ESI Grips RCT handlebar tape review

ESI Grips RCT handlebar tape cushions wells, but fails when you hit the wet...

Cycling Weekly Verdict

While initial wear was promising, sadly the tape didn’t last too well — less than 1,000 miles and it’s seriously worn on the shoulders of the bars.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Grip

  • +

    Cushioning

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Slippery when wet

  • -

    Wears quickly

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

This silicone bar tape from ESI provides excellent grip and cushioning without being overly bulky yet can be voluminous if you desire.

While the grip in dry conditions is good, we found that in deluges the silicone becomes quite slippery, particularly when riding with bare hands; not such a problem in spring but worth noting if you get caught in a summer downpour when you’re more likely to have ditched the gloves.

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Founded in 1891, Cycling Weekly and its team of expert journalists brings cyclists in-depth reviews, extensive coverage of both professional and domestic racing, as well as fitness advice and 'brew a cuppa and put your feet up' features. Cycling Weekly serves its audience across a range of platforms, from good old-fashioned print to online journalism, and video.