I was like a kid in a candy store, although the Australian version is better known as a milk bar. And the eye-candy in this case was bartape for the handlebars, a dazzling array of pretty colours and pretty designs which I had never seen before. There was also an air of mystique surrounding the brand btp who were exhibiting their wares at the trendy Berlin Bike Show and were a brand who proved themselves to be quite hard to tie-down. More on this shortly.
Bar tape is not only practical for cyclists at the crucial the interface between your hands and the handlebar on road bikes and track bikes, bar tape also has an under-appreciated role in complementing your style. Just a glance at modern road cycling proves that ‘style’ can be just as important for some riders as performance.
The most common type of bartape on the market today is made from EVA foam. There is also leather and synthetic leather and the btp brand delivers the familiar standards but adds a twist with new lines including silicon coated EVA foam for better grip, woven and ribbon style bar tape that comes in an array of patterns and surface treatments and relective tapes. All-in-all there over 200 different bar tapes on offer and you are bound to find types and styles to match any road bike.
Who are btp?
There are not many answers to this question, but with some persistence I was able to gain a clearer picture. I first saw btp at the last Berlin Bike show, an event which is a regular launch-pad for new brands. A bit like the city of Berlin, the bike show tends to shun big-name brands and cultivate the exciting brands and ideas. The bike show is a melting pot and with the fantastical eye-candy, btp was right at home.
The brand was presented by a team of enthusiastic Englishmen who I later discovered were agents, though not actively with the brand, so it was not an English bricklane brand as I assumed, rather a slightly elusive Taiwanese brand. The proprietor, Mandy Wu was originally involved in her family business who were produced tape for tennis rackets for over 30 years. She also worked for 20 years in cycling trade before founding btp in 2017 which now boasts 10 full-time employees as well as contractors when required.
While writing the review there was a lot of shifting and changing of the business websites and other social media channels and this appears to have stabilised.
As a young business, there are not many distributers onboard and with none in Australia, the bar tape is not yet available at bike shops. Though online retail lets customers buy direct and the prices range between USD25 – 40 which is AUD35 – 55 and shipping is a flat rate of USD5 (ca. AUD7). There is cheaper tape available on the market but this is clearly not where btp are competing… rather they provide a large range of tapes to match your bike or bling it up.
btp Bartape in Review
For review I selected one of each of the main types of tape to compare and also got a few off-cuts just to see the variation. All of the bartape I review was self-adhesive, the ribbon style bartape is notably thinner while the other styles of bartape with a silicon print or EVA foam backing are thicker and spongier. When choosing bartape, don’t underestimate the importance of comfort and if your favorite style is too thick or too thin, be prepared to reconsider your choices. While out riding, other riders who dared to look a bit closer tended to comment positively on the tape because most road bikes stick to basic, single colour tape which is usually selected to match the frame and graphics.
Ribbon – BRBN-JELY02 GREENISH
The Ribbon series bartape is synthetic; thinly woven and printed tape with bright triangles and angular graphics. When it is wrapped, the graphics come alive and in a few minutes this can enhance your bikes’ look with this simple eye catcher. As good bar tape should last. it is not practical to change colours and styles to match your mood – but of course you can if you want.
Wrapping is straight forward and a small instruction sheet also provides a recommendation to overlap the tape by 1/3. One criticism is that the bar end plugs didn’t fit securely and the tape was prone to unsticking. I used some Nitto tape directly on the plugs to increase their diameter until the fit was snug. As I had to tape the plugs for the thicker bartape as well, I think the plus are a bit small as opposed to my wrapping technique being flawed.
While riding, I was initially cautious as I thought that it would be a slippery tape. With cycling gloves, the grip was fine and I just felt that riders who need more padding for their handlebars will find it less comfortable than thick tape. Riding without gloves was a bit different, at the start of a ride when my hands are dry, there is less grip however as soon as I begin to perspire, the ribbon tape became quite grippy, in fact it was then gripper than the silicon covered bar tape from btp.
