Perforated Leather Bar Tape w/ Wooden Plugs
$75.00
This seamless perforated leather bar tape is made from fine Australian cow hide. Package contains two rolls (one roll per side of handlebar), each ~80 inches. Available in Black, Espresso, and Honey
Note - this batch of Honey tape is redder then usual and doesn't quite match the other honey items. It's still handsome though!
Classy wooden bar plugs included.
have returned the tape and am now realizing that the imitation leather tape i have purchased is just that imitation! i will continue to use the imitation tape i have purchased til i can no longer stand it. then im coming back to leather
I've used this tape on my touring bike for the better part of a decade, so can answer Paul's comment about wet weather riding! This tape is indestructible. I have ridden 7-day tours with lots of rain and the color comes back when dried out. Scuffs and surface wear disappears with the same leather treatment I use on my Brooks saddles. For feel, I find it a cross between cloth and foam tapes, firm but not too hard. After all this time, it shows a "beausage" like the history of my rides. I can't say if the color of my dark red-brown tape is the same as current, but mine nearly matches my Brooks red-brown B17. While it may likely weigh and cost more than other cloth or foam tapes, well worth the difference!
The leather bar tape from Velo Orange feels vastly better than all the synthetic variants I've tried. To be fair, I've not ridden much in the rain with leather bar tape, so I cannot say how it performs when wet, but in a rainy climate I might treat it with some type of waterproofing. Durability-wise, I've put under a thousand miles on it, so I cannot say it lasts for years, but it is showing zero wear so far. On the rides I've done, it feels better to the hands, even through gloves. For me it gives just the right cushioning, just the right grippiness and the feel to ungloved fingers is great. Think of the difference between a leather jacket or shoes and PU leather jacket and shoes. They're worlds apart, especially to something with the touch sensitivity of hands and fingers. One caveat, I guess, is you might want to ride without gloves because it feels so good to the touch! I really didn't think I'd be so enthusiastic about leather bar tape, but here I am.
There's really nothing like the feel of real leather. The adhesive back made it real easy to apply and there were even instructions! The color and vibe match my Brooks saddle. Happy trails!