"White Tape is so Pro" Now someone post a link to the You Tube "Things Roadies Say" vid

I'd say either red or black for the Masi Evo with its frame colors.

Bill

Get the white tape, it gets dirty from riding it. So get it good and dirty, it's like a badge of honor. When you can't stand it any more, change it.

It's the same way with kayak bottoms, they get scratched from use, so we check out each others bottoms(?) to see who uses their boat, or if it's a roof rack queen.

For white cork tape, try that lemon furniture polish (like Pledge). Put enough on to build up a bit, and wipe *all* of it off. Rub the darker areas more intensely and it really does come off to look acceptable. Nothing else I tried worked. It won't be as arctic white as new, but it should be close enough.

I think black tape would look awesome with the red hoods.

Since you aren't really sure what you want, why not run with what you have for a while? You'll either find that you don't mind if it gets a little dirty, you'll find an easy enough way to clean it or you'll decide you don't like it and you'll have a better idea what you would rather have. Sometimes it is good to make decisions based on living with something rather than based on what you think it would be like.

I love my white tape. But, I have to change it about every three months because I'll only use the old-fashioned cloth tape. Can't really clean that. Thankfully, it is only five bucks a roll, so ten bucks and I'm good as new. Only problem is that less and less shops stock the stuff. It's usually a special order these days.

Lizard skins in white. Grippy and cleans well

First of all, there is enough black and white on the bike that it will look fine with black bar tape and white saddle. You probably won't be riding with those who would be offended by a black/white match.

I think that black tape would look great with those red brake hood covers. I say black bars and white saddle. Besides if the saddle is uncomfortable it should be changed anyway, then you could get a black saddle and satisfy the fashion police.

http://www.wrenchscience.com/DBImage...00h/CN7621.JPG :innocent:

Ahh...Problem solved.

OMG.... I haven't thought about Sally Star in decades. I was glued to the TV when she was on.

Really? Worrying about white tape? Come on DG, HTFU. Let your mechanic change it every night after you finish the stage.

I actually keep my Colnago Master Xl in white bar tape. It just looks too cool not to. Yes, it has to be cleaned more often and changed about three times a calendar year; a very small price to pay for keeping a piece of art in the proper frame. Would Van Gogh have allowed Starry Night to be framed in a neon green plastic frame? I think not. Would Matisse have allowed Dessert: Harmony in Red to be framed in a chrome metal frame? I think not. Should DG allow his Masi to be framed in anything but white? I think not.

My Z85 came with white tape and while it looked good (for about a week) I couldn't wait to change it to black. I like the look of the black much better. And it doesn't show any dirt.

I'm in the same boat as DG. New white bike with white bar tape and I'm wanting to go red because of the red (and black) accents on the bike. The bars are black, hoods are black and the saddle is white with red and black accents but the faces on the brakes are red. I've had the bike two weeks, riding it almost every day, and it's already starting to show the dirt around the hoods. On an older bike, I wouldn't care about the dirt, but I would at least like to get the bike broken in before it starts looking war torn.

I will certainly concede that some bikes look best with white bar tape...but in my experience (two years using white bar tape on one of my bikes) the effort required to keep it looking attractive not only outweighs the benefits, but is for naught anyway: You just can't keep white tape white with normal use and anything less than the most obsessive and frequent cleaning routines.

In my mind white bar tape is in the same category as mustache wax.

+1. REAL cyclists use white tape. Period.

I remember back in the 70's reading an article in one of the bike mags about Bernard Thevenet, who had just won the Tour that year. The article said that his white Tressostar cloth handlebar tape was changed after every stage!

I have always used white hbar tape. I change the tape before every major event, so for Paris-Brest-Paris, my bike had new white handlebar tape. It really stands out when it's new, and when it's not, nobody really cares. In the summer, I use different bar/stem/brake combo and saddle/post combo. The tape, rubber brake hoods, and saddle are all white. In the winter, it doesn't matter because you're mostly riding by yourself anyway, so the tape is dirty grey (unless I'm riding a major event on the winter equipment), the hoods are black, and the saddle is brown. Nobody really cares anyway; they're more concerned and insecure about how their own stuff matches, or doesn't!

I think of the color of handlebar tape as I think of the color of sails on a boat, or a wife's veil. White is standard. You only put on the black tape at funerals, after a friend has died, or if you're in mourning for your spouse/ride partner.

Luis

White LOOKS good. For a while ;). Went red and never looked back.

IMO, white tape is SUPER COOL..

CHECK EM OUT!! ;)

http://www.cehoward.net/ironduo52.jpg.jpg


http://www.cehoward.net/presty1.jpg

On my motorcycles, I go with white wheels, again, super cool..;)

White bar tape makes you go faster.

Dammit. I'm switching back now...

No, I don't like white tape. More effort than I would ever want to spend to keep clean. I stick with my red bar tape. Red makes you go faster.

They say "a hint to the wise is sufficient" ;)

True, but it also written in the "Speed Scrolls", that red, white and black, are all fast colors, and will give the wearer extra speed.. Trust me, I saw it written, and I experienced it!! ;)

White reflects light so you'll have to overcome that resistance. Black absorbs light and will actually pull you along. The sunnier the day, the more these effects can be felt.