Review: Lizard Skins Bar Tape

Lizard Skins DSP Bar Tape
Lizard Skins DSP Bar Tape

Lizard Skins Bar tape is suitable for road bikes, including for tri-bars. 2.5mm thickness is the most commonly used and generally recommended thickness.

Positives:  Lizard Skins tape is very good quality, is durable and is available in many colours. The pack comes with several ‘features’ to enable an easy installation: bar ends; a clamp cover; and the reverse of the tape is partially adhesive.

Negatives:  At around £20/$30 most well-known brands of bar tape, like Lizard Skins, seem expensive for what they are. But…

Fastening tape on your handlebars is not as obvious as it might seem, especially if you’ve never done it before. Lizard Skins’ installation video is good and detailed and would obviously apply to any other brand you buy:

Comments: Whilst some cyclists might be concerned about the aeroness or weight of a thicker tape, most cyclists would be aware that comfort is paramount for most cycling usages.

Watch the video above to learn the exact and recommended way of attaching the tape. You need to consider ‘obvious’ issues (to some people) like which end you start from and which way you wrap! You need to ensure that there is sufficient tape for the bar end covers to push in and that you wrap in a figure-of-8 around the brake levers/clamp. You also need to consider how the end is finished off and held in place as well as whether or not you want to wrap over the brake cables (I would). I’m sure you will also consider the colour and grip pattern!

You might see the abbreviation DSP. This stands for DuraSoft Polymer. Now you know.

Alternatives: There are many alternatives. Fizik spring to mind. I would politely suggest that you consider a good brand like Lizard Skins or Fizik. Sure, you could probably save $/£10 but you might end up with next-to-useless, glorified electrician’s insulating tape – fine for fixing stuff on your bike but not fine for comfortable riding.

Detailed Review: n/a

Price: £20 (UK Link), $24 (US Link)

Disclaimer: I was given these by the manufacturer. I have previously bought this brand and would do so again. You could also consider the alternative listed above.

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