Brooks Bar Tape Alternative

So i'm a tight sod and don't want to pay £35 for some Brooks honey bar tape.

I've read on an American forum that to get an almost identical colour/effect is to get cinelli cork bar tape and apply 3 or 4 coats of Amber Shellac. But the problem being, it seems really difficult to get shellac in this country.

So my question to you guys is... Has anyone atempted this procedure before? Does anyone know where you get shellac from? Does anyone know is you could use a replacement substance instead of shellac?

Cheers

T

This is what it's suppose to look like.
http://www.fivenineclimber.com/images/cinelli/bartape.jpg

I haven't bought any of the various shellac products for a while, but I hope they're not available world wide as the lac insect (beetle) is now endangered, I understand it is now illegal to buy or sell...

Don't try to wipe out whole species to save a couple of quid, cows are not endangered FFS!

Use brown Fizik, enjoy life.

Lac Beetle FTW

Just cough up and get some Brooks. It's expensive because it's made from real leather (and because they charge premium prices). It's really, really nice though and it can be reused time and time again. Personally I really like the feel of it as well. Ebay?

Use brown Fizik, enjoy life.

The colour, perforations and feel are great on the Fizzik tape. Brooks who?

I rather fancied the Brooks bar tape too, ended up with this which is nice apart from the silver logo...
http://www.highonbikes.com/controls/handlebar-tape/deda-padded-road-bike-perforated-handlebar-tape.html

I got the Toshi leather bar tape in the Planet X sale. Not as expensive as the Brooks and nice (but it is thin, I didn't put gel pads underneath and after 40 miles or so with no gloves my hands will feel it).

I had Toshi tape and thought it was utter wank, really thin and gluey. Nothing like as good as Brooks. Maybe I had a dud lot.

Deda do some 'leather effect' tape that is around the £15 mark and looks good in pics but I haven't seen in the flesh - never could find it in stock. Charge do the budget option as it appears on the Plug. I bought my Brooks tape off here 2nd hand for £20 and I would say if you can get a good deal on it then it's worth spending a bit more. It feels good, looks good, is very hard wearing and wears in nicely, and can be used again and again. The wooden plugs that come with it are rubbish though!

Velo Orange do a honey coloured stitch on elkhide wrap which you can get for £25, if that's any use.

leather effect or brown is hardly the same as leather

guess it depends if you want to look or the feel

Being a tight ar*e I just bought some leather offcuts off ebay for a couple of quid
Worked fine and much nicer to the feel than modern bar tape which seems to last about
5 mins

^ seems like the best solution if you don't get brooks

I've got this: http://www.condorcycles.com/Bar-Tape-Grips/8150-Condor-Handlebar-Tape/flypage.tpl.html

It's a pretty good match to my honey b17.

The brown Condor tape almost seems brick red when you put it on and it's quite chunky IMO. I've gone and used it though.