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Easton Foam Bar Tape

7
£9.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Cheap, easy to wrap and looks good, not the best for re-wraps, though, or wet weather grip
Weight: 
60g

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Easton's Foam Bar Tape is simple, can be wrapped with good tension, and cleans up well. Re-wrapping isn't great as the sticky backing strip tears any tape that is underneath it. A good budget bar tape option.

  • Pros: Easy to wrap; handles good wrap tension; decent bar end plugs
  • Cons: Grip isn't great; not the best for re-wrapping

Easton's Foam Bar Tape joins a long list of options around this price point, all offering a comfortable amount of padding and a range of colours. Easton's version is a pretty good choice that can certainly handle plenty of tension while wrapping. It is, though, quick to tear if you try to re-wrap, and it lacks the grip of others.

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Wrapping this was super-simple, especially compared to some of the expensive tapes that I've had recently. The good amount of stretch in the tape certainly helps with this. It allows you to add cushioning in certain places, and then thin the tape out a bit around the shifters where less bulk is needed. The result is a tidy finish that is easy to achieve quickly.

The bar end plugs look basic but they work well and hold the tape in securely. There are two strips of extra tape that some use for covering the shifter clamp, but I prefer the figure of eight method, so these went unused. The finishing tape is good but a roll of electrical tape will do the job better with a few extra wraps for a secure hold.

Easton Foam Bar Tape on bike

Out on the road the tape provides good comfort with decent vibration damping. The amount of comfort that you get really depends on how tight you wrap the tape. I found that a moderate tension provided good results.

Grip with dry hands is good and I liked the feel with and without gloves. When the tape gets wet, it's not the best and I was really missing the grip of the Supacaz Super Sticky tape that this replaced.

> 9 ways to make your bike more comfortable

The wear rate seems to be very good. A month since installing the tape and there's no real sign that it has been used.

There are plenty of options down around the £10 mark. Cinelli's Cork tape (£10.99) is a classic option and one that I've used many times. I prefer the wet weather grip that it offers, but it's very similar in all other performance aspects.

All in, this is a good budget bar tape option if you're after comfort, easy wrapping and a decent life span. It looks smart, performs well and doesn't break the bank. My only gripe is the wet weather grip.

Verdict

Cheap, easy to wrap and looks good, not the best for re-wraps, though, or wet weather grip

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Easton Foam Bar Tape

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

From Easton: "We're very pleased with our Foam Tape. It features adhesive backing, embossed Easton logos and durable EVA foam. This long-lasting tape won't break when wrapped tight and is offered in eight colours."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Easton lists:

* Adhesive backing for long-lasting grip

* Durable EVA foam offers enduring comfort

* Comes in 8 colours

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
6/10
Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Pretty well. You can put decent tension on this during wrapping and out on the road, and it is comfortable in the hands.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The tape wraps really easily and a clean, tidy finish is simple to achieve.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The sticky backing tore the tape that it was stuck to when I went to re-wrap this while changing my bar.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

It's ballpark what I'd expect to pay for tape like this. Cinelli's Cork tape is slightly better but slightly more expensive at £10.99.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? No

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Maybe, but there are others I'd suggest first.

Use this box to explain your overall score

Good tape at a sensible price. The re-wrapping and wet weather grip let it down a bit, though.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 24  Height: 177cm  Weight: 62kg

I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Di2  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo-cross, commuting, club rides, general fitness riding, I specialise in the Cafe Ride!

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