Souma Leather Handlebar Tape

The Souma Leather Handlebar Tape is made in Italy, offered in three colours and every bit as refined as price would suggest. In common with traditional leather saddles, performance improves with use – great looks, grip and durability are the rewards. However, even allowing for the tapered thickness it proved trickier to fit than several leather tapes I've used over the years.

Souma produces this from full grain cowhide. Full grain is widely regarded as premium quality leather. It's the strongest and most durable layer of hide, just beneath the hair. There's no buffing or correctional work, thus shows and retains the more natural characteristics of leather, and will develop patina as it ages.

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Souma says this is between 210 and 215cm (about 7ft) long per reel, which I'd say is ample for the broadest bars and decent overlap - it also allows for gel type underlays. The Souma is 3mm wide and 2.5mm thick, but slims to 0.6mm at the ends so you can park it in the bar ends and tape it at the tops more readily.

It might not rival some synthetic gravel wraps, but it strikes a decent balance between bulk and damping – at least for road riding.

Some good 3M backing adhesive, fetching expander plugs, top quality electrical tape, waxed cotton and hide food complete the package.

I added another thin coating of water-based hide food, since I couldn't get the supplied stuff to flow nicely, especially at the ends. By contrast, Brooks, Bobbin and a store brand I've used over the years are much easier.

Around the hoods was the most complex, and I needed to trim down the 'cheater' strips using sharp kitchen scissors. I decided to forgo the waxed cotton detailing. There's nothing wrong with it per se: it could be the crowning touch for retro-inspired builds, but not my rough-stuff tourer.

I had ample tape left over, even with a shock absorbing underlay. Talking of underlays, I'd go for a gel, or similar if you were headed off road. The Souma's 3M backing is tacky rather than sticky, and I've had no issues unwrapping and reapplying ours a few times over the test period.

Comfort

Overall performance is excellent and everything I'd expect from a tape at this price. However, leather coverings tend to bed in, and coming from a silicone, or polymer-based tape, things felt more 'direct' at the bars. It's not harsh or worse than Brooks and a couple of shop brands I've also used, and improves after 150 miles or so.

I'd advise against artificially hastening this process with products like neatsfoot oil; if you must, apply a light layer of water-based preserve, once weekly, for a month.

I used ours barehanded on a couple of ten-mile commutes, just to see, and had no issues with tingling or discomfort. With decent quality mitts I could blast along unmade roads and moderate trails/bridlepaths in similar comfort to with the Ergon BT Gravel Handlebar Tape.

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.

> Best bar tape 2022 – get a comfort boost and make your bike look fresh

Souma suggests applying a hide dressing at least yearly. I find a light coating every six weeks keeps saddles, tapes and accessories nourished and in rude health. I've regularly leant ours against raw brickwork, concrete posts etc. Some dusty/abrasive stuff has stuck to the surface but easily dismissed, without marring the finish. Save for a major crash, there's no reason it shouldn't last several years hard use.

Value

£58.73 is quite an outlay, but not outlandish compared with other leather tapes. Cycles Berthoud offers calf leather (which is much softer and theoretically easier to fit) in four colours – though it's only 2mm thick at the centre – for €74. That's currently around £64.

Brooks Leather Handlebar Tape is available in three colours and is £60.

While the hide isn't so thick, shop-branded fare such as Temple Cycles Temple Leather Bar Wrap is cheaper at £40.00, while Spa Cycles offers its version in black, brown and honey for £39.

Overall

Leather bar tapes are a luxury but still very practical and durable, given basic care, and this Souma tape is the most refined I've used to date. It's generous enough to work with a cushioning underlay and give great service off road too.

Verdict

Luxurious and durable leather bar tape – it's expensive but the quality is impressive