Well, I tried them. The thing I didnt like so much, is they have a tendancy to disintegrate in your hands, after a short period of riding. I just didnt like the feel of a million little peices of black crap all over your hands/gloves just because you decided to take a bike on a shake down cruise.

Now "good" bar-tape has never really done me wrong. the cheap stuff is the cheap stuff, but any brand (im fond of profile design) holds up well, and doesnt seem to fall apart under stress like the foam stuff does.

And of course, there is the aesthetics; I personally think a bar wrapped bike looks a bit better than the foam stuff.

I know a guy that did that! He had a Schwinn cruiser with those long "half moon" bars, it looked pretty cool! and he liked it so it was all good!

You are confusing dorks and geeks. I'm a geek, not a dork.

My geek site:

www.copplelaw.com

Then I apologize for my reply. what do you think about Cinelli bar tape?

same animal, thanks for proving me right BTW.

Sorry, I have to leave all of this fun, put my Blackberry away, and run a public meeting. I'll check back in later. Keep up the good work!

Nice bikes Kendall!

Oooooh Ahhhhh!

Stand up for your dork disks!

I like 'em! specially the big shiney chrome ones that come on some vintage Schwinns!

OK, I'm back. Now what other kinds of dorky things do you like to put on your bikes?

There are certain bike parts that are considered "uncool". The Dork Disc, cuff guards, foam bar wrap, tube valve covers, reflectors, kick stands and lights are all signs of a "Fred" cyclist. The more I ride, the less I care about what someone else thinks and the more I do what I want.
With regard to the bar wrap, I thinks some of the really thick foam padding was really nice, but any of that wrap is a PITA because you can't move it or re-tape it if a repair to a brifter is needed.

I've got all the info I need so you (RFC) can go on trollin' along with whoever wants to play with you, or as I mentioned in another post, you can always play with yourself, as I'm sure a troll like you has done more than often and are quite used to doing. C'ya!
(Thanks to all who actually replied to my question)

Not sure if this has anything to do with their global demise, but I found that in Florida sun and salt they got dry and crumbly really quickly. Then I'd get bits of crumbled foam all over myself.

See the "commuter bike pictures" thread!

Guys,

My apologies to all I have offended. With that, it's time to buck up, and to have some fun.

One should not get excessively serious about bikes. Let's face it, much about cycling, in general, and C&V bikes, in particular, is geeky, and a good deal of it is dorky. That's OK. Count me in. Nobody needs to get defensive and their panties in a wedgie. I mean it, I think it is very sweet that your wife bought you some $2 foam things. Use them, enjoy them, and cherish the love. No one is going to care.

And, when I state that something is "dorky," I'm not saying that you are a dork. I'm saying that you do dorky things. So, there is no need to come back with "well, you are a dork, too." I know I am. That's not the point.

So loosen up and have some fun.

BTW there is a big difference between geeks and dorks. Geeks tend to be weird, high energy, asocial or antisocial, highly or hyper focused, and intellectual. If they are athletically inclined, they go out for the crosscountry team (me).

Dorks, on the other hand, have no inherent qualities, eat their own boogers, and grow up to work as orderlies in state mental hospitals and have sex with the patients.

Oh, Obama was never a dork. Read "Dreams from My Father."

Good Night, Moon.

I have never liked the dork discs although that is the first time I have heard that term. I think they are unsightly germ trapping sweat holding grip deterring hardening with time errors in the bicycle world. But that is just me. Of course, it is entirely possible that a lot of other people felt the same way and perhaps that is why they died out. Or at least came darn close to dying out.

In follow-up, I book-marked the cushion grip page just in case one of my domestic customers wants them. Some people do ask for them and now I can help meet their needs. Thanks.

Have we overlooked the bashing of "safety levers" on brakes?

As far as "Nerf" bar covering is concerned, depends on the type of riding you do, and individual likes and dislikes. Probably better for recreational/commuting/touring. They other racers would beat you up if you tried to race with those on at the Tour de France. The notched sections are pretty neat...IMHO...I myself would probably use them on the top, flat section of my "for touring" bike and tape the rest of the bars from the brake hoods to the end plugs...using same color cloth tape. Hey, it's your bike...your riding needs.

My beater bike has a dork dish the top of my bars are foam the rest is pipe insulation. If I wasnt so lazy Id remove the brakes and put insulation up top to it feels kinda like a gel seat texture. Never bottoms out always soft

I still have a drawer full of NOS foam bar covering that is in great shape,but I never liked the stuff so I will have to put it on all my friends bikes when I put the giant plastic dork disk on for them

Coolest one-piece grips ever are the grips that came on some Motobecane models in the late '70s: nonfoam firm black plastic with molded-in fake stitching and integrated brake hoods. If anyone has a Motobecane with these grips, please post a picture; haven't seen one for decades.

If you're in Canada, you can order these from MEC. THe old Grab-ons...I like them.

I see Harris Cyclery in MA still sells them, too.

I was a mechanic in the years when Grab-Ons were really big, 1978 and 1979. I installed countless sets of them, and we charged quite a lot to put them on, since it took so much time. We used dish soap. It was funny sticking the dish soap in and shoving my finger in and out several times.

Hope you did not do that in view of the public Cheers

No need to apologize, mate.

As for Cinelli, I have no experience with the brand, as no LBS carries it around here. Id definately be willing to give it a shot though, on reputation.