Cycology 8 Days Handlebar Tape

The Cycology 8 Days Handlebar Tape has proved comfortable and very grippy, no matter how wet and wild the weather has been. Damping is good, too, though it hasn't rivalled some of the polymer-infused and natural silicone types, but it's been easier to live with and care for thanks to some unique technology. For more options, check out our guide to the best handlebar tape.

> Buy now: Cycology 8 Days Handlebar Tape for £20 from Cycology

Shock absorption is provided by PU/EVA foam, which is nothing out of the ordinary, but I was surprised to learn it was listed as 3.5mm thick – it looks and feels thinner than several others I've used and tested – so much so that I got curious and reached for my digital vernier calipers... 1.49mm. I measured it three times, and then checked with Cycology, who confirmed the cited measurement is wrong, and it's actually 1.5mm (now corrected on the website) – although in a practical, everyday sense this was academic, as it proved very comfortable on a variety of terrain.

Atop the pattern (which reminded me of the painted mountain climbs commonly spotted on the Tour de France) there's a slightly stiff lacquer-type coating, which Cycology tells me is silicone based. Aside from making the tape resistant to muck and grime, it also prevents the pattern from being worn away over time. Cycology told me that this technology and its processes took several trial runs to perfect and is, apparently, unique to the brand.

You also get Cycology-branded strips and tap-in plugs. The former seemed reluctant to stick, but that's far from unusual – I tend to plump for electrical tape from the off. I fitted the tape to my rough stuff tourer, which sports a swoopy riser drop bar with bar-end shifters so I didn't need the plugs, but I did try them on other bars, one carbon, the other 6061 aluminium alloy, where they were solid and effective.

Fitting

At 235cm, the 8 Days tape should be long enough to cater for the biggest flared drops and gel type underlays, provided you're not going for masses of overlap. I had no issues dressing 44cm drops on some dry runs, with 9cm to spare on each side.

I had a hunch it might prove a trickier customer to start nicely than traditional wraps, given it's less malleable, hence the dry run on some spare bars which confirmed this, but once I got going I was able to achieve a nice, flowing effect. The tacky but narrow backing adhesive certainly helps when correcting imperfections.

After taping my swoopy riser drop bar I had a good bit left over, so made my own 'cheater' strips for fitting over the brake lever bands.

I used a firm tension to weave the tape around, and found it was a good idea to have the finishing strips/electrical tape primed when hitting the tops. It doesn't unravel at lightning speed, but by the third time of re-wrapping I needed to tack it in place with a sliver of electrical tape, adding more once I'd given everything a visual check.

Talking of visuals, it doesn't give a bulky look, so is a good bet for older tourers and audax builds.

Grip

Grip has been impressive, regardless of how wet and icy things have become. It also seems unaffected by low temperatures – it was down to -6°C my way in January.

Gloves with silicone palms were perhaps predictably the best pairing – no problems with some Altura All Roads Waterproof Gloves and BodyLite Gear Reflective Gloves – but traditional, plain leather and faux versions weren't far behind.

Our first outing was at 5am and below zero, and tenure was excellent, helped in no small part by the moderate yet highly effective EVA foam fostering a good connection to the bar, so I could just cruise along in complete control. Admittedly, my spiked tyres helped on icy roads, but the tape's characteristics meant I could easily weave around holes, roadkill and similar rural hazards, even when flagging.

> How to make your bike more comfortable – check out our 14 tips

This song remained unchanged in persistent sleety rain, and although gummy polymer or natural silicone tapes have a slight edge in these contexts, the lacquered texture here is exceptionally reliable. So much so, I headed out with a trailer and 15kg in tow and indulged in some speedy descending – no issues keeping everything in check, even at 25mph.

It was much the same story off-road in some slippery conditions, which suggests it's a good contender for gravel and competitive cyclocross duties.

The lacquer coating also meant I could lean the bike up, fully laden, without needing to employ a DIY parking brake, confident it wouldn't creep away from host trees or wooden signs.

Damping

In my experience, it's the persistent low-level vibration that induces numbness and general hand fatigue. With the 8 Days I've tackled everything from churned bridleways, railway crossings and lumpy lanes through to pock-marked town centres and there's been no tingling, numbness or similar discomfort on mixed terrain rides of several hours, which was a pleasant surprise given it's actually much thinner than the contemporary default of 2.4mm upward, as I said earlier.

Again, silicones and polymer types do have a slight edge in the same conditions in my opinion, but can give a slightly bulky aesthetic and often require a bit more care when cleaning.

Durability

It's difficult to comment long term, when the adhesive backings will have weathered a bit, but 600 very wintry miles haven't taxed ours, and there's no evidence to suggest it won't serve well and look sharp for a few seasons.

Leaned against brickwork, trees, stone walls and the like, there's no sign of scuffing or similar deterioration, and the clear coat means mucky stuff, including oily fingers, doesn't transfer easily.

Cycology doesn't give specific directions or precautions when it comes to cleaning. I've found a shot of bike wash, warm water and a soft to medium bristled brush is all that's needed to keep it looking fresh.

Value

As we all know, you can spend a lot more on bar tape than £20, which puts this arguably at the budget end of the market and makes it very appealing for winter, cyclocross and high-mileage working bikes.

It's just a penny more than Prime's Comfort Bar Tape at rrp, which impressed Liam with its thick, grippy and comfortable nature – but the Cycology does have some unique technology in that silicone clear lacquer top coat, which serves to offer grip in all conditions while protecting the printed effect from premature wear.

It's cheaper than the Kinesis Anti-Slip Handlebar Tape Jo Burt Signature Series Reflective tape, which is now £28, though it did impress Jamie with its ease of fitting, comfort, generous length, and excellent grip.

And while PNW Components' Coast Bar Tape pleased Mike Stead with its blend of cushioning, grip, good looks, and durability – and a lifetime warranty is likely to win some friends and wallets – it's gone up to £29 at rrp, is a little trickier to fit than some, and its slightly chunky look might not be to everyone's tastes.

Others can cost a lot more: Lizard Skins' DSP V2, which impressed Patrick on our sister site off.road.cc, is £47, and he noted it was trickier to fit than some, and its 4.6mm depth could perhaps be a little too beefy for riders with smaller hands. Even its thinner siblings start at £38, and while I'm fond of the DSP range, in my experience they require a more gentle touch when cleaning.

Another more costly option, but worth a look if you have a particularly wide or flared bar, is Enve's simply named Handlebar Tape, which also wowed Patrick on off.road.cc with its blend of grip, looks and comfort. It's £35, but 250cm and 112g uncut.

Conclusion

Aside from a few minor points, I've been really impressed with this Cycology bar tape, especially given the price. Natural silicones and polymer-based wraps have a small but tangible edge, in my opinion, when it comes to grip and damping, but they're also harder to keep clean and most are a good bit more expensive, too.

The 8 Days is long enough to entertain gel and other under-bar padding, lending it nicely to cyclocross and rough stuff touring, and it's also reasonably light, so a good bet for audax and winter bikes clocking up big miles in changeable conditions.

Verdict

Stylish, practical and very comfortable bar tape with an equally appealing price tag