Some cyclists ride with neither gloves nor bar tape, but I am not one of those folks! The roads in my area are extremely rough and without padded bar tape and a good pair of gloves my hands would shake for several hours after a bike ride, which is a royal pain since I spend most of my day working on a computer keyboard. For many years I wrapped the handlebars on my road bikes with Bontrager Gel Cork bar tape, but this past winter I started using Lizard Skins DSP Bar Tape and long rides are now a lot more enjoyable.
Lizard Skins DSP Bar Tape
I found Lizard Skins DSP Bar Tape at the local bike shop one day after I’d spent several hours riding in the rain. The Bontrager Gel Cork tape always got very slippery when wet, and since I seem to spend a lot of time riding in the rain I wanted a handlebar tape that offered a better grip. While the Lizard Skins DSP tape offers a superior gripping surface, I still won’t ride in the rain without a pair of gloves—I might seem overly cautious to some, but when cycling at high speeds on slick roads I want to feel like I am in complete control of the bike, and for me that means a good grip on the handlebars.
Lizard Skins DSP Bar Tape is an ultra-lightweight tape (only 56 grams per set, including plugs). This tape is made with DuraSoft Polymer (DSP) and provides a comfortable surface for your hands even on rides of six hours or more. The bike I use for long rides in the rain has an aluminum frame, and even on a smooth roads I can feel every little bump. This tape greatly reduces road vibrations and offers superior shock absorption. This is going to make some people cringe, but I actually have two layers of bar tape on this bike since this bike is also used for winter rides when the temperature is down to near zero (Fahrenheit), the second layer of bar tape protects my hands from the chill of the handlebar. I only have one layer of this tape on my Trek Madone, but I never ride this bike in the winter.
Close-up of Lizard Skins DSP Bar Tape (Tread Pattern Provides A Great Grip)
Lizard Skins DSP Bar Tape is available in eight colors (Black, White, Blue, Red, Pink, Green, Yellow, Orange, and Celeste Green) and retails for around $38 per package. Each package has two rolls of 2.5 mm thick tape, two bar-end plugs, and two finishing strips. You should be able to find this tape at your local bike shop (or at least they can order it for you). This tape is also available from RealCyclist.com, REI, Amazon.com and many other online retailers.
velophileaustralia
July 20, 2012 at 10:21 AM
I considered getting some of this as a 2nd tape layer for my touring bike. However I ended up just using a spare roll of regular Easton cork tape I had on hand. The Lizard Skins tape is expensive and wears out quickly. However it does look pretty darn awesome on your bike!
All Seasons Cyclist
July 20, 2012 at 12:22 PM
This tape does feel great on both my Trek Madone and my “foul weather” road bike. The tape on my Madone already has over 2000 miles of use and shows no signs of wear — I am not really sure how long it will last. I replaced the Bontrager tape about 5,000 miles.
Eugene
July 22, 2012 at 6:14 AM
I love it, but I have to agree it wears out/gets dirty quickly. Especially if you have a white bartape fetish like me!
All Seasons Cyclist
July 22, 2012 at 3:41 PM
Eugene — thanks for the feedback! I never use white bar tape — I like to keep my bikes sparkling clean and I think white tape would drive me nuts trying to keep it “white”.
anneihilate
July 20, 2012 at 10:59 AM
Hi! Thanks for stopping by my blog! I would actually really like to get into cycling, especially mountain biking, but I have no idea where to start. D:
All Seasons Cyclist
July 20, 2012 at 12:24 PM
Just go to a local bike shop and ask about the trails in your area. Most shops are happy to help point you in the right direction — of course, they would also like to see you buy your next bike from them!
Huffygirl
July 25, 2012 at 9:10 PM
Hmm, think the extra padding would help prevent hand numbness? Nice bike blog BTW.
All Seasons Cyclist
July 25, 2012 at 11:04 PM
Huffygirl — This tape will greatly reduce numbness caused by road vibration. However, a lot of cyclists experience numbness on in their hands because they have their saddle tilted forward too much and thus they put a lot of weight on their hands during a ride (the goal is to distribute your weight between your pedals, saddle and handlebars).
chris
July 29, 2012 at 6:15 PM
I have had serious hand pain/numbness issues over the years and, after a couple of 4 hour rides the last two days with the Lizard Skins tape, will say that it significantly helped reduce my problems. Gloves actually make my hands swell and go numb more quickly, but with high humidity in NC, I had to wear them with cork tape. I am amazed at the Lizard Skins resistance to sweat, and am sold on the product. And yes, I’m rocking white. As a side note, I also used Bontrager gel pads under the tape so I don’t know how well it works without gel.
All Seasons Cyclist
July 29, 2012 at 11:26 PM
Chris, I am glad the Lizard Skin tape works for you as well. I also have one bike with a layer of Bontrager gel pad tape under the Lizard Skin tape — what a sweet ride!