Cinelli Original Cork Bar Tape

In 1983 Antonio Colombo invented an entirely new feeling in the history of cycling bartape: Cinelli Original Cork Ribbon. Upon its release this grippy, spongy yet durable and ultralight mix of EVA and natural cork immediately rendered other bar tapes of the day (made from cotton or vinyl) technologically null.

Within the space of a few short years the tape became an industry standard, spontaneously adopted by professional and amateur rider across the globe and copied (badly) by every major cycling brand in the world. Cinelli were imitated so much, by everybody in the industry, who didn't just make their bartape from EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl-Acetate) but also shamelessly sprinkled cork into their mix, making an almost identical imitation. So Cinelli started writing Original Cork Ribbon on their boxes for those who couldn't remember!