I love the thickness and cushion of this tape. When installing you can really torque and stretch it unlike most other cushioned tapes to get it to lay down perfectly. The backing tape is strong but still allows you to undue and readjust if needed. The added butterfly piece for the hoods and the finishing tape are top notch. It doesn't feel or look bulky on the bike but has great dampening and it is nice and grippy. Definitely my got to tape from now on.
A friend bought this tape for his C64 and swore it was some of the best he tried. Although it costs a bit more than typical foam/cork bar tape (~10-15%), I decided to give it a try. I must say that after ~200 miles, this tape is indeed worth the cost. Very cushy and noticeably absorbs more vibrations from rough roads than other "thick-style" foam/cork tape. After a couple 40-50 miles rides, I had to re-wrap the tape on one side after a bar end garage door opener came loose. It and the finishing tape easily re-wrapped smoothly and was no different in appearance and feel from the once-wrapped side. The tape looks very lux and has very nice feel under the hands, plush and grippy but not overly sticky. The only question is longevity, but given Silca's reputation and apparent quality of this product, I expect this tape to last at least as long as others and be well worth the little extra $ to make my rides more comfortable.
A must buy!
This is a great handlebar for a gravel or road bike. The drop shape is very natural and ergonomic, and the flat tops are supremely comfortable. My hands would start to hurt during a long ride with a round handlebar, and that just doesn't happen here. I also think the bars do a better job absorbing vibration than metal handlebars. My only quibble with these bars is there's really no way to put a bell on them, but given every other benefit they bring, I guess that's okay.
This bar solved the 2 issues I have had with my Trek Checkpoint. I felt too stretched out, and had slight numbness in my hands. This bar has a shorter reach than the stock bar, which has solved both these problems. The brifters are also closer to the drops now, which gives me more confidence while riding in the drops as it is easier to reach the breaks. I also enjoy the slight backward sweep to the tops, which puts my hands/arms in a more comfortable position.
I couldn't tell you if they transmit more or less road buzz than the stock alloy bars, but this was not really a concern for me. I went with the same size 42cm bar, however the Zipp bar is slightly narrower than the stock 42cm bar.
