Best/most comfortable type of Bar Tape?

The frame on that bike is probably the problem,changing tape would have very little effect one way or another.Take a ride on a nice steal,titanium or carbon framed bike and your problem should be solved.It is a common problem with aluminum road frames,that have poor geometry.

 

i have a cannondale caad 8 (super stiff aluminum) but with a full carbon fork. i like cinelli cork, comfortable enough if you don't want to wear gloves, lasts longer than other stuff. i have also ridden a lot of gravel roads on this bike with just a single layer of tape.

 

Take a look at the bikes in the Tour of California. They are almost all lightly wrapped. I never seen a pro (top level) use thick bar tape. On the contrary they are very lightly wrapped. I even talked to one of the guys setting up the bikes. He told us some of the guys like a little thicker tape but the vast majority use a thin wrap.

I've done a lot of century rides and even a lot of double century rides (over 20) and I learned this is what works for me also. True we are riding sometimes in excess of 16 hours straight but even at these extremes, I find lightly wrapped bars work better. I also use a carbon bar though.

 

what pain freak said in post 19.

saddles, bar tape, short chamois, gloves.....they are all there to add cushion.

too much cushion is like stuffing your head in a pillow, you can't breath. so, with the things i listed above, i go with minimal cushioning and feel fine. i feel too much cushioning just makes the pain or numbness come sooner.

 

Funny...from what I saw in the TDF pics...I see alot of thick wrapped bars. Especially Contador. His bike mechanic uses the Roubaix tape on the bottom and the standard stuff on top. I've noticed Wiggins has some thick tape too.

I ran thin tape too...felt like I was just grabbing the bare bar. My hands felt sore after a long ride.

I guess in the end its what works best for you...

 

This DSP 1.8 looks pretty nice have heard some good reports on it so far?
http://lizardskins.com/

 

I'm not trying to be contrary to your point because I agree with what you are saying. I too find that moderate to light padding is what works for me as well.
However, I've been around pro cycling a little and those guys are all over the map in terms of their own personal bike set-ups. I just happen to have some close-up pics of Gerolsteiner's team bikes from the 2008 ToC and you can see most of their bikes have thick to very thick taping...

 

Just get lizard skin, i ride with that on my bar ends for my single speed, road bike, a single speed road bike, everything else is not to par. Surf city sells it at all stores. Comes in a 2.5 mm thickness or a 1.8

 

And a third...

 

You guys might also take a look at your positions on the bike. If you're putting too much pressure on your hands, I don't think any tape is going to remedy it. I use a relatively uncushioned tape, yet have no problem. I don't know that this is the case for everyone, but it's something to consider.

 

I was thinking the same thing and paid more attention to seat position. I noticed a lot of my weight was being "forced" on the bars. I adjusted my seat nose up a bit more(making it basically 100% parallel to the ground now). I also raised the saddle about 1 cm and slid it back on the rails about 1.25 cm. This made a huuuge difference in feeling.

I also changed the older, worn out tape with standard Sette Cork tape and didn't wear any gloves on its maiden ride. I love the way it feels so far. +1 to properly setting up your seat position!

 

I think freaky was saying that only in the wimpy races like tour of california do guys tape their bars, in races involving cobbles they would use Bare carbon or steel if they are a hard enough man.

JK, but yea bartape seems to be a personal thing. I like me some padding in my shorts and on the saddle, but to much padding could be a bad idea.

Pickett, wouldnt having an underdeveloped core place extra undue stress on your hands? when I'm fresh my grip on the bar is firm but light, hitting holes in the ground when I'm looking at a bird circling isn't usually a big deal... but when I'm tired I seem to lay my hands on the bar as though it was a workbench and Im resting. Then I get the old sore neck, hand hurtin dealio...sometimes I'm even smart enough to stop and stretch out a bit...only sometimes though.

Either way a firm second wrap over some silicone grips makes me happy on long days and I have experienced less numbness/tingling after being in the saddle for longs days or while out touring. I do seem to develop a flat spot where my hands rest after 1200+ miles and rotation the silicone grip or a simple re-wrapping of the grip with some cork seems to give a rounder surface area. I am talking about mtb use here but I doubled up on some old tape on the skinny tire machine and I like it. but in the drops its a skinnier grip... personal preference again, no science to back up what I like.

funny thread, seems to be a bit off course it seemed it was meant to just inquire for favored type of wrap, and maybe some pro/cons. Pain Freak if you are touring with no wrap then all I can say is your made of steel.

 

I recently switched from the Specialized Roubaix, which I liked a lot, to the Lizard Skins DSP 2.5. I really like it. Stays grippy in wet weather and seems to provide a good amount of cushion.