You'll hate me, but, bar tape question.
 

What kind of bar tape is this?

I have yet to get a definite answer, and or a link to a place where it can be had.

http://velospace.org/files/conti4.jpg

In my experience, it's the only white stuff that stays clean and isn't shellacked.

Ambrosio Handlebar ribbon. You can get it here:

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/showPa...BRHBTP200&bike=

And that is likely the only place you can get it. And they appear to be out of white at the moment.

If you need some, PM me I think I have a couple boxes of white.

-Shin

GACKKK...I had that on my Specialized Sirrus...I can not for the life of me remember what it was! They might have called it micro fiber.

Why is the bar wrapped backwards?

+1 on the Ambrosio

I wondered where the inexpensive Ambrosio tape was being sold. PBK used to have it really cheap, $3 or less. They no longer sell it, and my stash is just about gone. I sure would like to find it for $3 again...

You and me both brother! It's getting really hard to find anywhere. But the $3.00 a roll might comeback if the exchange rate settles down.

-Shin

Vetta made something absolutely identical, amongst a couple of other places:

http://www.jaysmarine.com/84_comp_061608_3.jpg

Last I heard, Keirin Cycles had a few rolls of an identical (different brand) tape in white.

The Bike Ribbon stuff is quite similar, though not perforated, and to my eyes, too thick:

http://www.jaysmarine.com/78guerciotti_bars.jpg

-Kurt

Is that "Pelten" bar tape??
I think that was the brand I used in the 80s. Padded vinyle, with a light leather texture and the single line of small holes through it. I actually liked it very much, the white looked great and they were cheap! Try scrubbing it with WD40 or Pledge. Those two usually works for me for getting any greasy smudges off on any part of my bike or motorcycle.

Chombi

Well, if you don't absolutely need the perforation, Bike Ribbon's basic bar tape is similar. Padded vinyl with the faux leather texture. New, it looks a bit shiny, but over time the shine fades. And it actually cleans fairly easily, which can't be said of most bar tape.

Working with some celeste tape I recently realized that wrapping it starting from the stem side makes it unnecessary to tape the ends down next to the stem. Finishing a nice white - or light colored - tape job with black electric tape doesn't look good, and white or matching colored tape that works well for the job is hard to come by.

Oh, i agree. But then the wraps on the bends lend themselves to moving around from your hands as the end is toward the stem.

Prettier though, yes.

My method of wrapping is to start from the brake lever body and out to the stem and bar end. That way you don't end up catching/pushing on the edges of the tape when your weight is pushing against it from the drops or the tops.
I've done it that way per what I learned in the 80's. I missed doing the same on my recent build, but I'll definitely do it that way when I replace the tape on my PSV sometime in the near future. Never had the bar tapes develop any gaps or loosening with this method of wrapping.

Chombi

Amazon carries the [formerly know as Ambrisio] bike ribbon. I didn't see any in white on a quick search, but it's worth checking from time to time, if only for the other photos that come up under 'bike ribbon.'

http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=12653220...0ribbon&page=2

Nick, the fizik bar tape looks like it would work and it's not to high priced: http://www.amazon.com/Fizik-Bicycle-...5322119&sr=8-2
http://www.excelcycle.com/images/D/f...d-tape-det.jpg

I'd never heard of this method... I'll have to give that a try some time. But since I spend so little time on the drops, starting at the bar end, and ending at the stem has always worked really well for me. As for tape, I'll often use colored electrical tape to finish it off. Of course, the color would be some sort of matching/contrasting color.

There. My inner Fred is rearing his ugly head again!

The Fizik tape does not lend itself to the Schmidt/Dobbins method of taping around a non-aero brake lever as shown here: http://www.raydobbins.com/molteni_replica/molteni_tip

I'll post a photo of what happens when you tighten the lever down.

-Kurt

This Ambrosio tape is what I've settled on for every bike, it's my favorite. I used to buy it from PBK as well, but finally used my last fresh box. I've had good success with reusing it several times, though.

http://www.ital-tecno.com/shopexd.asp?id=461

ambrosio vinyl tape. $4.50

Wow, ANOTHER supplier in Niagara Falls. What is it about that place?

I've been wrapping bars stem-down since I was 11 in 1971. I pull the tape tight and keep it tight all the way to the bar-ends. I've never had a problem with it coming loose - anywhere. Practice with some cheap tape a few times to hone your technique.

Seriously.... I thought the falls was nothing but 24hour breakfast and seedy looking strip clubs.

Niagra Falls? Slowly I turned...

I like it - and will give it a try. I haven't wrapped stem first until this recent job so I haven't had to deal with it slipping on me, but come to think of it I have seen it on a couple bikes I've bought. I'm curious though -while I realize your focus is more on function than esthetics (which I support...), doesn't it look odd having the tape overlap in both directions?

If you ride the drops, and wrap from the stem down, the wrap tends to "peel" downward after a while, even the adhesive stuff.

My white tape rolls have white finishing tape, and China's 5th largest trading partner sells electrical tape in a multi-colored pack here, including white.