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Arundel Gecko Grip Handlebar Tape

ArundelGecko Grip Handlebar Tape(Return to Product Page)

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(40 customer reviews)
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User submitted reviews

Review by RimbrakesFTW

My Favorite
rating
by RimbrakesFTW
Cycling Enthusiast
Middle Island, New York
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.

I really like this tape. It isn't cushioned so it isn't thick like a Supacaz. It is grippy and to my taste is just thick enough. I use gloves for padding. It is a little tricky to wrap but if you take your time and keep a steady tension you can get a good wrap without any gaps. I only had this tape on for a short time and had to replace my brake cables so could not reuse it. I replaced it with Supacaz which is nice, but is a real nightmare to wrap. Comparing the two tapes I prefer the thinner and more affordable Arundel. It wraps a lot better and I prefer its appearance over the higher priced Supacaz.

Reviewed 8/3/2020
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Review by Anonymous

Unimpressed
rating
by Anonymous
Cycling Enthusiast
Chicago, il
3 of 3 customers found this review helpful.

This tape has no stretch in it, so be prepared for wrinkles and gaps. It is rather short, so if you have contoured carbon bars, don't expect it to fit. Finally, the black tape they offer is too short and doesn't stick well.

Reviewed 9/30/2014
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Review by rsherbak

GRIP!!!
rating
by rsherbak
Cycling Enthusiast
pdx,or

Great, inexpensive handlebar tape that rivals Lizard Skins without the heavy price tag. Similar padding thickness to the slimmer LizardSkins but durable and easy to clean.

Reviewed 11/22/2013
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Review by QueenB

Arundel Gecko Grip Handlebar Tape
rating
by QueenB
Competitive Racer
New Castle, DE
2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.

My husband, who works in a bike shop, was given a sample of the tape and I needed to replace the tape on one of my bikes. It has a nice grippy feel which is good when wearing full fingered gloves or when it's wet. It's not a padded tape so it might not be suitable for everyone. I liked it enough to purchase additional tape from Western Bike Works (great price, good service) to replace the tape on my other bike.

Reviewed 11/8/2013
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Review by crazylegs

arundel is wonderful!!!
rating
by crazylegs
Cycling Enthusiast
kalispell, montana

i purchased this bar tape because i love how great arundel's water bottle cages perform. plus the tape matched my bamboo bicycle. it looks great AND the feel of it far surpasses other brands. easy to wrap and seems like it will last a long time. as usual westernbikeworks.com had the best price and fastest shipping.

Reviewed 6/2/2019
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Review by Anonymous

Bad Tape
rating
by Anonymous
Competitive Racer
CA
3 of 3 customers found this review helpful.

I bought this thinking it was made by the same co as the Serfas tape(the outer pattern is exactly the same) but a lot cheaper so I thought worth a shot.

This tape does not stretch so wrapping is a nightmare. It bunches at bends and when you try to unwrap to correct it rips!! Once I got it on it is just OK you can see spots where the tape is folded on itself.

Western should discontinue this one IMO.

Reviewed 9/2/2014
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Review by Anonymous

Comfortable, durable, cleans up easily and the checkered pattern matches the pattern on my Ultegra Di2 hoods!
rating
by Anonymous
Cycling Enthusiast
Colorado
0 of 2 customers found this review helpful.

This is the only tape I use on my bikes.

Reviewed 8/27/2013
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Review by CA cx racer

Great feel, adequate padding, excellent price, easy installation
rating
by CA cx racer
Competitive Racer
San Jose, CA
13 of 13 customers found this review helpful.

I've tried everyones bar tape. I like most of them, some are more durable with less padding and grip, some softer with more padding but don't last. Since I change tape annually or semi annually on three different bikes I usually look for a good value. The Arundel Gecko Grip tape appears to be just what I was looking for. Great feel with adequate padding. It was easy to install with the sticky backing. Didn't have to stretch the tape to much while wrapping. Never felt like the tape was going to rip while installing. I haven't had them on my bars long enough to speak to durability. I am using the tape on my cross bike for racing and find they provide good cushioning and grip. We are in a drought here in CA so I haven't raced them in the rain yet. Overall rating of four stars because I haven't had them long enough to consider durability.

