Cannondale HexTack Silicone Bar Tape

Cannondale HexTack Silicone Bar Tape is well cushioned, easy to wrap, grippy, and can even be reused, but it doesn't come cheap.

Rewrapping your handlebar after you've had the same tape on for a few years is a simple pleasure, but something that has a massive impact on your riding experience.

I've never been very good at wrapping bar tape, but Cannondale's HexTack doesn't have an adhesive back which makes things easier. If you get it wrong – the obligatory gap around the shifters – you can just do it again...

The tape is made from a foamy silicone, and though it doesn't directly stick to the bar, it stays in place. It hasn't shifted in the 300km+ of riding I've done since fitting it, which has included some horrendous weather. It's particularly impressive given that I tend to ride on the bar tops a lot, where I would have expected to see some shifting.

Though the tape has a relatively slim profile it's nicely cushioned – it's noticeable how it deadens bumps and rough patches.

It's also grippy, which I tested to extremes during this review. It hasn't rained a huge amount in the last couple of months, but the action of clipping into my pedals seems to act as some kind of rain dance. Not the best for a pleasant ride, but ideal for testing the tape's level of grip even in biblical conditions – and it's impressive.

This is unsurprising given that it is not only made from silicone, but also has a hexagonal pattern across the entirety of the roll. Theoretically, it means Cannondale has vastly increased the surface area compared with typical tape, and therefore increased friction.

In the box you get bar ends, two lengths of tape, and a couple of strips for putting behind the shifters.

It does only come in either black or white, so if you're after something a little jazzier you'll need to look elsewhere.

Though this is very good bar tape, it comes at a price. At £45 it's the second most expensive bar tape we've ever reviewed on road.cc, though just a penny more than the Selle San Marco Presa Corsa Team Iridescent Handlebar Tape and offering far superior performance in terms of cushioning and grip, according to Jez's findings.

(The Souma Leather bar tape Shaun tested in July is currently £60.16 – but then, that's leather, and made in Italy…)

> Buyer’s Guide: 10 of the best bar tapes

Liam tested the Wolf Tooth Supple bar tape a couple of years ago and found that similarly cushioned, although it doesn't have quite as much grip. That's now £45 as well.

All in all, I've been really impressed with this bar tape. It's grippy, well cushioned, and can be reapplied when you get the wrapping wrong. There is no doubt that it is expensive, but in this case, I think you get what you pay for – fantastic bar tape.

Verdict

Expensive, but an exceptional bar tape that's grippy, easy to wrap, reusable, and cushioned