There’s nothing like cycling. It’s about freedom to ride. It’s about passion for hammering the miles away. It’s about blasting through the pain for a new personal best. It’s about the unrivaled joy of buying stuff.
OK, just kidding. But there’s always some cool new gadget you can throw on to make your ride just slightly more awesome. And if you’re a triathlete, well, good luck not wanting any new gear for any of your three favorite sports. Over the years, perhaps the toughest training I’ve ever completed is keeping my pocketbook closed, but sometimes the best cure for gear envy is to simply buy your favorite stuff in the first place. If you’ve got limited finances, it’s best not to waste time and money on something you’re not going to love. To try and help you out, I’m counting down my top 5 favorite products for cycling and triathlon. These are those items that once I started using them, I really wished they would sponsor me.
Here’s Number Five!
Lizard Skins Bar Tape
Price: Approx $35
Slightly high as bar tape goes, but this stuff earns its price tag. The lifespan and durability of the Skin steps on the competition and grinds it into little bar tape bits.
Sizes: 1.8, 2.5, 3.2 mm Thicknesses
Why I Love Lizard Skins
I ride the 2.5 mm tape in red, and not that shabby, off-colored pinkish-red that other brands of tape offer. Pure red that matches the accents on my Cervelo to perfection. The feel of Lizard Skins tape is like nothing else: almost sticky with a textured finish that offers more grip over other bar tape I’ve tried. The thickness of the tape proves great vibration dampening without the bulk of cushier options. The 2.5 mm seems to fit in that sweet spot that gives a bit more padding than the 1.8 (with which you feel the bars a lot more), without bunching up and looking like you’ve got pillow-top handlebars. Even the 3.2 looks legit while still giving you extraordinary cushion.
Lizard Skins also gets my award for durability. This tape seems indestructible, and it doesn’t gather dirty fingerprints the same way that other options do. The red is just as bright as the day I put it on (over six months ago), despite a few attempts at rewrapping, and some brushes with grease covered hands. A quick wipe-down keeps them looking brand new.
Maybe the coolest feature that Lizard Skins offers is their Dual Color Tape. With this, you’ll start out with one color above the hoods and end with a contrasting color in the drops. You can get combos ranging from white and green to black and blue. Pretty cool, eh?
Treat yourself to some new tape! I’m still happy I did. 🙂
Lizard Skins DSP Multicolor Bar Tape at Wiggle.com
Lizard Skins DSP 2.5mm Bar Tape at Wiggle.com
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