Reviewed 11/5/2014
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Review by CSGod

Won't Fool Myself Again
rating
by CSGod
N Colorado
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.

I tried this tape a couple years ago, didn't really enjoy, and had it changed out within a week. To be fair, I use white tape, so a tendency to show dirt and not clean up easily is a showstopper, and that's exactly the problem here. One ride and the dingy look begins and doesn't clean off completely. Several rides and it's hopeless, whether I use detergent, alcohol, or Chlorox wipes.

One further issue is worth mentioning: the outer, textured layer isn't durable. The backing tape will tearmit off if you're attempting a little repositioning, and finishing tape will tear the hell out of it. My favorite tape is Deda Mistral, much cheaper, stays white indefinitely and can easily be repositioned. Feels fine to me, more like cork but no tackiness if that's what you like. I think it's that very Gecko Grippy quality that makes the stuff so attractive to grunge.

I was seduced by the many good reviews and reasonable price, and got a second pair of rolls, installed it, then quickly recalled the experience with my first pair. These happy customers probably didn't try the white version! Never again.

Reviewed 9/4/2021
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Review by Christopher

Great feeling tape with one fatal flaw
rating
by Christopher
Western Pennsylvania
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.

I love the texture, the color, the very slight amount of stretchy-ness (may not be enough for some BUT it never feels as if it's going to rip), the amount of padding - almost all of it. The issue is that as soon as you try to reposition it even a little bit, the topmost layer starts to peel off. Like, instantly. And there's an unsightly difference between the top veneer and the layer underneath. So you've got to get it exactly right the first time, and forget about ever reusing it. That's a big miss for me.

Reviewed 10/23/2020
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Review by Van Port

Nice tape for the price.
rating
by Van Port
Portland, Oregon

Easy to set up. If any mistake done, it's easy to unwrap and wrap again. It's not the sturdier nor stay clean long, it's yellow, but it's soft and mushy, damps lots of vibration and really helps to avoid hand fatigue and numbness. Serves its purpose.

Reviewed 9/10/2021
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Review by Anonymous

Good grip, good comfort, not easy to wrap
rating
by Anonymous
Cycling Enthusiast
Boulder, CO
3 of 4 customers found this review helpful.

Been using this Gecko Grip for about three years - probably four cycles of new tape - so I like it enough to buy it again, a few times. Only issue is wrapping - the tape is does not flex very well and wrapping around curves leaves some gaps and bumps (or maybe I just can't wrap well...). Once on, the padding is just what I want with gloves, and pretty good without gloves on shorter rides that I have done without gloves. The texture is good, easy to get a good grip, but not tacky or sticky. The tape lasts about three-quarters of a year for me (a year is about 5k miles), and sometimes I push it and develop wear-spots above the levers that let other riders know I have been riding! Would like tape that wraps better, but otherwise this tape is very good.

Reviewed 1/23/2017
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Review by EmbodiedDespair

Thin, comfortable and very sexy!
rating
by EmbodiedDespair
Competitive Racer
San Bernardino, California
6 of 7 customers found this review helpful.

I've been using Arundel gecko grip since I got my road bike, about 7,000 miles ago. I've only chanced it twice. Once, because the red tape was way too dirty. The second time, I crashed and messed up a large portion of the tape, so I wanted new tape to replace it. I'm about 2,000 miles into my current bartape and I have nothing but good things to say for it. It is easy to install, comes with absolutely gut busting instructions, the bar ends that it comes with kick hard ass and have never come out and It grips like hell, with gloves or without!

It's much thinner than I expected it to be, initially, but it has never felt uncomfortable on my hands and grips my bars like a good pair of aero lycra shorts. This tape has been with me for casual rides, training rides, crits, climbs, descents, you name it, it's been there with me! Anybody who has problems with this tape is either A) inept at putting bar tape on or B) a terrible person. I'm looking forward to throwing more of this tape on my bars in the future! Thanks, Arundel!

