Bar tape - color suggestions

I'm suffering from pretty serious new bike envy (just helped my dad buy a new road bike) and looking for ways to make my reliable ride more attractive so it will take the edge off the envy.

I have a 2005 Specialized Roubaix Elite Triple - It's a dark Navy blue with some carbon showing through and silver lettering and currently silver bar tape. (exactly like the stock picture here)

It's kind of guy-ish and while I'm not a total girly-girl it does bother me sometimes. I think the cheapest way to spruce it up would be new bar tape (also looking into upgrading the stock wheels, but budget may put that off for a while). I'd love to hear suggestions on bar tape colors to consider.

My bike being more attractive will make me faster, right? ;)

I like the silver. Given the simplicity of the bike's color scheme, I'm not sure anything other than navy, silver or black would look particularly good--but I'm pretty conservative when it comes to color/pattern etc. Cinelli offers several patterned tapes that might appeal to you. I'm sure other brands do, too, but I'm partial to Cinelli so it's the one I'm most familiar with.

By the way, if your bike is going to need to be serviced soon for new cables or any other maintenance that requires the bars to be unwrapped, you should probably wait to have it all done at once.

I'm partial to white tape, but you know the drawbacks.

I think something like the one for the Colnago would be pretty cool myself :)

http://busymanbicycles.blogspot.com/...1_archive.html

You get white, blue and a small splash of pink and from what I hear, this tape feels darn nice too. I'd prob opt for blue stitch and pink underneath though to go with your bike.

The one above it with the white and titanium showing through is rather nice as well.

Wow Roguedog, that site is amazing, however I think that the shipping alone from Aus to Texas would put me a tad over budget, not to mention the cost of the tape! But so so beautiful. The Cinelli Caleido looks similar-ish and I kind of dig it.
I looked up a color wheel to see what colors 'contrast' my navy and it suggested a bright orange, however I've never been much of an orange colored anything fan.

Let me suggest green accents... Lizard Skins has some apple green tape [see here]; Salsa has green titanium skewers [here]. And Brooks has a green B-17 [here]. I might be green with envy... :D

I googled images of my bike and saw sopme ppl who had red tape and decided that I don't know what I want but I do know I don't like red tape on my bike. Wondering if I can muster up the courage to go into my LBS and hold tape up to my bike. It's a bit of a 'boys club' but I'm getting braver in there.

If you're feeling patriotic, you could go red, white, and blue.

Or how 'bout a harlequin pattern wrap?
http://www.wastedlife.org/bike/harlequin/index.html

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Originally Posted by barrelgal

Wow Roguedog, that site is amazing, however I think that the shipping alone from Aus to Texas would put me a tad over budget, not to mention the cost of the tape! But so so beautiful. The Cinelli Caleido looks similar-ish and I kind of dig it.
I looked up a color wheel to see what colors 'contrast' my navy and it suggested a bright orange, however I've never been much of an orange colored anything fan.

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Ha ha! I was going to suggest orange.:D But not necessarily bright orange, perhaps there is a darker, burnt orange color available?

If you just want to get an idea of what a particular color of bar tape would like, you can get a scrap of fabric or whatever you have handy and put it around the bars to see, generally, what it would look like.

I did something similar with my cages. I wanted to see what red cages would look like on my bike and all I had handy in the right shade of red was a fabric measuring tape. I wrapped around the old cages to get an idea.

I recently tried white shoelaces to see what white cable housing would look like and realized it wouldn't make much of a difference on my bike. Glad I saved myself the trouble.

I was going to suggest orange since it's wonderful with navy, but if you're not a fan I second the apple green recommendation. I love bright colors though. A light blue might look nice too if it's a lighter shade of the navy.

Deda makes a bar tape called "chrome" and it looks like shiny chrome........

Here is a link to it:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/...country=UNITED STATES

This is a UK company but I am sure you can find it for less in the US - likely on ebay......????

This is something you won't see anyone with!!!

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Originally Posted by Gowest

Deda makes a bar tape called "chrome" and it looks like shiny chrome........

Here is a link to it:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/...country=UNITED STATES

This is a UK company but I am sure you can find it for less in the US - likely on ebay......????

This is something you won't see anyone with!!!

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It's really cheap in Amazon. I am not a fan of how the bars look with it. Along similar lines, Soma has metallic tape in bronze (so this could cross over to the orange without being orange). I like how the Fizik silver tape looks. It's more gray than silver.

The look of an antique brown leather bar tape with blue is nice. It's expensive, though.

ETA: If you go the shiny route, be prepared for people looking at your bike. I had my LBS surprise me with their choice of tape and the guys put a Fizik glossy red tape. Initially, I was shocked, but now I like a lot. It makes my bike look fast and it attracts some attention.

ETA #2: Whatever you do, have fun with it. It's not a permanent change, so you can try one and then change your mind in a couple of months or next season.

I love Navy and Yellow together.

I would also do pink, but i happen to love pink.

How about a lighter blue?

I think white would look classy. (The word classy unfortunately reminds me of Donald Trump, who generally uses it to describe things that are the epitome of tackiness, but I honestly do think white would be pretty on that bike - more elegant than the silver in my opinion).

Edit: Especially with a white saddle.

Another edit: if I were to add color, it would probably be cages - and there are a lot of options that would be fun there.

My significant other bought me some really cool bar tape to put on my new Scott bike, and I think it's made by Profile Designs. It's black with a silvery embossed floral pattern on it. I've actually gotten a lot of compliments on it. It's got a feminine touch without being too "girly" :)

I have lots of choices to consider now! Is it pretty easy to wrap yourself? or is it something I should have the bike shop do?

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Originally Posted by barrelgal

My bike being more attractive will make me faster, right? ;)

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Absolutely! :)

How about wet look black from Fizik or chrome from Deda?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Muirenn

Profile Designs makes a white floral bar tape with the flowers barely visible, but you'll be able to see them.

There should be a better picture somewhere!

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Who would have thought? Here's another floral handlebar tape.

@barrelgal: I am really curious to know who your "finalists" were and to see a picture of the faster bike.

My finalists are pretty spread out but here is what I'm thinking in no order:
Cinelli Caleido Ribbon - I like the dots showing through a different color idea and that they are all different colors adds a bit of fun, but is still subtle from a distance.

Specalized s wrap roubaix type in pink - I'm not a total pink girl but I think this shade of dark pink would be ok with the navy on my bike since it's not too light.

Something along the lines of the fi'zi:k Microtex tape in green. This would stand out, and I really really like the idea of it, but unsure of how I would like it actually day in day out.

That Caleido Ribbon is awesome! And I need new tape for my commuter...hmmm... :)

I can't find the caleido online yet, but I think it's a new product.

Edit: Nevermind, I found it now!

Oh.. I like that Cinelli tape. Have to keep that one in mind for next time!