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review
£22.99
VERDICT:
Squidgy bar tape that offers loads of comfort and grip, plus it's probably the easiest I've ever fitted
Weight:
170g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
- Exceptional
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- Average
- Not so good
- Poor
- Bad
- Appalling
Genetic's Silicone Tape is very grippy, simple to use and even reusable, which certainly improves the value score.
- Pros: Easy to fit and reusable
- Cons: Limited range of colours
Unlike a lot of other tapes, the Genetic Silicone doesn't use any adhesives to stick to the handlebar, relying instead on its own tackiness to keep it in place – and it works well. After plenty of miles the tape hasn't budged at all, even on the high-wear areas like around the hoods.
> Find your nearest dealer here
Comfort is great thanks to the squidgy feel of the material, and the slightly sticky feel means that grip is brilliant even with wet hands and no mitts on.
In the pack you get two rolls of tape each measuring 1.8m in length, so there is plenty of material going on for even the widest of bars especially when you give it a stretch.
This tape is hugely pliable which makes it very easy to fit and allows you to play around with the thickness too as you wrap it around the bar.
You also get two strips of tape for wrapping behind the levers to hide any gaps, but I found the tape so easy to manipulate that I didn't need to use them.
The great thing about that lack of glue is that if you don't get it right first time you can keep going until you do, plus if it starts to look a little worn or too dirty to clean you can unwrap it to give it a proper scrub. The same if you need to change your handlebar or a cable – no need to throw it away.
The tape has a retail price of £22.99 and yes, you can get cheaper, but for this type of tacky tape it's well priced against others we've recently tested.
For instance the Fizik Terra Microtex Bondcush Tacky tape offers plenty of grip and comfort just like the Genetic, but it'll set you back £32.99.
The very similar Guee Silicone bar tape costs £25.99.
Overall, the Genetic Silicone tape pretty much delivers it all for me when it comes to ease of fit, comfort and grip at a decent price. It's available in black, blue, pink, red and white, but a few extra colours would give more options for colour coding.
Verdict
Squidgy bar tape that offers loads of comfort and grip, plus it's probably the easiest I've ever fitted
road.cc test report
Make and model: Genetic Silicone Bar Tape
Size tested: 2x1.8m per side (un-stretched).
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?
Genetic says, "Superb quality, comfortable high density foam handlebar tape. Use with or without gloves.
"Naturally grippy double sided and stretchable allowing you to custom tune and re-tune your handlebar tape fit and feel."
Really good bar tape that has excellent grip, comfort and ease of use.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
From Genetic:
Naturally grippy material.
Reusable without adhesives.
Reversible, profiled section can be fitted 2 ways.
Stretchable for custom fit density.
Shock absorbing comfort.
Durable, weather resistant natural finish.
2x1.8m per side (un-stretched).
2 plugs, finishing tape and lever clip covers.
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
8/10
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
Great, it's wearing well and is easy to clean.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Grippy in all conditions.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Limited colour options.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
It sits towards the lower price range of this type of bar tape.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
It's comfortable, grippy and easy to fit.
About the tester
Age: 40
I usually ride: This month's test bike My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed
Since writing his first bike review for road.cc back in early 2009 senior product reviewer Stu has tested more than a thousand pieces of kit, and hundreds of bikes.
With an HND in mechanical engineering and previous roles as a CNC programmer/machinist, draughtsman and development engineer (working in new product design) Stu understands what it takes to bring a product to market. A mix of that knowledge combined with his love of road and gravel cycling puts him in the ideal position to put the latest kit through its paces.
He first made the switch to road cycling in 1999, primarily for fitness, but it didn’t take long for his competitive side to take over which led to around ten years as a time triallist and some pretty decent results. These days though riding is more about escapism, keeping the weight off and just enjoying the fact that he gets to ride the latest technology as part of his day job.
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