White handle bar tape

[RoadRaven]

Well... I mercilessly tease those I ride with who have white bar tape, as the ProEuro riders seemed to make it fashionable and trendy, so I go on at them as if they are Wannabe-EuroYuppies...

And seriously, as for keeping it clean? Heck, I don't even OWN any white clothes cause I can't even keep THEM clean!

[VeloVT]

RR--
yes, it figures that white tape would be popularized by a group of people who don't have to clean their own bikes...

[AnnieBikes]

I just bought a bike and it CAME with white bar tape! Definitely NOT my first choice, so now I have ridden it 500 miles and thought I would revisit this thread for any more suggestions that anyone can give me.

[denny]

I followed the advice of a mechanic on YouTube and use Blue Dawn liquid detergent in warm water with a wash cloth, and he was right, the dirt came off in no time and I was finished with both bars in about 6 minutes tops!

The blue dawn works well because other colors tend to leave a residue on white. Same theory for using products on grey hair, use either clear white or blue and you'll always sparkle. (Month 3 of the great grey experiment)

[katieliz]

I had great success with the Mr Clean Magic Eraser. There is a drawback: these "erasers" come apart pretty quickly when scrubbing handlebar tape. I couldn't use one more than once.

[tzvia]

Well, I admit that I haven't read all this thread, so this may have already been covered.

I like the look of white bar tape on my white/red bike (also have a white saddle) so I put up with the extra cleaning. For now, I'm using Deda tape, which seems rather easy to keep clean. First off, wash your gloves often. Dirt on gloves, rubbed on white tape equals dirty tape that will be hard to clean, as the dirt is ground-in. When I wash the tape, I use mild dish soap and water on a paper towel. I rub in the direction the tape is wrapped, then let it sit for a few minutes. I do the same with the saddle. I wipe the rest of the bike off, then wipe the soapy water again, giving extra time to the dirty spots, and let it sit again for a minute. I then use a paper towel with water, and then a clean towel to dry. My current tape is almost 4 months old, the longest I've managed to keep the tape white. If I did not take the extra time, the tape would be gray by now and really ugly. Even so, I always keep another set handy for when it gets ugly.

If I have to work on the bike, I wrap the handlebar with seran rap because getting dirty oil/grease off of the tape is impossible.

Sometimes, i think I should use red or grey (bike has grey pinstripes) tape but white just looks soo good...

[AnnieBikes]

Thanks SO MUCH for all the tips for my white bar tape. I have it and will learn to deal with it, but all the suggestions are great. I appreciate all of you who took time to answer.

[Zen]

Not even Babo is gonna get this out

[sundial]

Who would use white bar tape on a mountain bike??

[RoadRaven]

The first thing we have done upone addition of a new bike to the stable with white bar tape is to replace the bar taps.

Sorry all white bar tape fans who are part of the recent euro-yuppiness. Its fasionable and trendy and completely impractical.

Besides, I am waaaaay tooooo lazy to have white bar tape - I just couldn't be ar5ed cleaning it. I don't even own white clothes!

[ZenSojourner]

Why I will never again put up with white bar tape:



That was after just a couple of months of riding, too. She are going away lickety-splits as soon as I can get the thing in for it's spring cleaning.

[redrhodie]

I've had the same white bar tape on my bike since I got it, and I've cleaned it once or twice. I wash the bike all the time--I just like the graying tape. It looks good to me.

[ZenSojourner]

I've had the same white bar tape on my bike since I got it, and I've cleaned it once or twice. I wash the bike all the time--I just like the graying tape. It looks good to me.

To each their (*SHUDDER*) own.