Best bar tape for bikes

Best bar tape
(Image credit: Supacaz)

One of the easiest upgrades you could make to your bike is changing the handlebar tape. Since the handlebar is a major contact point between you and your bike, upgrading to a better bar tape can make all the difference to how it feels when you ride, whether it enhances comfort or puts you in better control.

Considering how much time your hands spend in contact with your bar tape, this one detail can have a huge impact on your riding experience, so it shouldn't be overlooked - especially when it doesn't cost very much to get it right. 

Mildred Locke

Mildred joined as Reviews Writer for Cyclingnews and BikePerfect in December 2020. She loves all forms of cycling from long-distance audax to daily errand-running by bike, and does almost everything on two wheels, including moving house, and started out her cycling career working in a bike shop. For the past five years she's volunteered at The Bristol Bike Project as a mechanic and session coordinator, and now sits on its board of directors.

Since then she's gone on to write for a multitude of cycling publications, including Bikeradar, Cycling Plus, Singletrack, Red Bull, Cycling UK and Total Women's Cycling. She's dedicated to providing more coverage of women's specific cycling tech, elevating under-represented voices in the sport, and making cycling more accessible overall. 

Height: 156cm (5'2")

Weight: 75kg

Rides: Stayer Groadinger UG, Triban RC520 Women's Disc, Genesis Flyer, Marin Larkspur, Cotic BFe 26, Clandestine custom bike