Pimp my ride

[MrGrumpy]

Was thinking of putting some blinging white bar tape on my Langster However as i commute on it, its sure to get a tad dirty, anyone got some good cleaning tips ? Does anyone else for that matter use white bar tape ?

 

[simonali]

What about a tan colour? I have had white in the past on a couple of long-gone rides and I don't recall it ever looking grubby coz the dirt rubs off onto your hands!

 

[MrGrumpy]

well the bike is a dark green colour with white flashes.

 

[Keith Oates]

I don't think white bartape is going to look 'pristine' for very long no matter how you try to keep it clean!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[walker]

I remember a discussion on this a long time ago and I can't quite remember what some peoples answers were, I think one of them was Washing up liquid.

 

[fossyant]

Washing Up liquid is great on cork tape - just don't bother with white...

Get black - will match the saddle if that's black.

 

[PaulSB]

Does anyone else for that matter use white bar tape ?

Hangs head in shame.......I do, it's horrible. Get another colour to match up with your bike. Just don't do it as it makes the bike look chavy.

I have white as the last time the LBS changed it they had some white which wasn't wanted and did me a favour by not charging me for the tape.

Keep meaning to change it but I only seem to think of it when I'm on the bike.

 

[kyuss]

Sounds strange but Bike spray or wd40 works really well at cleaning white cork tape. I've been laughed at before for this suggestion (and no doubt will be again) but it really does work. The tape on mine is almost as white as the day it was fitted a year ago.

If you use washing up liquid you really have to rinse them quite well or you'll be riding home with 'foamy' bars at the first sign of rain.

 

[walker]

Well done Kyuss, yes WD40 now rings a bell

 

[joebe]

Everyone knows that your bar tape must co-ordinate with your saddle, wheels and cables if poss. I've got white on another bike and yes it does get grubby, but hey so does the whole bike.

Anyway, black is soooo boring

 

[gavintc]

I use white bar tape matched to a Spec Toupe white saddle. however, it is on my summer bike. It looks good. I keep it clean with normal kitchen cleaner. Spray it on and is cleans off pretty easily. I do my bike cleaning in the kitchen, so the product is easily to hande.

 

[Disgruntled Goat]

Get white Fizik Microtex tape. It's a lot easier to keep clean than the cork stuff.

White is the new black.

 

[spandex]

Na white is still white and black is still black

 

[Disgruntled Goat]

Oh no it isn't...

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/r.../2008-fsa-os-115-white-stem-4578_38_TRUE.html

http://www.itm.it/en/news/news-prodotti/itm-in-white.html

 

[fossyant]

Black on my trainer, as it has black cables, wheels, saddle and it complements the white/green paint job. Tyres are red to co-ordinate with the red 'flashes on the frame.

Best bike has pale blue, to match the frame ! - That can get grubby, but a good scrub cleans it. I assume using WD40 needs some washing off later to remove the 'oily' smell.