar Tape - Gel Cork, Plastic Lizard Skin, Leather - Whats your preference

[Tarmac Terrorist]

Me LBS replaced my Bontager Gel Cork tape with what I was told was the leading bar tape "Lizard Skin" which turned out to be a horrible plastic tape with a sticky tacky feel. I am replacing it with leather bar tape with gel pads underneath. In my research I have found out how subjective bar tape can be, seems half the users love their lizard skins and the tacky feel the other half hate it and have replaced it. I loved my original gel cork tape. So what is your preference and have you tried this Lizard Skin tape? According to Bike Force Australia, the distributor, all the tour riders use it.

 

[counterpoint]

The dividing line may be

The dividing line may be between people who ride with bare hands and those who use gloves.

 

[MrSteve]

Bar Tape?

Both the Quest and the Sofrider are equipped with hand grips on their handlebars.
The Silvio and Vendetta are not.

Since I swapped-out the stock handlebar on my Sofrider for a drop-bar, I just taped
up the new drop-bar with whatever foamy plastic stuff was on sale at the local bike shop.
The inexpensive bar tape works fine.

Yes, I wear gloves.
Remember, when you fall, you instinctively break your fall with your hands.
So, my gloves are crash protection for my hands.

What you do with your hands is your business....



-Steve

 

[counterpoint]

"?my gloves are crash

"?my gloves are crash protection for my hands"

Which reminds me: on many recumbents the gel padding of regular bike gloves are not doing you any good. Plus most are black. So I bought yellow kevlar gloves on Amazon for $10. They work fine and will offer some real protection should I ever go down.