The devil is in the details – or in the old handlebar tape
7.4.2022
Translation: Eva Francis
It's often the little things in life that make it enjoyable. Or unpleasant. A worn handlebar tape on a bike, for instance.
Caring for details is so important. After all, the handlebar tape connects me to my gravel bike and is typically used with racing handlebars. It absorb shocks and provides grip. Invest a bit of time in handlebar tape and you’re rewarded with improved comfort, safety and looks. Looks? Absolutely. Worn handlebar tape doesn’t only impact your cycling experience, it also looks pretty lousy.
Mine is coming off the handlebars, which it’s served well for pretty much a year.
What’s the benefit of handlebar tape?
Stability
Handlebar tape prevents your hands from slipping off the handlebars – especially in wet conditions.
Cushioning
Handlebar tape reduces shocks and vibrations. This protects your palms and joints.
Grip
Choose from a range of materials to find the one with the perfect grip.
Looks
Go for handlebar tape in a bold colour or a special material and your bike will look better, too.
I went for the RaceRibbon Carbon by BBB Cycling in plain black. In my opinion, the carbon look goes well with my black bike by Giant.
The tape is made of so-called PU foam, a material that’s used in a variety of ways in the construction industry: for glueing, sealing, filling and insulating. It’s easy to process and hardens quickly.
The scope of delivery includes handlebar tape, end tape and two handlebar plugs. It’s pretty simple to install, as the following video shows:
Cushioning
The cushioning effect of the RaceRibbon Carbon is described as «average». There are three levels: low, high and average.
Low
Handlebar tape with low cushioning gives you a better feel for the road or surface you’re cycling on. This allows you to react faster and steer better. In short, it gives you more control. However, the disadvantage of this type of handlebar tape is that your hands get tired more quickly, especially on longer trips.
High
Handlebar tape with a high cushioning effect feels soft and absorbs vibrations from the road surface well. This means, it’s suitable for off-road cycling and on poor surfaces and it’s ideal for long distances. What’s the disadvantage of a high cushioning effect? You don’t feel the road or surface as directly as with a low cushioning tape. For this reason, handlebar tape with high cushioning is less suitable for performance-oriented cyclists.
Average
Handlebar tape with medium cushioning effect combines the best of both worlds. It absorbs shocks while allowing you to feel the road or surface you're riding on. Your hands tire less quickly, and you have sufficient control.
First impression: delivers what it promises
The RaceRibbon by BBB works best in dry conditions. If it gets wet, it can become slippery. There is, of course, handlebar tape that offers good grip in both dry and wet conditions. However, with summer just around the corner, I'm hoping for dry cycling adventures in the next few months. Come autumn, I’ll put on tape that gives me good grip in wet conditions, too.
The RaceRibbon tape is just what I was looking for: inexpensive handlebar tape that feels good. The scope of delivery includes everything needed to install it. That’s the 2.5-millimetre thick tape, the end tape for attachment to the handlebars and the two handlebar plugs. Since this is my first time doing this, it will probably take a little longer than it should. But even so, it only takes me half an hour to retape the handlebars of my gravel bike.
Patrick Bardelli
Senior Editor
Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.chFrom radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
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