Best handlebar tape for cycling 2026 — get some cost-effective comfort and grip by choosing quality bar tape

Brooks’ Cambium Ergonomic Grips are well-shaped and do a great job of supporting your hands if you ride a flat-bar bike. They are asymmetrical in shape, slightly convex on the top to fill your palm, and slightly concave underneath to give your fingertips a place to be. The top surface has a covering of fabric, rather like the top of one of Brooks’ Cambium saddles. On the underside, ridges in the rubber help with grip.

Fitting the grips is also an easy process and while they are expensive, they come with some rather nice Brooks-logo end plugs that feature an aluminium body and rubber flanges to grip the inside of the bar. 

Cannondale’s HexTack Silicone Bar Tape is an exceptional bar tape that’s grippy, easy to wrap, reusable, and though the tape has a relatively slim profile, it’s nicely cushioned. The tape is made from a foamy silicone, and though it doesn’t directly stick to the bar, it stays in place.

Tester George said, “It hasn’t shifted in the 300km+ of riding I’ve done since fitting it, which has included some horrendous weather. It’s particularly impressive given that I tend to ride on the bar tops a lot, where I would have expected to see some shifting.”

It only comes in either black or white, so if you’re after something a little jazzier you’ll need to look elsewhere.

If you want increased comfort, excellent grip and smart looks then Enve’s handlebar tape might be one of the best upgrades for your drop-bar bike. 

It might seem pricey on paper but it is designed to be re-used, and even if you only use it on one bike, the grip, control and comfort are all class-leading making it worth the outlay.

Tester Pat says, “It goes on easily, stays put, comes off and can be reused, and the accessories are actually worth it”. Adding that, “it’s grippy regardless of whether you have gloves or not, or whether it’s raining or not. That embossed Enve logo on the tape really does provide superb grip and a very secure connection between you and the bars”.

Kinesis Signature bar tape is really comfortable and easy to fit, and this special edition, featuring text and a bit of humour from Jo Burt, adds a little style and fun to an otherwise pretty standard bit of kit.

Tester Matt writes: “The material feels very grippy and the ‘anti-slip’ in the name seems appropriate. Even when wet it stays grippy, which suits our typical British weather – perhaps even more so if putting this on a gravel bike, as I did. Water runs off the tape, so it won’t absorb much rain or sweat as some tapes can.”

“It works brilliantly, being comfortable, good in all weather, and easy to wrap, with Jo’s illustrations adding a humorous helping of style and fun.”

KranX Stretta Eco-Grip Handlebar Tape is a top-quality bar tape at a very appealing price.

KranX says that this tape uses a ‘blend of materials to give an enhanced feel and grip’ and tester Josh says, “KranX seems to have really nailed the high-grip factor when it comes to its tapes, and I found this extremely grippy on everything from flat-out sprints to descending like my life depended on it. No matter what I’ve been doing, I haven’t felt as though I was running out of grip, and I was never concerned that my hands would slip off the bar.”

It also wraps easily, is comfortable, and is not too thick. 

If you are after the fattest, most comfortable shock-absorbing handlebar tape, then the Lizard Skins DSP V2 4.6mm should be right at the top of your list – if your hands are large enough. If not and you are of slighter build you might find enough comfort in the slimmer DSP V2 options.

Lizard Skins has updated its line of DSP handlebar tapes with all versions of tape (1.8, 2.5, 3.2 and the 4.6mm that we have here) getting the V2 polymer upgrade to offer better durability and increased comfort. It’s a smart long-lasting grippy handlebar tape that provides an added boost of comfort to your ride and tester Patrick said, “The overall impression is one of luxury comfort for those who like a fat bar tape”. 

It does come at a price though, with an RRP of £47, but it’s currently on offer for just under £30. 

PNW’s Coast Bar Tape offers a thick, durable design with a lifetime warranty. The tape absorbs vibrations well, provides excellent grip in wet or dry conditions, and is available in eight different colours. You can also rewrap it if you change your bars or cables. 

Tester Mike writes, “At 2.4mm thick in the middle there’s plenty of cushioning, and your hands will indeed thank you over buzzy surfaces. The grip is good dry or wet, with no tacky feeling. This light green colour does get grubby over time, but will wipe clean with isopropyl alcohol and so far shows no signs of degrading.”

While its chunky appearance may not appeal to everyone, it’s well-cushioned, strong enough to last a fair while, and includes alloy end plugs. 

Prime Comfort Handlebar Tape is an excellent way to add a little more comfort to your road bike, while also getting a boost in grip — and the price is a bargain. The tape wraps easily, is perfectly grippy in dry and wet conditions, comes with good finishing bits and seems to be lasting well. The gel back makes re-wrapping easy too.

Tester Liam writes: “Out on the road the comfort is instantly noticeable. The thickness is very much appreciated over less than perfect surfaces, and this tape does an impressive job of smoothing out the road buzz my SL7 can send my way. After having the bars smacked from my hands by a hidden pothole, I’m back to being a fan of grippy tape. That grip is there whether or not you’re wearing mitts, and it’s even pretty good in wet or sweaty conditions too.”

“If you’re looking for an upgrade but the price of the fancy tapes puts you off, the Prime Comfort Handlebar Tape is, erm, a prime candidate. It’s thick, grippy, easy to wrap and holds up well.”

Leather bar tapes are a luxury but still very practical and durable, given basic care. The Souma Leather Handlebar Tape is made in Italy and it’s expensive but the quality is impressive. 

Souma produces this from full grain cowhide which is widely regarded as premium quality leather – it’s the strongest and most durable layer of hide. The bar tape is offered in three colours and every bit as refined as the price would suggest. In common with traditional leather saddles, performance improves with use – great looks, grip and durability are the rewards.

Tester Shaun says, “Grip is impressive in gloves or bare hands, and continues to improve over time. Even on our first outing, the glossy hide offered reliable tenure, allowing me to concentrate on a steady cadence and obviously, my surroundings. This only improved as time went on and a superficial patina developed. After a couple of hours in the rain the hide will hold onto moisture, but that has no negative implications grip-wise.”

Wolf Tooth’s Supple Lite Bar Tape has understated looks but is easy to wrap with a great feel and comfort. The ‘Lite’ bit refers to the fact that Wolf Tooth already does standard Supple tape which, believe it or not, is twice the 2.5mm thickness of this version. While that’s aimed mainly at the rough-road rider, the Supple Lite is more at home on a tarmac bike.

There aren’t any graphics, perforations or colour, just plain black, but what the tape does have is width. Measuring 40mm, Wolf Tooth’s idea is that you can basically double-wrap your bars in a single sitting, thanks to the huge amount of overlap available. There’s masses of length, too, so if you do choose a closer overlap there’s no danger of running out of tape.

Tester Neil says, “I like riding with this tape. The foam has plenty of give; you can feel it shaping under your weight, but it’s not squidgy or porous. Changing positions feels natural; there’s just the right amount of tackiness to stop you slipping, but not to stop you moving at all. It’s particularly good in wet weather since it shrugs off water”.