Mid 80's Restoration White Bar Tape - What Should I do?
 

So,the jackassery that resulted in a garbage modern stem being grafted onto the Levi's bike has to be rectified post haste. I have received the Cinelli XA, which I am itching to swap, but bars should be wrapped at the same time (and in oof... white). I would love to go NOS, but I am sure the durability would be super sketchy (even without UV exposure) 33 years later. Thoughts?
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1058ba91bf.jpg

I am no judge for the durability of bar tape. If you find something visually similar to what was used thirty years ago but made in this decade, I say go for that. The performance of bar tape is much simpler than say a drive train component, so NOS or even vintage doesn't seem necessary here.

Good call on the stem though, especially on that frame. Enjoy!

restoration...
 

Screw should, get that mastodon headpiece off of there. I think you'd get a pass from anyone, to even wrap one layer of the old tape back on. Bitd, they were seen with black tape sometimes, iirc. But white would be nice. The old bar tapes I have used have not failed with any great speed. I would go with the NOS white or if it's dirt you're worried about, I wouldn't freak out if you used a washable white. Others of course may feel differently. I am assuming you will be riding this beauty.
But please don't post any more pictures with that stem and tape combo visible. It's too much to handle at the end of a long day.
Cheers, Eric

I think my hands are tied now that I know it's the real deal. I just turned into more of a steward than rider with this one, it seems. I have dealt with thousands of degrading old taped bars that come off on your hands, (but to be fair have likely been on the bars since the '80s). I would just hate to spend big bucks on something that is or will degrade quickly. Good point about riding it, didn't think much about that...https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b36c39fcfa.jpg

That's not bad all! A lot of the modern tape has obnoxious designs in it, which could never pass for period appropriate!

I've been really impressed with the Zipp Service Course CX white bar tape on my fixed-gear. It's a little more rubbery than most tapes, and has a fine pattern on it for extra grip. Much more durable than the usual foam tape: https://www.zipp.com/accessories/detail.php?ID=16701

Be sure to look for the "CX" tape and not the regular "road" tape, as the latter is more of a conventional foam tape.

I don't care for the Deda, it's impossible to wrap without the logo showing. Definitely not an 80s look :(

Fizik makes a couple different perforated white bar tapes (with and without a sewn-in sorta raised section) either of which I'd pick before Deda. And the plastic leatherette is pretty easy to clean. And there's a couple of eBay sellers who have old school white vinyl bar tape, which is pretty 80s-looking and also relatively easy to clean.

Raleigh Team USA with White Cloth Tape
 

NOTE: Team mechanics rewrap the bars after every race or stage. That's why they always look good on pro bikes.

I have white cloth tape on my 1985 SBDU Raleigh USA Team Pro 753.

It was repainted probably by Raleigh USA with the 1992 Technium Team kit. The 753 fork is still the original black so it may have had a carbon fiber fork when it was being used (as a team spare)???

When the white cloth tape gets too much patina I'll just tape over it with more white cloth tape just like we used to do: after several layers, remove the old stuff and start over again.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f9dcc9f215.jpg

1973 Raleigh Team - White

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6d2eb74c68.gif

1977 Didi Thurau - White

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...45158b3f5c.jpg

LA Show Bike - 1st 753 Raleigh Team bike in the US - White

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c371c16ccd.jpg

1982 Worlds - White or Silver Benotto Cello Tape (note the goose among the ducks on the Raleigh Team Support car - the silver Eddy Merckx bike with the 114 number plate)

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...dd36e5b51a.jpg

Andy Hampsten, Raleigh USA Team 1985.- looks like white cloth tape.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...70676bc0ac.jpg


I don't like the "dry feel" of many kinds of popular foam bar tape, especially the cork types.

I've used fi'zi:k Super Light Classic on many of my bikes since it came out. For me it's been really comfortable.

The only problem is after 4-5 years the top coating starts to peel off, especially in areas where the tape has been stretched to fit. It's a bummer going out for a ride on a bike that looks great in the morning and by the end of the day the tape is all shredded.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b45e92f4c9.jpg

I just put some of the new fi'zi:k Endurance Classic Touch 2.5mm thick tape on a bike this weekend. It has a cushy feel but doesn't overlap smoothly like the old tape and leaves an annoying ridge line. Since I'm giving the bike to someone it's good enough but if I were going to be riding it, I'd pull the stuff off and retape the bars.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d749fc8fef.jpg

verktyg :50:

Mid 80s: white BikeRibbon.

White Tressostar cotton. Yes, it gets dirty. Nothing wrong with that, it shows the bike is being ridden. Yes, wears out. Bar tape is an expendable item.

Rivendell sells Newbaums cloth tape - a great Made In USA brand https://www.rivbike.com/collections/...baums-bar-tape
also White Cork Tape https://www.rivbike.com/collections/...handlebar-tape

Yeah. Bike Rbbon was the tape that everyone used at that time. It had been around for a while but by the early/mid 80s (83?) it was the tape. However, a lot of people including me were still using cotton. 'Cork' tape had just come out, and came to be dominant a little later.