A final comment is that light-coloured areas will gather grim and sweat, just like white bar tape. The ribbon material can be cleaned somewhat however I didn’t really work out the most effective way to do this but if you really don’t like the idea of having bar tape that looks a bit tardy after few wet or dusty rides, darker colours are probably best.
Silicon BEV01HEX-BKBK
The silicon bar tapes use EVA foam which is typical for bartape with an additional hexagonal silicon print surface. Everyone knows that silicon equals grip and this tape is very tacky (super sticky). I found that the hexagonal pattern is better as the dots squirm and have far too much movement… the last thing I need while racing downhill at speed.
Riding with gloves, the grip was good for the tape with the hexagonal silicon pattern. Without gloves however they were acted almost in reverse to the previous ribbon tape. With dry hands it was strictly grippy. With sweaty hands, the silicon started to become slippery and was counter-productive. Overall it was manageable but if I know I want to ride without gloves, then this is not the bartape I would recommend.
Woven BRBN-DIGI WH COL
The woven bar tape is exciting because btp introduce new and unusual styles. Imaging having bar tape that reminds you of an Iranian carpet or a traditional Nepalese garment. The woven styles are not racey like the ribbon designs. Instead of adorning aerodynamic road bikes, I would expect that these styles will appeal to custom bike builders, classic bike restorers and other enthusiasts who opt for the woven bar tapes because they lend character.
The interesting thing about this woven tape is that there are different silicon patterns and the combination of the weave and silicon will influence the amount of grip.
Synthethic Leather BMF2616PKPK
For the vegans, the synthetic leather gives you the look and many of the attributes of a classic leather tape but with keeps your conscience gluten and lactose-free. Ignoring the ethics of leather v. synthetic production, a lot of bike riders will appreciate the ability to choose from classic and bright colours to match their bike.
This is a thicker style tape with EVA foam backing and coloured stitching that provides a good colour contrast. Whether you want to lend your bike a classic or contemporary look, this delivers a lot of padding and is suitable for cyclists who prefer a thicker grip.
The Others; Reflective, ‘Slightly Tacky’ , Leather, Cork and Microfibre
In addition to the styles I tested on the road, there are a few eye-catchers in particular the reflective tape. This series is called ‘Nightguard’ and you’ll either love them or hate the look. For visibility, reflective tape is great but a side-effect is that this tape is particularly slippery (I tried at the bike show). This meant it was out of contention however it would be at home on ‘show bikes’ or for hipsters on fixies who are still searching for subtle bling.
The (genuine) Leather and Cork tapes are new tapes for btp along with the ‘slightly tacky’ bar tape which have been released as a series of black tape with white ornamental graphics. The ‘slightly grippy’ series tone down the colour while introducing some eye-candy through illustration and I feel they may become popular with cyclists who want to avoid being loud whilst setting an accent on tape with the right amount of grip.
It’s almost a wrap
Irrespective of the style and colour of the btp tapes I tested, each came with the same shiny chrome plastic plugs. btp have missed the opportunity to delivery either subtle plugs or matching plugs. For example, a monogramed plug would help create a rounded product and enhance the ‘brand experience’.
A common issue I had when wrapping my bars was that the black tape provided by btp to wrap the end of the tape was a little underpowered. Although I have a tendency to wrap my tape as close to the stem as possible, the supplied black finishing tape had a tendency to unravel. The easy solution was to use my own black Nitto tape which is wider, is more flexible and delivers a more reliable grip. This Nitto tape is not to be confused with the classic Japanese brand of the same name who are famous for handlebars and stems.
With a healthy dose of Nitto tape, the finish was perfect and the look complete. Cycling with two different tapes while testing was unusual and for the ‘loud’ tape I got a few comments whereas the subtle styles remained unnoticed… but perfectly integrated.
I have not been able to really test for longevity but in summary found some of the small issues easy to resolve… essentially using my own plugs and my own sticky tape. Otherwise the different styles of tapes have strengths and weaknesses but they all allow you to colour coordinate and add a bit of spice to your bike.
btp can be found online: btpbartape.com
