Brick Lane Bikes is tired of black bar tape. And as the long grey winter settles in on their London HQ, BLB has decided to spice up your handlebar with a ton of wild new bar tape designs & styles. Whether searching for a classic leather or cloth tape look, or some flashy hi-vis to get you safely though the winter, their synthetic Supreme Pro bar tape collection is sure to have something for your tastes. With Daylight Savings Time robbing any chance to ride home before sunset now, the wide reflective range seems like the best solution for me these days…
BLB Supreme Pro modern synthetic bar tape for any style
Every drop bar bike I’ve ever owned probably deserved a new wrap of bar tape earlier than I got around to refreshing it. And with affordable pricing from £20-26, it’s hard not to give a new style a try this fall – and give your bike improved grip, more comfort & better looks.
BLB Supreme Pro tape is available in 75 designs across 5 unique style/construction ranges that truly have something for every rider.
Classic looks have traditionally come in two styles – woven cotton tape & real leather – neither of which is very practical in the face of modern options…
Cotton cloth tape isn’t very durable once it gets wet, nor is it always colorfast – do you really want to have to shellac your bar? So BLB opted for modern digital weaving with more durable polyester fibers. Woven lets you get classic touring bike patterned geometric designs like stripes & zig zags, or even UK or US stylized flags in a 2.5mm thick comfortable tape.
Ribbon gives you a tight, 1.8mm thin tape with big color block patterns that harken straight back to 1970s road racing. Both sell for £20 in tons of designs (with plugs & finishing tape) and are 30mm wide for easy wrap jobs.
Faux Leather has that look & feel of real leather, without the hassle. BLB’s Faux Leather is made from cushy 3mm EVA foam, topped with a durable synthetic microfiber for all-weather durability & grip, plush more comfort. It sells for £21 and comes in ten color combos, all perforated and with classic stitching for a traditional look.
Already looking for something a bit more modern, Pro Grip offers more control in wet & slippery riding conditions. A polyurethane top layer over the 30mm wide, 3mm thick EVA foam already makes for a comfortable and grippy tape, but then addition gripper bubbles or printed patterns get added on top to eliminate any chance of a hand slipping from the bar. The £20 tape comes in just six colors/patterns, but you can pick flashy or subtle as the mood strikes you.
Lastly, and the ones most likely to end up on my own bike this time of year, Reflective does just what is says on the tin. Starting with a quality polyurethane over a thick 3mm of EVA foam, a reflective top layer can be subtle or colorful in the daylight, then pops when headlights hit it to make sure you get seen while riding through a dark winter. Reflective sells for £26 in sixteen different two-tones, patterns, camos & colors.
Who knows how long that reflectivity will last, but I think I will try to get some on my gravel commuter to see how it fares…