FWIW Fizik is pretty similar. It's more perforated and the edges aren't quite as nicely thinned, but it's pretty much the same otherwise. I think you can still get actual Bike Ribbon.

Geez, 4 or 5 years? ;) I think you're lucky. I've always been hard on tape and change my tape after 4 or 5 months. Currently using Fizik Soft Touch White, which looks great for the first ride.:rolleyes: Still feels awesome, but not that white.... BITD dirty, trashed white cotton tape was cool in my circles.

This isn't something that one should agonize over, but it doesn't hurt to look at the options.
Personally, I've got black Tressostar on my Raleigh Team.....

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/666/21...9dde62_z_d.jpg


...and a buddy has white cloth tape on his. Yeah, it's a bit weathered, but maybe that's the way things should be??

https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8377/2...6daf2b_z_d.jpg


if you don't like cloth tape, you might be able to find some shiny Benotto.
Here's a Team that was on display at this year's Classic Rendezvous gathering...

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1746/4...deb928_z_d.jpg


yellow Benotto is an option too. Here is a Team that is on display at Maplewood Bicycle in St. Louis....

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4502/3...d84811_z_d.jpg


Historically, there wasn't a standard way of doing it. As evidence, let me offer a few shots from the Iron Horse Classic from 1982......

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4105/5...844576_z_d.jpg

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5055/5...c55785_z_d.jpg


of course, handle bar tape is just one detail in setting up the bike.
A bigger question is: do you have the correct jersey to wear?
I do. :)
It's amazing what you used to be able to find on ebay.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1460/2...2bd718_z_d.jpg


Steve in Peoria

Wow, so, as the tape was changed every stage, and those pics show even color variation on the same livery, I would assume the rider had a lot of leeway on what went back on. Steve Hegg seems to be harder to find contact info for, but his preference from the time would be the coolest. Another question for the list...

Oh man, what great advice here. I really love the pics as well. I was thinking cotton might be the answer but I had forgotten about the Benotto shiny stuff. My '84 Grand Prix had the silver/white version of that when I bought it new, but may have been done in-shop. I think Bicycle Village was having a hard time moving that bike, so they steadily added more upgrades until they could rope someone in. That tape looked awesome and lasted for years...

That is such a great find. Any idea who's that was?

no idea. Heck, I'm not even sure who I got it from... it's probably been at least 15 years since I got it.
The jersey is in excellent condition, so it's very possible that it was NOS and didn't belong to anyone in particular.

Back in the early 80's when the Skunk River Cyclists (a.k.a. SRC) was a big team, I was going to college in Ames, Iowa, where Micheal's Cyclery and the SRC was located. As such, I've got a bit of loyalty to the SRC and picked up some of the Raleigh and SRC jerseys when ebay was a new thing.
Micheal's Cyclery was not a big or fancy shop, but there was a huge poster of Jeff Bradley up on the wall and a small "shrine" to Andy Hampsten in one corner. :)
Definitely a cool place and a factor in my being a Raleigh nerd.

Steve in Peoria

So cool you got to go there. Lots of history!

fizik tape durability
 

N = Don't Ask.... :innocent:

I rotate bikes a lot and there's maybe 10 or so that I ride the most so some bikes can sit for over a year.

So far this year I've been mostly riding a lilac 1971 Raleigh Competition that I picked up for a beater back in Feb. I really like the way it handles (after I realigned the forks and frame). It fits me perfectly. It came with some purple cork tape. I liked the color but not the feel plus the bars were too narrow and the stem too long.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1eac36a5e0.jpg

After I went through the bike and changed the bars and stem I used some Newbaums cloth tape. I have it on a number of bikes but the surface is rather rough feeling. I prefer the smoother Tressostar cloth tape. Black is great! It doesn't show the dirt.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4a1f0f1814.jpg

I have one bike with Benotto cello tape. It was a display bike at Raleigh's US headquarters in Boston, Mass in 1979. Cello tape always looked cheap to me and I've never like the feel.

As mentioned above, it's slippery when wet for any reason. For me, one purpose of bar tape is to provide a somewhat smooth comfortable surface that has good gripping qualities for maintaining control when riding over severe rough spots in the road when the bars are bouncing around.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...76b3f93164.jpg

Bike had far less than 50 miles on when I got it. European market "Record" version of the late 1970's Raleigh Competition GS in team kit with mostly Japanese drive train.

verktyg :50:

What a collection you have!!! I give a lot of credit to my gloves I was using at the time, but the Bennoto wore really well. As far as control, I would say it was fine with those gloves, except for one time with a funky speed bump where my hand on the tire became the steering method... I didn't go down, but the glove was toast, as was the first few layers of my paw... That was ~3,000+ miles in though. I think that tape was essentially perfect until I wadded the bike up on a high speed left hander a year later (sand and death-wish lean angle, not tape's fault). I still have scars from that one. Wheelset, crank arm, and seat were destroyed, tape showed rash, but hung together and was still usable.