Reviewed 5/9/2016
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Review by Old and in the way

Bright color and comfortable
rating
by Old and in the way
Cycling Enthusiast
Nashville, Tennessee
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.

I purchased the red tape. Bright color, easy to install and comfortable to the touch. It is starting to get dirty so I will try some soap and water on it to so how it cleans up and holds up.

Reviewed 2/8/2021
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Review by Anonymous

Worst tape ever.
rating
by Anonymous
Cycling Enthusiast
Edmonds WA
6 of 9 customers found this review helpful.

This tape was bad from the start, sticky tape peeled off with white protective strip. It is nice and cushy but does not conform to the bars. Particularly around brake levers. I will stick to Fizik or Lizard Skin. More money but you get what you pay for.

Reviewed 8/5/2015
WesternBikeworks.com Comments
Hi,

Thanks for bringing up your issue with the tape. Many customers have had great luck with this tape, but your individual mileage may vary of course. We would be happy to get you set up with a different set of bar tape that you prefer, just call or email us and we'll get you rolling!

Best,

Derek

Thank you for your feedback.

Review by Anonymous

Thumbs down
rating
by Anonymous
Cycling Enthusiast
los angeles
4 of 8 customers found this review helpful.

Maybe a fluke, but, I unwrapped the first roll to install (after taking off my old tape.. bad move!, and the 'sticky' tape came off with the protective tape. Obviously, useless, as the tape would slide all over.

Reviewed 4/6/2015
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Review by velocaw

Worth it just for the wrapping instructions
rating
by velocaw
Cycling Enthusiast
Longmont, CO
2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.

Great tape. As good as all of the tape that costs more. However, the wrapping instructions are awesome. Buy some for a good laugh and for quality tape.

Reviewed 3/30/2015
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Review by NorCal rider

Great feel, look
rating
by NorCal rider
Cycling Enthusiast
2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.

Like most of us, I have tried every tape you can think of over the years. Based on the reviews I thought I would give Arundel a shot. The downer is, it's difficult to install. The tape is thick with an adhesive backing and won't lay down flat. It's stretch is nil, so you have to overlap about 12 width and pull tight. With tape this thick I don't think it needs an adhesive backing. It tends to bunch up. If you persevere, go slow, take your time and check your overlays it goes a lot easier. When I got to the top and applied my electrical tape finishing tape (note Arundel says on the box don't use their finishing tape, it makes a better chain stay protector lol). I noticed I had screwed up at the bottom and had to unwind the tape and start over. When I did this, most of the adhesive backing pulled off, and it went on a lot easier the second time. The tape could be longer. I had to unwind and rewind the tops until I could get the right length. I don't know about durability, but the feel is great and it helped reduce road shock. Before I used gel tape and this stuff works better. Great grip, and no problem holding on with sweaty hands. I think I will make this my go to tape as others have mentioned. You can get three rolls of this for one roll of Lizard Skin. This stuff is just as good. Excellent value for this product. Besides all the problems with the install, it was well worth the effort!

Reviewed 3/16/2015
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Review by Anonymous

Great stuff
rating
by Anonymous
Louisville, KY
2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.

My go-to bar tape. Thick-ish, grippy without being sticky, yet also stays reasonably clean for a long time. And it's better priced than comparable tape. Comfortable under my hands for hours at a time, with and without gloves. I usually buy a few rolls at a time on sale to stock up for my bikes.

Reviewed 1/19/2015
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Review by Joe8753

Good cushioning, good wear, good looks
rating
by Joe8753
Cycling Enthusiast
Boulder, CO
2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.

I like the feel, wear, and look of this tape. It's medium thickness, relatively firm, but it provides good cushioning on rough roads. It does not seem to wear out - I replace when I replace cables once a year (I use black tape, so maybe I don't see the wear...). It looks good on my bike - sort of a matte finish that looks better from some of the dull finishes on tapes of similar price.

Reviewed 10/13/2014
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