Ergon BT Allroad handlebar tape

Ergon's BT Allroad bar tape is grippy, even in the wet, and it's relatively easy to fit to even the most compact of handlebar drops. At 2.5mm it's not the thickest of bar tapes for venturing away from the road, but it is certainly comfortable

For a bar tape that is designed to be used on mixed terrain, 2.5mm isn't that thick, but the foam material that Ergon has used is surprisingly squishy and comfortable.

I rarely ride with gloves, and found that the Allroad tape takes out a lot of the vibration you get on hardpacked surfaces, and it does it without reducing the amount of feedback coming from the rest of the bike. For me that's a definite plus point.

Alongside the comfort there is also plenty of grip. The tape has a slightly embossed pattern which works well in the wet or dry.

There isn't much stretch in the tape, which can hinder wrapping the tight sections of the handlebar, but the Allroad is very flexible and shapes well in tight corners, even around the shift levers.

On a 44cm (outer-to-outer) gravel bar with 12 degrees of flare there was plenty of tape to go around.

The finishing tape is tacky enough to stay put, and the bar end bungs also fit the majority of handlebars, although for this kind of money I'd prefer to see alloy end caps with expanding wedges for a perfect fit.

It's only been four weeks so far, but the tape is holding up well to wear and tear in the usual places.

It's available in five colours – Black, Space Blue, Merlot Red, Wilderness Green and White Speed – and costs £34.99, which puts it up there with some of the priciest tapes we've reviewed.

Enve's tape, for example, which Pat said was the comfiest he had ever used, is £35.

There are many other very good tapes available for less, though.

Brooks' Cambium Rubber tape, for example, is £29.99, and at 3mm thick it's ideal for all kinds of surfaces. George tested it in January and found it easy to wrap, comfortable and grippy.

PRO's Gravel Comfort, which impressed Mike Stead, is also £29.99, but you can get away with spending even less – Prime's Comfort, which scored 9/10 in Liam's review, costs just £23.99. It's 3mm thick, but if you want to go thicker there's a 3.5mm Gravel version for £21.99. I use it on my own gravel bike, and it's excellent.

Conclusion

Overall, for the tape's thickness it's comfortable and I really do like how grippy it is. It is on the pricey side, though, and there is some very tough competition out there.

Verdict

Not the best out there for the money, but impressively comfortable for such a thin tape, and grippy too