Need New Bar Tape!

I'm finally having to admit that the useful service life of my bar tape is coming to an end.


It was in an even more appalling looking state earlier in the week - tape on the tops pushed aside, exposed handlebar... I tried re-wrapping, and it doesn't look quite so bad... but it's totally shredded in places and only held together by a wad of electricians tape. I am going to need to replace it soon.

So what to replace it with...?

I've really loved those stripes and I seem to recall looking through some catalogues last year and thinking it's no longer available... but according to the the Cinelli website it still is...? So I guess that IS possibly an option. Have to hassle the local bike shops and see if anyone can get it. If not, maybe some solid colour - NOT BLACK (boring!) and not white (DIRTY! and boring).

Last year when I had to replace the tape on my fixey I tried some Soma Thick and Zesty bar tape...


It's alright I guess... Generally speaking I hate mottled bar tape - but Soma's made a couple that look like camouflage and actually look kind of cool. Took some getting used to. I think I prefer plain old cork though... (the thick and zesty tape is some sort of "special formulation of EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate)resin").

I've always wondered about Brooks Leather Bar Tape...? I wonder how it holds up to rain...? It must - the first time Iever read about it was in a book or article about touring and the author claimed that leather bar tape was a must for touring cyclists - and, obviously, touring cyclists are exposed to nasty weather conditions...

Hmmmmm... something to think about...