Guee Silicone Bartape

Guee Silicone Bartape is made from medical grade silicone, which has its advantages over more traditional coverings. The material's natural tenacity means it's super-dependable in the wet and requires no backing adhesive, enabling effortless unwinding for cable replacement, bar swaps or aesthetic perfection.

Twenty five quid buys two rolls, expandable wedge plugs and finishing strips. If not overly generous, lengths are adequate: covering flared drops – with double-ups at key, personalised points – was no problem, and I was able to dress my Univega's moustache bar with enough left over for my Holdsworth's oversized pursuit type.

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Guee is much closer in texture to the space age polymer type than the Genetic Flare that I've been using for almost 15 months, since I started testing it last year. 

Casting off, getting that formative loop inside the bar end, required a bit of care, but otherwise it's a question of weaving around with a firm, even pressure. This blend is less rubbery than some I've used, supposedly weatherproof and less susceptible to stretch marks, so a firmer hand won't spoil the aesthetic.

Perhaps it's a colour thing, but the black on test seemed to enjoy a less chunky profile than some. Alternatives are blue, pink, red, white, green, yellow and orange. Lighter colours, coupled with the dimpled texture, are likely to show the dirt, so as an experiment I popped it in the wash at 30 degrees; 45 minutes later, it emerged completely unscathed and, surprisingly enough, more compliant.

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Refitting, it seems pretty obedient – no major unravelling dramas should you be called away at a crucial moment. Keep some decent quality electrical tape handy for the finishing touches, though: the OEM finishing strips are OK in a pinch, but tore easily, and the adhesive is adequate rather than good.

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The Guee's dimpled texture provides all the purchase you could want. Rain and sweat simply bead up and roll away, offering confidence-inspiring grip whether you're hurtling along through the S bends at 25mph, weaving through technical forest trails, or flicking around potholes and similar hazards in town.

By contrast, insulation from low-level vibration is good rather than great, and lagged a little behind the Genetic – especially off-road – although there's been no tingling or similar fatigue after 50 road miles. I wouldn't recommend riding bare-handed on rides longer than 10-12 miles.

To date, inevitable everyday carelessness hasn't left any obvious calling cards and with basic care it should last. Although hardly small change, £25 isn't outlandish compared with some, although I'm not convinced it's markedly superior to the Genetic Flare – not £6 better anyway.

Verdict

Good alternative to sophisticated polymer types, and many will prefer the feel