Protecting Bar Tape

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Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
I recently put some snazzy (non black) bar tape on my bike. This posed me a problem I've not thought about before. How to avoid getting oily paw prints all over my nice tape when I work on my bike. I figured some kind of bar condom would be in order. Obviously I need to be able to work the levers, eg to change gear while working on the bike.

This is clearly a case for a fantastic Kick Starter project that will net me zillions. But just on the off chance that one of you has come up with a simple solution, I thought I'd check first. I think they call it "prior art" in the patent business.

So how do you avoid mucky prints on your bar tape (other than just using black tape)?
 

Vantage

Carbon fibre... LMAO!!!
Wash yer hands?
Wear gloves?
 

DSK

Senior Member
Get a handlebar flop stop to hold the bars in place.
Gloves.
Wrap and old rag around them.
 

Spiderweb

Not So Special One
Location
North Yorkshire
Cling film.
 

Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Location
Inside my skull
The only oily bit is your chain. If you wipe the chain after oiling then you won’t pick up too much oil when working on it. Everything else your hands should be fairly clean. If not nominate one hand as the oily hand and one as the clean. Keep the clean hand clean and use that for pulling brakes, changing gear. Though if you are fettling gears and brakes and you get oily hands, then you are doing it wrong.
 
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