Arundel

Art Gecko Bar Tape

Among The Worst I’ve Used

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

The tape looks outstanding, and comes with more than enough length to wrap a full round bar practically to the stem. That’s the end of the positives as I see them. The bar tape is fine to wrap, though it doesn’t have nearly the same stretch as other high end bar tapes. The worst part is that it provides essentially no grip at all. The “art” portion on the drops is incredibly slick when dry to the point of being dangerous and offers only a tiny bit of tack if your hands are barely damp. With even moderate sweat they go back to oil slick territory. The black “gecko” portion also does nothing to afford grip or confidence when damp or wet. I used it for one ride and immediately took it off the bike. This was the least confidence inspiring tape I’ve ever used. Thankfully it wasn’t a horribly expensive failed experiment.